Virtual Book Tour: Making It by Christine d'Abo (Reviews+Giveaway)

Hello, my name is Christine d’Abo and I’m so happy to be here today.

When I initially came up with the idea for the Ringside Romance series, I wanted to try and hit as many of the traditional romance tropes as possible. This was as much of a personal challenge as it was my desire to see more of these tropes appearing in LGBTQ romance.

So when I thought, hey, why not do a secret baby book, I got both giddy and terrified. How was I going to pull this off without it coming across as too unrealistic? Because a same sex couple needs to plan for a baby, right? Exactly!

I decided that in order for Devan and Eli’s story to work, this also needed to be a reunion romance. A couple that loved one another once, but due to circumstances, parted ways. With hearts broken, these two men had to find their way back to one another, had to deal with their past problems, while making room for a baby in their future.

Can they do it? Well, this is a romance…

The real question is, what will they have to sacrifice for their happily ever after?

I hope you enjoy the book and the trailer that I made!

About Making It

Devan knows exactly what he wants from life: a good career, a husband who loves him, and a child to call his own. He’s working at the perfect job, and has found the man of his dreams in Eli. That only leaves one box left to tick. When his friend offers to be a surrogate mother for Devan and Eli, he’s convinced all his dreams have come true.

Eli has been fighting his entire life. Fighting to keep his sick mother safe, fighting his frustration, and fighting daily as an up-and-coming MMA star. The one thing he can’t fight is the feeling that he’s made a terrible mistake agreeing to be a father with Devan. On the worst night of their lives, Eli knows Devan is better off without him, and leaves.

When Eli returns three years later, he comes face-to-face with Devan and a son who might be his. Devan has moved on with his life, but seeing Eli once again reignites forgotten passion. Yet if Eli wants to make it work with Devan, he must decide if he’s ready for the biggest fight of his life.

Available now at Riptide Publishing. http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/making-it

4.5 Stars

Devan and Eli were happily married and working on trying to have a baby, until they weren't. Eli decided being a husband and a father weren't for him. Those things didn't fit into his life as an up and coming MMA fighter, so he walked away from Devan. Devan was heartbroken, but after pulling himself together decided he still wanted the family they'd been planning, with or without Eli, something Devan never had as a child, so his best friend and surrogate, Meg and he decided to go through with the plans and Devan now has a happy and well-adjusted eleven-month-old son, Matthew. Life for Devan is hectic, but he's moved on and loves being a father. The only thing missing in his life is someone special to share it all with. Then Eli comes back into town. Will they give it another try or walk away for good this time?

I'll be honest, I absolutely loved book one in this series, but was a bit disappointed with book two, so I wasn't sure what to expect from book three, Making It. I wasn't disappointed. This was a fabulous addition to the Ringside series, and I absolutely loved it.

I really liked Eli, but I absolutely fell in love with Devan. He was an amazing man. He's sweet, caring and lovable, but with a bit of snark to his personality that made him funny as well. Eli was a bit rougher around the edges, but he could be sweet and tender too, especially when it came to Devan and Matthew. I really loved the interactions, both individually and together as a couple, between both Eli and Devan with Matthew. They were so swoon worthy. The chemistry between Devan and Eli was off the charts. The electrical current between them sparked off the pages of the book.

This was a really enjoyable read. It's full of so much emotion. It's well-written and it was paced well. It's romantic and sweet, but has a good bit of angst as well that kept my stomach in knots. Frankly, I couldn't see a way for Devan and Eli to make this relationship work, not with the threats of Eli's evil manager, Stephan, who I hated! The author did a good job at showing us what happened previously between Eli and Devan while keeping the story in the present.

I really enjoyed this book. I absolutely could not put it down once I started. I really loved getting to catch up with Grady and Max and of course my favorite couple, Nolan and Zack. I'm hoping to see more stories in this series in the future and would definitely love to see more of these characters in the future! Highly recommendable!!

*copy provided by author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

4.5 Stars!!!

Making It is book 3 in the Ringside Romance series and it can be read as a standalone, however, I suggest reading the previous books, you won't regret it, this is a great series and you're missing out.

I absolutely loved Devan right from the start and my heart broke along with his when Eli left him at the start of the book. I loved his inner strength, his resilience and the great capacity to love and realize his dreams despite the hard things he's lived through. He was amazing with Mattie and a great friend for Meg. I liked Eli, although there were moments in which I wanted to scream at him. I am aware he was going through a lot of things, both three years before when he left Devan and then when he returned, but the way he behaved with Devan was almost inexcusable. Almost, because he did try his best to make up for it. The chemistry and love between Devan and Eli were undeniable and I just adored them together.

I loved Mattie and Meg, and of course, I loved catching up with Nolan and Zack and Max and Grady. I hated Eli's agent, Stephan, with the fire of a thousand suns, though. He was a despicable excuse for a human being.

Overall, while Working It remains my favorite of the three books, Making It is a very close second. It was a very entertaining read, sweet, angsty, hot and as fabulously written as the rest of the series. Highly recommendable!

*** Copy provided to the reviewer by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

About the Ringside Romance Universe

Deep in the heart of Toronto lies Ringside Gym. Once a safe haven for troubled teens, Ringside has gone derelict, a forgotten memory of past days. Until a group of friends set out to do what they can to bring life back to the ring and create a new home for LGBT youths.

But when their lives threaten to pull down their dreams, each man must turn to others to help make it a reality. Winners take all—but there are no losers in love.

Check out Ringside Romance! http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/universe/ringside-romance

About Christine d’Abo

A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over thirty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.

You can visit Christine at her website www.christinedabo.com, and chat with her on Facebook and Twitter. Want to keep up with Christine’s new releases? Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free book!

• Website: christinedabo.com
• Blog: christinedabo.blogspot.ca
• Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorChristinedAbo
• Twitter: @Christine_dAbo
• Tumblr: christinedabo.tumblr.com
• Pintrest: pintrest.com/christinedabo
• Goodreads: goodreads.com/christine_d_abo

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Making It, one lucky winner will receive a $25 Riptide credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on August 12, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!