Slow burning, full of passion and wit, Until You’re Mine was an unexpected read.

Shane is trying to fight his way back to the top of the MMA world. Set up in a new gym, he’s taken aback by the new girl there, Brooklyn. She’s the sister of his trainers and the daughter of the man who owns the gym. He is determined pursuit of her. She brings her own obstacles, but Shane wants to be the one to get around them. Brooklyn is a sweet character. She puts her dreams on pause when she’s called home. I found her admirable and very likable.

Overall, Until You’re Mine is a great read. The pacing felt a bit jumpy, slow at first, then wrapped up quickly, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. I would recommend to the reader looking for a sexy athletic hero.

*Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads*

I picked this one because of Cindi Madsen's name on the cover and she didn't let me down.  Shane's brash, cocky attitude is fun and not annoying, while Brooklyn definitely can give as good as she gets.  Together they throw sparks for all sorts of reasons and it's a treat to be there to witness it.  There's also a good amount of family drama on Brooklyn's side, as well as some minor setup to the next story with one of her brothers.  It all flows well together and helps to flesh out the complications of a relationship with Shane.

And speaking of complications ... I should warn people that Brooklyn is in a relationship for part of the book.  There is no physical cheating but the interactions between her and Shane have caused some reviewers to lower their rating.  To me it was a little (naturally) awkward, especially the inevitable break-up, but it seemed a realistic reaction to the situation they find themselves in.  Just a heads up, though, if this is something that might bother you.

With family issues to resolve and an attraction that she's finding difficult to resist, Brooklyn's summer may not be going as smooth as she'd hoped.  But it definitely turned into a darn entertaining read for me :)

In this story, cocky MMA fighter Shane Knox meets his match in sassy artist Brooklyn Roth, his new coach's daughter. Despite obstacles such as trust issues, a boyfriend and past fuck-ups, the two of them can't seem to stay away from one another.

Cindi Madsen delivers again. A fast-paced, well-written romance starring an array of strong, loveable characters (I totally fell for Liam and Finn, Brooklyn's over-protective older brothers). Emotional yet not draining, quite steamy, funny and totally swoon-worthy.
I can see Brooklyn having a boyfriend being an issue for some readers, but I do think it was handled alright.

This is probably my favorite book by Madsen. Definitely a go-to author for me whenever I'm in need of some love.

I could not get into this book. Shane kept pursuing Brooklyn while she was in a relationship with someone else and it bothered me tremendously. Brooklyn just kept pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable to do with another man without really cheating and that was a huge let down. I really tried to give this book a chance but I finally gave up a little more than halfway through due to all this.

Forbidden love is often the sweetest! He doesn't need the distraction, and she's already got a life elsewhere ... so why are they so drawn to each other? A fun story of falling for someone when you least expect it ... even when you really don't want to! The characters are easy to like, well developed and keep us hoping for a happy ending.

MMA fighter Shane Knox was heading to the top of his game when a personal issue took his concentration away and made the sport the last thing on his mind. Now he's back and life is looking bright again, but he now has to work his way back up from the bottom ... and this time carries the stigma of plummeting to the bottom not so long ago. He's finally found a strong team at Team Domination to get him back into fighting shape and believe in him to get the job done.

Brooklyn Roth is begrudgingly back home for a few weeks before starting a new job. Her big brother guilted her into helping out at the family gym, and since he's always been there for her, she couldn't say no to the big lug. Supposedly her Dad wants to reconnect with her after years of a strained relationship, but based on the fact that he's training someone for a big fight, she doesn't see him taking his mind off of anything other than his sport ... as usual. The last thing she expects, or wants is to start falling for said fighter ... but as hard as she tries, she can't deny the sparks!

I enjoyed book, I went back and forth with Brooklyn, I was happy that she was not a push over and I was also happy that did not cheat on her boyfriend even though the attraction that she had with Shane was combustible., but there were times that she did annoy me. I loved Shane, he was loyal and loving and just the whole package. I kind of wish that they did get together sooner but it finally did happen and it was heartbreaking when she left him so that he could pursue his dream and hers. But luckily that wasn't for long since they truly did love each other..I can't wait for Liam's..Enjoy!

