The Clinch by Nicole Disney | ARC Review

The Clinch by Nicole Disney

• Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, January 12th 2021
• Genre: Romance, LGBTQ+
• Format: Paperback (eARC)
• Page Count: 280 pages
• My Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Click on the cover for my review on Goodreads.

---

Content warnings: graphic sex, blood, d slur, homophobia/homomisia, child abuse, minor character drug addiction, mention of prostitution, recreational drinking, uses of ableist language, hospitalization

Written in present tense, The Clinch is an incredibly vivid rivals-to-lovers sports romance, charged with immediacy.

Eden Bauer (27, gay) holds an undefeated record and is the reigning UFC featherweight championship. When newbie pro Brooklyn Shaw (22, biracial, Black) challenges Eden for a title match, Eden reluctantly agrees. Their rivalry is strong, but when post-match Brooklyn comes knocking on the door of Eden’s gym, will they be able to put aside their differences and work together?

I am already biased when I started this book because I love to read about martial arts (mainly wuxia novels). There is something sacred about the sport and beautiful about the relationships people form training together as well as the strong bond, often stronger than familial ones, between shifu and their disciples. But I didn’t know I was getting this when I heard that The Clinch is built around mixed-martial arts (MMA), something I’m not familiar reading about. Eden is trained in Taekwondo, and the discipline and honor she carries are probably not as prevalent as it would be in any other MMA storyline. I totally love that we got this in The Clinch—both her respect for the sport and unbreakable love for her found family paternal figure, Jin (I assume to be South Korean), founder of the dojang (Hanja: 道場) Emerald Tiger.

The story has a wonderful build and exciting climax, without a sudden conflict toward the end. We spend the first few chapters getting a feel of MMA training and fighting, and understanding what the sport means to Eden. We learn how important Jin is to her and that the Emerald Tiger is Eden’s home after Jin welcomed her into the establishment when she was younger and struggling in a neglecting if not abusive mother. The descriptions of rigorous training and high-stake matches help us respect the fighters, too. All the sport scenes were written with such intensity that Eden’s exhaustion was clear with all the muddled thoughts and I felt myself holding my breath in expectation of the next jab, hook, or kick.

The choice of having Eden as the first-person POV is sublime. The way we only see her side of the story makes The Clinch more intense since we are looking in from the relatively calm character on her relationship with the younger Brooklyn, who is still figuring out what she really wants in life. Brooklyn, who is a new UFC fighter with a legendary family of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu martial artists, plays mind games with Eden before their much anticipated title match, but we soon see that she is a tough-looking young woman with a very sweet heart and eager to prove to her father, Samson, that she can make the Shaws proud.

I love Eden for her huge heart and her confidence, focus, and passion when it comes to training and fighting. And Brooklyn is definitely a stunning goddess of an athlete. Her playfulness, insecurities, and sincerity make her an incredibly lovable character, too. The secondary characters are also amazing. I cannot remember all the times my insides go warm and soft because of the wonderful relationships they have. Jin, a man with firm principles and loving heart, and Laila (18), Eden’s former student and now colleague, both provide unconditional support for Eden. Then there is Mateo (12), whose life of being in an abusive household reminds Eden strongly of her own childhood and who worships both Eden and Brooklyn. For Brooklyn, there is Théo, her brother and coach, and their bond is stronger than sibling, stronger than close friends.

There is so much love radiating off the pages even before Eden and Brooklyn admit so to themselves. We never really know what Brooklyn is thinking, but she is a very relatable character and their love is embodied in everything that Eden would do for Brooklyn, their sparring a dance.

The Clinch is a tension-filled romance with heavy themes, and I definitely shed a tear or two while reading. This is undoubtedly a story I would revisit, for both the fierce love between Eden and Brooklyn and the beautiful relationships surrounding them.

I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Buddy read with Gabriella! Check out her review here!

For more of my reviews and whatnots, follow my blog, Twitter, Instagram, and friend me on Goodreads.