One of the best MMA fighters in the country, Rory "Knockout" Kavanagh, had trained all his life for this fight, and there was no way was he going to lose. But Fate decided otherwise. One year later, after his heartbreaking loss, Rory is a mess: his career is over, his broken knee still hurts, he takes too many pain pills and drinks far too much to dull not only his physical pain but his mental anguish. One evening, aiming to get even drunker, he more or less stumbles into O'Leary's Pub and he sees something that stirs him, or rather someone: the new employee, Clare Ivers.

BREAKING A LEGEND is obviously the first book in the new Kavanagh Legends series, as Ms. Robinson introduces the Kavanagh brothers and their cousin Casey. The author gives a bit of background on all the family members, all very clearly defined characters, thus giving the reader a tantalising glimpse of stories to come. The Kavanaghs own the Legends gym located in a very Irish area of the Bronx, which I found refreshing. The author gives such vivid descriptions I felt I was there, especially where the dialogues are concerned. I could hear those delicious accents, and it greatly contributed to give the story authenticity and local colour. The author also knows her MMA, as the fight sequences and the grueling training sessions come alive on the page.

What most surprised me in BREAKING A LEGEND was the tenderness of the romance. Rory is aggressive, prone to violence, and yet his attitude toward Clare is very protective but in a respectful and loving way. He might be all Alpha but he is a man whose heart is in the right place and he truly respects women. Rory is a well- developed character, and he showed real growth throughout the book. I found it a tad more difficult to warm up to Clare. She is a kind person, spunky, but rather naïve. She's desperate for someone to love her, understandably so as we get to know her past, but had she been more communicative a lot of unnecessary drama could have been avoided.

BREAKING A LEGEND is a winning combination of Gaelic testosterone, broken people searching for their place in the sun, and a very convincing MMA romance with a heart!