Shane Knox was one of the best MMA fighters until personal reasons caused him to crash and burn. Now though, he's determined to get back to tip-top shape and back in the cage and doesn't have time for distractions. Yet, there's something about Brooklyn Roth that makes him want to make her his. Will Brooklyn give him a chance, or are their dreams too important for either of them to compromise for a chance at happy ever after?

In my opinion, this is by far one of Ms. Madsen's best books. It had everything I love in a contemporary romance such as incredible characters that have some tough obstacles to overcome because they both want to make their dreams come true; entertaining dialogue that had me loving how confident the hero was in his determination to win over the heroine; and a great opening chapter that had me liking the heroine immediately, as it's not easy for her to be back with her family and at the gym that has always seemed more important to her father than his own daughter. Will her father see the error of his ways?

Both the main characters were compelling due to their back stories, their playful banter and this couple's romance that was filled with plenty of heat and passion. Moreover, the heroine is resilient in her desire to fulfil her dreams and I liked that she stood up for what she wanted for her life. I also liked the tight bond she shares with her brothers with one being the fun brother and the other being the more serious brother that offers support and is willing to stand up for her. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine is how much of a challenge she proved for the hero, as he tries his best to make her see how intense their chemistry is and that it's worth exploring.

While the hero, he's been through so much and his fall from the top to where he is now was hard to deal with, but I liked how hard he's worked to bounce back and get someone to take a chance on him again because he has the strength and determination to rise to the top again. I also liked his charm, his confidence and his determination towards everything he does whether it's being the best he can and doing everything he can to get back to the top or when it comes to winning the heroine's heart. And, of course, I can't forget to mention the close relationship he shares with his mother. She's so supportive of his MMA career, which is proven by her enthusiasm for when he's in the cage.

Overall, Ms. Madsen has delivered a must read in this book where the delicious romance does justice to this couple's powerful chemistry; the secondary characters in Brooklyn's brothers have me looking forward to more of this series; and the ending had me loving that nothing could keep these two apart and that both were willing to do anything to be together. However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up wonderfully, because the hero and heroine have come so far in their relationship and their happiness is delightful. I would recommend Until You're Mine by Cindi Madsen, if you enjoy sports romance, the enemy to lovers trope, the opposites attract trope or books by authors Sarah Robinson, Sara Ney, Marquita Valentine and Lia Riley.

Loved this book!! First off they both fight their attraction to one another but for very different reasons. Brooklyn is determined not to fall for a fighter again, after getting her heart ripped out by her last boyfriend. Shane is determined to make a huge come back and needs to focus only on his training.

But they can't fight the incredible attraction they have for one another and eventually it leads to something more. But even then they still fight the connection that is so obvious.

Very cute love story, with a cover to die for!

I’m a big fan of second chance stories. And where most hero’s struggle to make a comeback due to their dumb actions, Shane is rebuilding himself because he did something very honourable and compassionate.

Brooklyn has lived and breathed MMA all her life. And after having her heart beaten the crap out of and moving away to make her own life, she’s not too thrilled to be in the midst of it all once again. In spite of fighting it with everything, she’s got Shane is irresistible to her. But soon she finds herself being drawn into the MMA world and all its entanglements once again. And this time she’s not sure if she’s going to survive it.

4 stars

I really enjoyed Until You're Mine by Cindi Madsen.

The storyline was entertaining, it was well written and my attention was held all throughout the book.
Shane and Brooklyn were likable characters that I easily connected with and loved watching them fall in love. They had a strong connection and their chemistry was off the charts.

I also enjoyed getting to know Brooklyn's family, her brothers added to my overall enjoyment and I'm excited to read their stories in the near future.

Until You're Mine is a great start to the Fighting For Her series, and I highly recommend it.

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*A big thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

4.5 Stars
I have this thing for literary MMA fighters (well, literary fighters in general if I’m being perfectly honest) and Ms. Madsen’s take on the fighting world was, in my opinion, absolutely amazeballs.

I don’t usually have a lot of patience for NA books but I’ve read Ms. Madsen’s work before and was again pleasantly surprised again. While the main characters in Until You’re Mine are in their mid-twenties they are not insufferable bubble heads out to party and whine about life in general.

