Legend (6) (The REAL series) Paperback – February 9, 2016

“He looks at me as if he’s been waiting for me for a long time. I feel like I too have been waiting for him for long time. It makes no sense. It’s just a look, and just a feeling. You never know what really lies under a look and you can’t apply reason to every feeling. But it’s all there. Tangible, palpable. As though there’s a string between us, one end in him, and the other end in me.”“I want to be a legend. Legends never die. Even if they die alone.”What an amazing ride. Legend is the sixth book in the Real series and it reminded me of exactly why I fell in love with this series. The Real Series was my first venture into MMA romances. From the moment I picked up that first book, I was hooked. And with each book, I fell more in love with this series. Legend is no exception. Legend is a truly special read. The writing pulled me in from the very first page and reminded me of exactly why I fell in love with this series in the first place.Legend follows the story of Maverick and Reese and is told from dual points of view. Maverick has struggled with who is and what he will become, his entire life. He’s always felt broken because he had a father who didn’t want him. Yes, he had an amazing mother, but he wanted to prove to his father and to the world that he was worth something. Only proving himself might be harder than Maverick ever thought possible. The identity of who is father is, is hurting him, more than helping him. No one wants to take a chance on him. And all Maverick wants is that chance. The chance to rise above what everyone thinks of him….Reese Dumas is trying to figure out her life. She’s at a crossroads and desperately wants to find who Reese really is. So, when she gets an opportunity to help out her cousin and her husband Remy, she jumps on it. A change of scenery might just be what she needs. What she didn’t plan on was Maverick. She’s drawn to him in a way that she’s never been drawn to a man before. She knows she should stay away, but she just can’t. The chemistry between the two of them is undeniable. They both have demons that they are trying to fight and deserve a HEA. When the truth about who Maverick really is comes out, will Reese stay in his corner??What can I say about Legend? Here’s what I can tell you…This book is well-written and captivating. It pulls you in instantly. The story-line is refreshing and makes you believe in second chances and to not judge someone based on who their family is. I loved Reese and Maverick together. Reese gave Maverick a chance when no one else did. She gave him hope and made him want to fight for the things that he wanted. She showed him that he deserved more and that she could look past who his family was. I adored Maverick. He had so much rejection in his life and instead of letting it get him down, he worked hard to prove everyone wrong and make something of himself. And the chemistry between Reese and Maverick was off the charts. I loved their dynamic and the push & pull they had.I loved every single second of Legend. It exceeded my expectations. This story is filled with angst, romance, and drama. The characters are real and complicated. They are so easy to connect with and so easy to root for. I really enjoyed spending more time with Remy and Brooke. It warmed my heart to see just how far those two have come. Legend is a fantastic addition to the Real Series. It not only gave me an amazing story, but it gave me the best possible ending to one of my favorite series.

Since reading the first book in this series, I have been absolutely addicted to it. Remy is in my top ten book boyfriends EVER and anytime I’m in a book funk, this is one of the series I gravitate to reread. I’m seriously addicted to it, so this book is bittersweet to me. I have been dying to read this book, terrified to read it, and sad to read it. Yeah, can you say confusing? So, dying to read because I love the series, and sad to see it go, but terrified because we now have a contender for Remy for the champion of the Underground. I can’t root for someone to beat Remy, can I?“I edge a little closer, my heart pounding, fear choking me. His hands are on my hips. Spanning my waist. All it takes is a match to light a fire, and He. Is. The match.”Maverick Cage, how I adore thee. Your passion, your pain, your resolution to be more than your past. Damn it, man. How dare you make me cheat on Remy? I can have you both, right?! Sure I can. I’m making it so.I devoured this book in one sitting then went back and reread it again. I’m sitting here, book in hand, skimming through all the lovely highlights I made (because there are a lot) and before I realized it, had started reading it again. There is not one single word that I would change in this book except that it ended. That’s it. From beginning to end, I fell in love. Remy, Maverick, Reese, Oz, Racer, Brooke. These characters have embedded themselves deep into my heart and soul.“I want to protect her... That’s how much I care about this girl. Guess I’m not emotionally stunted after all. Guess it just takes a second to realize what stares you in the face, slamming you like a punch in the gut. She wanted a friend in me. I’ll be her friend, but I want so much more.“You see her,” I whisper to Oz, and he frowns and nods.“That’s her. That’s my girl.”Reese Dumas, the lovely cousin of Brooke Dumas, is an amazing character. Sweet, funny, determined and, when you finally really know her, an inner strength that surprised the hell out of me. She’s this character that begins tentatively, testing the waters, and we are not exactly sure what her role is going to be. She sees herself as nothing, as unremarkable and yet, in a moment, changes Maverick’s life and gives him a chance to show who he can be. She sees him follow her into her gym and covers him for him, telling the staff that he’s with her and guides him to a trainer that might give him a chance to be a fighter, after he’s been shot down by so many others. She is light and goodness and worthy and I love that Maverick sees that’s what she needs and what she is.“I think of that nice girl who doesn’t want to be nice. A girl who wants to be unforgettable and doesn’t realize, she already is.”I started this book not wanting to root for Maverick and ended it rooting so hard for him that if I had been at his actual match, I would have been hoarse from screaming. His past holds him back but he is determined and stubborn to not allow it. Trying and failing to find someone to give him that chance to fight until Reese helps open the door. Finding Oz as a trainer, another character fighting demons, to be a champion, to shed his past and make his name mean something. Even Remy looks at him and sees, not only someone who is a competitor, but someone to respect. That last scene, that moment in the ring, and everything leading up to it, had me so damn choked up, I could not hold in the tears. I found another reread. I adored, A-D-O-R-E-D, this book and five stars will never be enough for this Legend. Maverick, welcome to my top ten BBF’s.

*I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*I was so ecstatic about this book, but I was like who is this mystery man and how will he ever compare to Remy?! Then I was intrigued by Maverick from the start. This lone wolf that's just trying to prove himself and keeps getting shut down because of who his dad is. But he never gave up. Then I was so thrilled to get to read a little more in to Remy, Brooke & little Racer's life, with the added bonus of her cousin Reese Dumas. So, with out giving too much away. This book was both wonderful like all Katy Evans books but bitter sweet because it's the end of the real series. I was so torn about Maverick & Remy fighting, because I absolutely LOVE Remy with a passion, but Maverick really grew on me. And Katy ends the book the right way. She made me ok with the ending because Remy and Brooke were more than ok. You will understand when you read it. And the relationship between Maverick & Reese was almost as hot as Remy & Brooke in Real. As much as I loved this book, I think Remy & Brooke will always be my favorite. But Maverick is definitely irresistible!