Books & Spoons Review & Excerpt STACKED UP by Sidney Halston

Stacked Up
Worth the Fight #6 
By: Sidney Halston 
Releasing May 30, 2016
Loveswept

Opposites attract in this seductive novel from the author of Against the Cage (“Funny, steamy, scorching.”—Toni Aleo), with a chiseled MMA fighter falling for a single mom who could use a real man in her corner. 
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Working two jobs to support her infant daughter is harder than anything Penny Richards has ever done, but it sure beats living under the rules of her stepfather, a television preacher who demands a picture-perfect family. And if Penny hadn’t struck out on her own, she never would have met Travis Calhoun. The intensely physical heavyweight brawler has a way of drawing out her wild side. But Travis lives fast, with no responsibilities—and that just isn’t for Penny. 
Most of the women in Travis’s circle wear tight clothes, high heels, and tons of makeup—not pearls or plaid headbands. But once he works past Penny’s inhibitions, Travis discovers a kindred spirit who longs to trust someone with her body, and her secrets. Still, Travis can’t help but wonder if this rich girl is just slumming it before she returns to her privileged life. Now it’s up to Penny to prove that she wants her hard-edged, hard-loving fighter just the way he is.

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When a story is sexy, passionate, and even crude at times, and at the same time sweet, tender, adorable, and even innocent, it takes your mind and emotions for a wild ride, and touches your heart like rare stories does. That's what this series has been for me, and the ending for it, the crescendo, Stacked Up, was a true highlight in a series of amazing tales. 
I have loved Travis since I started to read the series, he is fun and flirty, yet there's deep waters running in him, hurt, pain, and regrets, that he tries to hide and live with. 
Penny has been the one to catch his eye, and life for him was never the same again. 
Penny, my heart went out for her. She is so strong, she tries so hard to survive, even though her upbringing didn't give her many tools  for survival. She works hard, keeps to herself, and tries to make it yet another month, loving her little Belle. Her faith is her cornerstone, and she is not ashamed of it. She relies on God's guidance, protection, and wisdom to make it through the day.
Belle, she steals the scene every time, her love for Travis is as healing and powerful as her mamma's, and the big fighter doesn't have a chance, when it comes to his girls. 
Travis and Penny together are incredible. The chemistry is steaming hot, but there's the tender, vulnerable side to them, the side that needs healing from the past, and opens up raw and fragile emotions in them, where mending can take place, and rebuilding a new kind of foundation can start. 
The love and sacrifices Travis is willing and ready to do, for Penny and Belle, are outstanding, and humbling. The fight against Penny's past is hurtful, yet, she, together with Travis, manages to stand up to the powerful force she already once escaped from.
The group of friends from the Academy, are the family of the heart, who always stands together, supports each other, and are there for each other. I will surely miss the gang, and the trouble they constantly get into. They have stolen my heart, and earned my respect, and definitely made me swoon more than a time or two. 
~ Five Spoons

“Travis, I’d like you to meet Sarabelle.” 
“Belle.” The little girl said. 
“Belle, excuse me.” Penny laughed. “Travis, this is Belle. Belle this is my friend Travis.” 
The little girl hid in her mother’s neck. “She’s very shy.” 
“”S’okay, I’m not.” He moved closer to Belle. “Hey kid, I’m Travis. Who’s this?” He asked, pointing to the tattered bear she held. 
“Bubba.” She mumbled into her mother’s neck. 
“Bubba the bear. I like that.” Belle did that same move her mother did, shook her head slightly to take her bangs out of her eyes, but in this case it was one fat blonde curl. Then she looked up, and big blue eyes stared back at him. Blue eyes that looked almost identical to his and Jamie Lynn’s. Her soft milky skin and chubby cheeks, and shy smile took him aback. “Twavis.” She whispered, then hid her face again. 

His feelings were scattered all over the place as he walked back his car. What the hell was he getting himself into?

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USA Today  bestselling author,  Sidney Halston  lives her life with one simple rule: "Just Do It"--Nike. And that's exactly what she did. 
 
After working hard as an attorney, Sidney picked up a pen for the first time at thirty years old to begin her dream of writing. Having never written anything other than very exciting legal briefs, she found an outlet for her imaginative, romantic side and wrote Seeing Red. That first pen stroke sealed the deal, and she fell in love with writing. Sidney lives in South Florida with her husband and children. She loves her family above all else, and reading follows a close second. When she's not writing, you can find her reading and reading and reading. She's a reader first and a writer second. When she's not writing or reading, her life is complete and utter chaos, trying to balance family life with work and writing (and reading). But she wouldn't have it any other way. 
 
Author Links:  Facebook | Twitter | Website | GoodReads ​

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