Shane, a cocky, rough, muscled mountain of sexiness has had a very tough upbringing. Some bad choices and very shitty luck dealt him more than one smackdown during his meteoric career as a professional fighter. Now, having learned his lesson and with the main reason behind his fall from grace under control, he’s devoted to making it back to the top.

With not only his future but that of his team hanging from his shoulders, the last thing he needs is getting mixed up with the sassy bombshell at the reception desk who turns out to be the daughter of his new head coach as well as the baby-sister of his other two coaches.

Brooklyn has just finished her degree and has her dream internship all lined-up to jump-start her adult life, but when her brother begs her to come back to the family gym to help them out… well, she can’t really refuse.

While she grew up in the gym and loved being a part of the MMA world, it wasn’t so good to her. A bad choice of boyfriend, along long years of being set aside to other priorities by her father, made for a less than happy attitude towards her summer plans.

“Okay, so I might’ve forgotten the dopamine rush that came along with being in the gym, constantly surrounded by ripped guys who dropped masculinity. But I’d moved past my arm-porn addiction…”

Brooklyn was a hoot. She was tough, sassy and funny. Her daddy issues were quite understandable so while at some point her less than amicable attitude towards her dad got on my nerves, it didn’t really put me off. I liked how she was set on pursuing her dreams and had learned from her past mistakes. The fact that she could literally kick-ass was just the cherry on top for me.

Shane, oh Shane. He was not only the sexy fighter personified, but he was incredibly charming, considerate and loving. I really enjoyed him going for what he wanted, be that a title fight or in Brooklyn´s pants.

I must confess that the pseudo-love-triangle-induced-angsty feeling was not my most favorite part. I did immensely enjoy Brooklyn’s brothers and I’m hoping they’ll get their own stories soon.

With the hottest chemistry, Until You’re Mine is all about Shane breaking down Brooklyn’s walls, the steamy tension, great banter and sexy, sexy loving. For me, this was a KO in the first round…or whatever is said in fighting!

3.75 stars--UNTIL YOU’RE MINE is the first instalment in Cindi Madsen’s contemporary, adult FIGHTING FOR HER romantic, MMA series focusing the Roth family: Finn, Liam and Brooklyn Roth who, along with their father Blake, own and operate the Team Domination professional MMA Club. This is artist and only daughter Brooklyn Roth, and MMA fighter Shane Knox’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Shane and Brooklyn) UNTIL YOU’RE MINE follows the forbidden relationship between Team Domination’s newest acquisition, MMA fighter and champion Shane Knox, and Brooklyn Roth, a struggling artist and the only daughter of Team Domination owner Blake Roth. With the finances and paperwork a mess, artist and painter Brooklyn Roth is called home to San Diego to clean up the mistakes of the previous bookkeeper and accountant. From their first meeting, Shane and Brooklyn’s reaction to one another is palpable; their sexual attraction to one another is sizzling and hot, and does not go unnoticed by the men in charge but Brooklyn is in a committed relationship, a relationship that will suffer as Brooklyn is pulled into the whirlwind that is Shane Knox. What ensues is the building relationship between Brooklyn and Shane, and the potential fallout as their time together comes to an end with Shane’s approaching championship fight.

Brooklyn Roth is no stranger to heartache; a previous relationship with an MMA fighter ended badly, and too many memories of her parents’ disastrous marriage leave our heroine struggling between head and heart as it pertains to our story line hero. Shane Knox had it all once and needs a championship fight to bring back the glory of what once was. Partnering with Team Domination meant Shane had another chance at the top prize including a shot at a happily ever after with the woman he loved.

The relationship between Shane and Brooklyn is one of forbidden love: Brooklyn is the boss’s daughter, in a committed relationship (or so she claims) but Shane is persistent and struggles to accept the boundaries Brooklyn has drawn between our leading couple. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. Addressing the elephant in the room, there is no cheating per say but the emotional affair between Shane and Brooklyn, and Shane’s pursuit of Brooklyn, and his persistent flirting and sexy banter will be the death of her current relationship back home. The early one on one banter is rife with nasty innuendo and cut downs that felt more like two siblings fighting to get the upper hand.


