It's very rare that I can start liking a series when I have detested the prior books. The first few books were awful and downright stupid. They featured unlikeable characters and romances too ridiculous to be believable in any capacity. 
 So when I got a copy of this, I was reading it out of morbid curiosity. I even managed to give two of the books two stars so maybe there was a chance for that Legend. 
 I was actually pleasantly surprised! 
 I know, right? 
 So let me try to explain why I managed to enjoy this one. 
 Legend picks up about three years after book 3 (books 4 and 5 are irrelevant since none of the couples from those books are even mentioned in this one). Remy and Brooke are blissfully happy, raising their baby boy Racer and still fighting in the underground league. When Brooke's cousin asks to spend the summer with them, they essentially offer her a job as a nanny to their baby. 
 Reese Dumas is shy, quiet, and running from her past. She has hardly made any major decisions for herself, always letting her parents decide, and doesn't know how to adult. One thing she does know: she wants to get back in shape, to the way she was before her depression. Luckily, being married to a fighter has its perks and Brooke gives Reese an exclusive membership to a national gym. 
 While there, she notices a fighter punching on a bag like it's his worst enemy. She can see he's attractive, but she's drawn to him for more than that. When the gym staff is prepared to throw him out because he's not a member, she steps in and says he's her guest. Grateful, they slowly start an odd friendship. When she finds out he's desperate for a coach, she tells him of an old washout who will take on anyone. 
 Maverick "the Avenger" Cage is eager for redemption. His father was once a fighter, known for his dangerous tactics and mean demeanor, and basically hated by fellow fighters and fans. Now, trying to make a name for himself, he's got hurdles to overcome that aren't even his fault. With every coach slamming the door in his face, he doesn't know what to do. He takes Reese's lead and goes to Oz, a drunk who knows more about the bottle than fighting. Whatever works, it gets him into the ring (as every fighter is required to have a coach). 
 From that point on, their relationship slowly grows, with UST practically dripping from the pages. However, with Reese the cousin of Brooke Tate, can she really support Maverick when her family is also in the ring? 
 Overall, the story had its predictable parts while others shocked me, keeping my interest throughout the entire book. Normally I get bored with Evans writing, but there is something seriously different about this one. Her characters are certainly not as over the top and annoying. My problem with Brooke was she was a whiny bitch. Reese, however, was portrayed as sensitive and confused, someone whose sweetness had been taken advantage of in the past. She wanted to be strong, to find herself, and create a voice. Then with Maverick he wasn't portrayed as a caveman trying to sniff Reese the entire time (like Remy was in the first three books). I liked watching him grow, both as a fighter and as a person. 
 Now, while I didn't like the characters of Remy and Brooke in the first books, I actually didn't mind them here. Perhaps it was because we didn't see them as much, but I found them more likable. Remy acted as a mentor, someone Maverick could relate to, while Brooke offered patient advice to Reese whenever she could. 
 I even had a favorite line: "'I don't think you're weak. It takes strength to be kind.'" 
 An insightful quote. Truly shocked. 
 Cons: I thought the Miles storyline could have been a bigger deal in the end since it played such a key role for Reese at the beginning. It was also repetitive numerous times, particularly arguments between Maverick and Oz. 
 Yet, all in all, I did enjoy this one. It was all right, a definite improvement from the rest of the series. The ending didn't feel rushed and I was certainly rooting for Maverick over Tate. I kind of wanted a bloodbath, with Maverick crushing Remy in 13 seconds like Conor McGregor!