Against the Ropes

Murray’s fun second First to Fight contemporary (after Below the Belt) continues the romantic escapades of the U.S. Marine Corps boxing team. This time the focus is on public relations specialist and liaison Reagan Robilard, who has to juggle her professional obligations against a growing attraction to Lt. Greg Higgs. Increasingly nasty pranks are being played against the team and their equipment by an unknown antagonist (or antagonists), resulting in bad press that may get the program canceled. It’s up to Reagan to offset the negative publicity, and she thinks Greg’s the perfect poster child. However, he won’t talk about his personal life unless she goes out with him. Their first date leads to a slow-burning, steamy relationship. Murray’s protagonists are a joy to follow, their natural chemistry buoyed by a strong give-and-take dynamic and elements of humor. As with the previous installment, the athletic and military aspects of the story play a distant second fiddle to the romantic and interpersonal interactions of the cast, but the entertainment value makes up for that imbalance. Agent: Emmanuelle Morgen, Stonesong Agency. (Oct.)