We are introduced to Team Domination and the Roth family of MMA fighters: father and patriarch Blake Roth, and his sons Liam and Finn; Shane’s mother Tammy Oliver, his best friend Hector; and Brooklyn’s boyfriend Trey, and her ex (MMA fighter) Conrad ‘Croc’ Rochenski. Liam and Chelsea’s story line is next in UNTIL WE’RE MORE.

The world building looks at the battle to be number one, and the fractured dynamics of one family pulled apart and pushed together by the world of the MMA.


UNTIL YOU’RE MINE is an energetic story line. The premise is exciting and realistic; the romance is sensual and passionate; the characters are spirited and colorful.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

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CHAPTERS/INDIGO (Sandy_at_the_Reading_Cafe) posted

MMA is not my thing, but apparently a series about the MMA fighters with Team Domination (aka the Fighting for Her series) totally is!

I really enjoyed Brooklyn and Shane's story--their chemistry is off the charts, and I love the sacrifices they're willing to make for each other to make things work out in the end--and the teaser for Liam and Chelsea's story at the end practically had me salivating...thank goodness it's next, because Liam grouching his way through this one had me dying to get to his story ASAP ;)

I'll admit that the fact that Brooklyn was in a relationship at the start gave me pause. She didn't technically cheat on him, but Shane did push pretty hard. I'll give him props--he did back off physically when she asked him too, but verbally he did push things more than a little. Once we actually meet the fabled Trey it's pretty clear that they're not actually right for each other, though, and even if I do think Brooklyn got over their breakup fairly quickly, overall I did like how Ms. Masden handled it. However, if cheating is one of your triggers, there are some undertones here, so be warned.

The second half of the story, when Brooklyn and Shane are finally together? It's pure gold. I always forget how much I love Ms. Madsen's writing until I'm completely immersed in it. And even though the descriptions of fighting and training and the details of setting up matches and winning titles pretty much flew right by me, I was right there with Brooklyn while she appreciated watching Shane train. And yes, I totally agree that the "getting-fighters-ripped-abs-budget" should totally be a thing that needs balancing and don't care (much) if that makes me sounds shallow. I can live with that ;)

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Cindi Madsen is a new author to me and I was really intrigued when I read the blurb and saw the cover. I started to read it but it was a little slow for me and I ended up putting it down. Two days later I came back to it and I’m glad that I did.

Shane Know knows what it’s like to be on top and all the way at the bottom. Now that he’s got a second chance, nothing can stand in his way. Shane needs to get Brooklyn off the brain first, especially since she has a boyfriend.

Brooklyn comes home to help the family out with the business. She grew up in the ring and knows how to deal with the men in the gym but Shane holds her interest more than he should. I really loved her brothers, but I did not like her father from the start.

I enjoy a good MMA romance and I ended up liking this one. The banter between Brooklyn and Shane was what brought me back into the book. The fact that they both had experienced the ups and downs of life, it made you feel sorry for them yet routing for them to win. The sexual chemistry was good as well. Once the story picked up the pace, I did enjoy it.

3.5 stars

Having recently fully engaged and entertained me with “Nailed It” , I was quite excited to delve into Ms. Madsen’s MMA fighter backdrop romantic tale, Until You’re Mine. Even though this genre can be somewhat dangerous territory for me as they tend to star rough, tough, man ho, womanizing heroes in serious need of major attitude adjustments.

Shane certainly stood apart from that perception, folks. Sure, he had the alpha protective tough fighter hero down pat, but what surprised me was his good guy, teddy bear heart. Always staying behind so she wasn’t in the gym alone late at night and walking her to her car, this guy was protective and smittened with Brooklyn, the heroine, from the get go. Taking care of his mama in the past during a difficult time, well, that bumped his man card up even more.

Focused solely on climbing back up the MMA ladder after taking an unavoidable break, Shane seems bound and determined not to let anything shift his focus from training and earning the title he almost had within his reach. Brooklyn certainly came across as a bridge this guy should not cross. Complete with daddy issues, boyfriend baggage, and a sassy, snarky mouth that had me wondering what he saw in her, I was ready to throw her over a bridge a time or two. For me, she came across as an emotional cheater in how she handled the boyfriend dilemma. At least that inconvenient issue eventually got resolved without too much fanfare. In fact, I think that guy definitely ended better off in the long run. You might even say she brought out the worst in Shane, because he couldn’t seem to stop himself from relentlessly flirting/coming on to her hoping she would dump the long distance boyfriend and give him a fighting chance instead.

