BookSafety Reviews's Reviews > The Boxer

Book safety, content warnings, and tropes & tags down below.

I wanted to feel him still inside me for days when he’d look back and regret this night.

I don’t really know what came over me when I picked up this ARC, but I think my brain saw the ‘childhood crush’, ‘age gap’ and ‘boxer/trainer’ tropes and I must’ve blacked out or something to completely ignore the dreaded ‘second chance’. But I’m glad it happened. I didn’t realize this book would contain both the first and second chance, so it was definitely more relationship-angsty than I would normally go for, but I was so freaking invested in these characters that I couldn’t put it down. I really needed to see them get that second chance. I realize that all of that didn’t necessarily sound positive, but I enjoyed the book a lot.

I dated now and then, but they weren’t my Jack. I understood I had an obsession, but I didn’t give a shit. It was hard to push him out of my life when he was in it, day in and day out.

Both MCs were definitely flawed, but they weren’t cruel at heart, even if they did hurt each other at different moments. When one MC has been in love with and pining for the same man for 9 years, and the other is still hung up on the ex boyfriend who never loved him back, you know it’s going to hurt a little (a lot).

Happiness in Fergs was as fleeting as a last breath. If you didn’t look quickly enough, you’d miss it.

I was so happy for these men when they finally reached a healthier space individually and together, and I’m glad therapy was a part of it. This next part might be a little spoilery, so I’m gonna hide it:
(view spoiler)[
I’m also very happy about the author not making Fergs’ other relationship in the book a graphic one. They kiss, but nothing else is on-page. I don’t think I could’ve handled that. It wasn’t added just to make it angstier, but showed how he really did try to move on and reach a better headspace.
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I was definitely reading outside of my comfort zone for this one, but I don’t regret it. It was entertaining, and I couldn’t put it down even though it was a bit heavy on the relationship angst for me, as well as my least favorite trope being a big part of the book. I think that’s a good sign.

Jack was a part of my life, regardless. There was no running from him. I’d have to continuously face what I could never have for the rest of my life.

Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Age gap, second chance, pining, boxer/manager, anger issues, best friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, slow burn (after the first hookup)

⚠️⚠️ Content warning ⚠️⚠️
Grief
Homophobia
Binge drinking
Graphic violence
Attempted murder
Explicit sexual content
Mentions of past murder (parents)
Internalized homophobia (side character)

⚠️⚠️⚠️ Book safety ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Cheating: No
OM drama: Yes. One MC starts a relationship with someone else after the MCs sleep together. The ‘first’ and second chance are both shown in the book. The MC and the other boyfriend kiss on-page, but nothing more.
Third-act breakup: Not really
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile

Every time Jack touched me, I was zapped with longing and need, followed by a wave of depression. I had been in love with him since I was fifteen years old, showing up at the underground fights with Dad. Jack had been thirty-one at the time and way out of my age range and league, but I pined after him anyway. He was the very reason I knew I was gay. He was my first crush. My forever crush.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.