Aly Martinez writes these books in such a way that even when the characters are making mistakes and acting like HUGE jerks, you can't help but love them, want to smack them upside the head, and root for them to find a solution to their problems. 
 The Flint that started narrating this story was so completely different from the Flint that he had been as a boy. Fighting Shadows picks up as Flint is shot. The bullet he takes to save his sister-in-law, Eliza, leaves him paralyzed and an angry, bitter version of himself. 
 Ash is such a character. While her background may not be traditional and she has a habit of pickpocketing friends as a joke, she is quick to find humor, quick to trust, and quick to laugh. 
 These two had a rough road. With Flint's injury and recovery, and Ash's parentage, they face a deck stacked against them. And the incident that proves to be too much for their early relationship is heartbreaking in it's impact. Reading the foreshadowing from the prologue both increased the heartache and helped me know what to look forward to. I loved that though the prologue foreshadowed, it wasn't foreshadowing the ending. No, there was still plenty of story left after the timeline tracked back to that point, and in some ways finding Ash was only a small part of Flint's challenge. Because once he found her, he still had to convince her that he was an idiot for the things he said, and he loved her forever. 
 But their banter was so much fun. From their early days when all she wanted was to make him smile, to the playful nature they found later. These two just got each other and had fun doing it. 
 I loved the new side characters introduced. The whole On the Ropes team, from Slate and his wife, to the security team, and the Page brothers have become a family. Donna and Max added humor and reassurance to Ash's early days, and I love what happened to them after Ash left. 
 The Page brothers are all growly, direct, and very physical men. Watching Quarry grow up, and the little bit we see bridging to Fighting Solitude was an emotional blow. Each time I think the current story is heartbreaking, the teaser for the next book makes me think Aly is about to outdo herself once again. 
 I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.