Brooklyn always brought to forefront her hopes and dreams and seemed to bash everyone over the head for her past mistakes/decisions. I wanted someone to tap her on the shoulder and say, “It’s water under the bridge, hon, time to own it, let it go, and move on.” It was also disappointing when push came to shove, she chose herself over Shane. At least that is how I felt about it, despite her illogical rationale. Her brothers were presented as supportive, but helped fuel her “woe is me” mantra and convinced her to continue making wrong decisions in regards to her future.

Feeling like their relationship was based more on lust than love, I didn’t feel that strong of an emotional connection between these two. It felt like Shane wanted her mostly because she was gorgeous. He was blindsided by lusty attraction, and she was mesmerized by his ripped MMA fighter body. Yeah, they got to know each other and their numerous, very graphic steamy scenes didn’t take place until the other guy drama was done, but even with the predictable ending, I’m not sure these two will stay together in the long run, folks.

Title: Until You’re Mine, Author: Cindi Madsen, Pages: 393, stand-alone, MMA fighter backdrop, numerous very graphic steamy scenes, has a boyfriend at first, woe is me heroine, good guy hero who can’t seem to stop himself from wanting her, no OW drama.

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3N50XO572JNUU/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I hoesntly hate when the heroine has a boyfriend for over half the book. What is the freaking point to this?. For now this is a DNF. I might pick this back up because I love this author. Ok. So I probably won't pick this back up. And I love MMA books. So is so sad.

I have a confession: I’m not really into MMA books. There, I said it. When I found out that Cindi Madsen’s new series would feature MMA fighters, I wasn’t sure how to feel. But when I had the chance to read this book, I couldn’t turn it down. I mean, it was a new Cindi Madsen book after all. I’m SOO glad I decided to give this book a chance. I LOVED it. It’s filled with flirty banter, witty dialogue, a swoony hero and very touching. I even found myself getting into all the MMA parts as well.

Brooklyn isn’t thrilled to be going back home to help out her family with their MMA training gym. Despite all the good memories there, there are a lot of bad ones too, especially between her and her father. It doesn’t help that she meets their newest fighter, Shane. Shane is a bad boy with a troubled past. He is the type of guy that Brooklyn wants to stay away from.

However, Shane isn’t exactly what he seems. There is a heart of gold inside of him, and Brooklyn starts to form an unlikely friendship with him. There is some major sexual attraction between them too, though despite Shane’s best efforts, Brooklyn keeps it in check. Which is kinda torturous. For her and for me. Especially during one sweaty, practice fight scene between the two. Wowza.

I loved their whole relationship. Even though they both have insta-attraction, there is a slow burn that will drive you crazy, in the best way possible.

You also get to know Brooklyn’s brothers, and they are pretty intriguing! I’m excited to read their stories.

There are some pretty bittersweet sub plots, but I don’t want to get into them too much, as I feel you will enjoy the book experiencing them first hand.

Make sure to add this book to your TBR pile, you won’t be sorry!!

4.5 stars

Until You're Mine is such a wonderfully written story. I knew from the beginning that this was going to be one of those books that sucks you in with the easy to love characters, the humor, the moments of swooning, and the complete love that these two feel for each other. Although I'm not a fan of MMA generally, it was still so easy to get lost in this great story.

Shane and Brooklyn both have their own stories of pain from their pasts, it is those bits of pain tht make them so perfect for each other. They bring each other a balance that keeps them grouneed. Until You're Mine is a sweet and fun story that I highly recommend, even if you aren't a fan of MMA.

It was hard for me connect with the story at the beginning. But once I put all the pieces of information in the right places, I finished the book in the blink of an eye. The story is pretty emotional, sexy and full of passion. The characters were beautifully developed, the slow burn romance is so intense it will make you swoon... I was desperate to know what would happens next page after page.