Between the Ropes (The Ropes #1)
J. H. Norris
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
4.20
· Steam/Spice level: 5 of 5
Explicit and plentiful [?]
· 5 ratings · 275 pages · Published: 12 Jun 2025
Aria’s life is a quiet disaster. The good girl with a shattered past, she’s surviving by staying invisible — until one brutal moment throws her into the violent orbit of an underground fight club… and into the arms of a man who should terrify her.
Ruinous Rizzy.
Not just the undefeated, masked fighter feared in every ring —
He’s also London’s top unlicensed fight promoter, the man pulling every brutal string behind the scenes.
Ruthless. Untouchable. Addicted to control.
And yet, with her… something breaks.
He’s not safe.
But nothing has ever felt safer.
And he’s not alone.
Because this world isn’t just fists and fire — it’s found family with blood-stained loyalty.
Smoke, the quiet enforcer with a heart like a bear hug.
Jade, the foul-mouthed hurricane who’d burn cities for her best friend.
Ash and Meena, the couple who remind Aria what love looks like after the fire.
They don’t just protect her.
They choose her.
And when hell finally catches up?
It’s not just Aria’s heart on the line. It’s her soul.
💔 What readers are
“Smoke was a sweetheart — like the big brother we all need.”
“Jade is a whole damn force of nature.”
“This book made me cry, laugh, scream — and then beg for more.”
“The graveyard scene healed me. The water scene? Broke me.”
“The trauma was real. The healing was earned. And the gang? Perfection.”
“I need a whole spin-off for Jade, Smoke, and Green.”
🔥 Perfect for fans Haunting Adeline
Lords of Pain
Top Boy-style grit
Found-family ride-or-die energy
Emotionally intelligent smut with real stakes
🏷️ Tropes & Touch her and die ☠️
Morally grey MMC
Strong, protective found family
Underground fight rings & criminal empires
Good girl x dangerous man
Brat / sub vs dom dynamics
BDSM, kink, and public scenes
Fierce bestie energy
Grief, trauma, survival — and healing
Fighting as foreplay 🥊
“She stood the f**k on her business” 🔥
⚠️ Trigger Warnings ApplyContains violence, emotional trauma, consensual kink, and past abuse themes.
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Tagged as:
- mafia 3
- contemporary 3
- dark romance 3
- multicultural 2
- hurt/comfort 2
- masc-dom 2
- anal sex 2
- bdsm 2
- consensual non-consent 2
- breeding 2
- spanking 2
- bondage 2
- exhibitionism 2
- praise kink 2
- mmf 2
- poly (3+ people) 2
- pegging 2
- fetish 2
- daddy kink 2
- fem-dom 2
- abduction 2
- betrayal 2
- found family 2
- vengeance 2
- survival 2
- fighting/mma/boxing 2
- tortured heroine 2
- trans heroine 2
- alpha male 2
- possessive hero 2
- bad boys 2
- grumpy/cold hero 2
- tortured hero 2
- working class hero 2
- fighter hero 2
- suspense 2
- funny 2
- m-f romance 2
- childfree 2
- bisexuality 2
- menage 2
- competent heroine 2
- queer romance 1
- Add topics
- content warnings
- dubious consent 2
- no hea 2
- graphic violence 2
- human trafficking 2
- misogyny 2
- queerphobia 2
- racism 2
- slut shaming 2
- torture of side characters 2
- past abuse 2
- past child neglect 2
- gambling 2
- mental illness 2
- past child abuse 2
- third party sexual assault 2
- geography
- england 2
- Format
- third person pov 2
romance tags
The 'The Ropes' series
4.20 · 5 ratings
length-medium · explicit-plentiful · mafia · human-trafficking · cold hero · anal sex · breeding · possessive hero · consensual-non-con · praise-kink · past-abuse · bondage · bdsm · tortured heroine · dark · fighters · graphic-violence · non-hea · fem-dom · pegging
The Ropes reading order and complete book list ❯
