I really loved Nikki Castle's debut novel, 5 Rounds, so I was super excited to read Hailey and Jax's story. Let me just say, this book did not disappoint! Dare I say it, I loved it even more than the first book. Hailey and Jax have known each other since they were kids, but they have only ever been friends, never more than that. Flash forward to adulthood and Hailey leaves a very toxic and tumultous relationship with an abusive boyfriend. Hailey was pretty blind to this situation, not really realizing that her boyfriend was "that bad". When she does finally leave, she turns to her longtime friend Jax for support. This is her story of rebuilding her self esteem, discovering her own self worth again, fighting for herself and finding love with Jax.

I was blown away by the way this material was handled. The first part of the book shows us that Hailey is still with her abusive boyfriend and details their dynamic, particularly how Steve treats Hailey and her inner monolgue and thoughts about his behaviors. While Steve is not physically abusive, he is emotionally manipulative and mentally and emotionally abusive, to the point where Hailey becomes a shell of the person she once was. Her friends, in particular Jax and her sister Remy, know this and try to tell her but Steve has warped Hailey's mind to the point that she believes him and believes that she cannot be without his love. When push finally comes to shove, and she leaves, she does so successfully but not without her trials and tribulations. When she does strike up a relationship with Jax eventually, it's hot and steamy and cute and heartwarming and very clear that they love each other BUT it's also clear that Hailey is not ready for a relationship and needs time to work on herself, to rebuild her self esteem and self worth and to rewire her brain to not believe Steve anymore, and that takes its toll on her relationship with Jax. I love the way Nikki Castle told this story, because we really see how domestic abuse (while not physical, still debilitating) can affect someone's mental health and the health of the relationship they enter into after. Haily had to learn proper communication as well. Her need to heal caused friction with her and Jax and I particularly liked that Jax made the difficult decision to let her go for a period of time, knowing it was in her best interest to heal on her own, despite loving her and truly wanting to be with her. He did what we do when we are in love; do what's best for your partner, even at the expense of your own heart.

Overall, I loved Hailey and Jax's chemistry, and their unwavering love for another in friendship and eventually in a relationship. I love Nikki Castle's storytelling and how she dealt with very difficult topics and themes, as I think it was so well done and got the poignant message across in a great way. It was such a great read and I highly recommend checking this and 5 Rounds out.