Wednesday 26 April 2017

Review: Girls Can't Hit - T.S Easton


Girls Can't Hit by T.S Easton, published by Hot Key Books on 20th April 2017


Goodreads synopsis:
Fleur Waters never takes anything seriously - until she turns up at her local boxing club one day, just to prove a point. She's the only girl there, and the warm-up alone is exhausting . . . but the workout gives her an escape from home and school, and when she lands her first uppercut on a punching bag she feels a rare glow of satisfaction. So she goes back the next week, determined to improve.

Fleur's overprotective mum can't abide the idea of her entering a boxing ring, why won't she join her pilates class instead? Her friends don't get it either and even her boyfriend, 'Prince' George, seems concerned by her growing muscles and appetite - but it's Fleur's body, Fleur's life, so she digs her heels in and carries on with her training. When she finally makes it into the ring, her friends and family show their support and Fleur realises that sometimes in life it's better to drop your guard and take a wild swing!






Review:
‘Girls Can’t Hit’ is the third book I’ve read by T.S Easton and I think my favourite one yet. The story centres around a teenager called Fleur who gets bitten by the boxing bug and soon finds herself itching to get inside the ring.

I found that the story started quite slowly and initially I wasn’t sure if it was going to be my kind of book. The first few chapters focused on Fleur and her friends Pip and Blossom who all live in a small village near to the site of the Battle of Hastings. They spend their Saturdays dressed as Saxon peasants, talking to tourists about the Battle and the history of the site. Although the start was slow, what really got me hooked was when Fleur discovers a local boxing club. What starts initially as a protest against the division between men and women’s’ only boxing nights, turns into a real passion for Fleur.

I loved seeing how Fleur channels all of her time and energy into her new hobby. She starts cycling with her Dad, she lifts weights, she trains hard and she eats like she’s never eaten before! Although I’ve never boxed, I do run and I know the discipline it takes to train and get yourself into physical shape. Fleur’s newfound love of boxing isn’t embraced by everyone though and she finds herself at odds with her Mum and at times her friends, over the amount of time she is spending on it.

There is an underlying message about feminism and equal rights in the book, but personally, what really struck a chord with me, was how boxing makes Fleur more confident and ultimately improves her relationships with those close to her. She has a fractious relationship with her Mum which takes a different turn near the end of the story, her Dad loves getting to spend time with her on their bikes and her friends gradually begin to see a new side of her. There’s also Tarik, a handsome boxer at the club, who definitely catches Fleur’s eye.

This turned out to be a brilliantly entertaining read which at times made me laugh out loud. I’d love a follow-up book all about what happens to Fleur next.

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