The Fighter (release June 12, 2026)

Danny Nolan is an underground boxer and a single father to his nineteen-year-old daughter, Jenny, who is probing into the mysteries of their family history and a traumatic past that haunts him. As his carefully constructed, isolated world in the South End of Boston begins to crumble and he risks losing Jenny, he must face the Irish crime boss who raised him, the father who abandoned him, and the devastating truth he’s spent a lifetime running from. Entering the Golden Gloves boxing tournament as a path to redemption, Danny navigates a kidnapping, a murder mystery, and the climax of his emotional journey of fear, faith, trust, and truth, with the unexpected help and friendship of Father Tom and Angelo.

The Fighter is another masterfully written story in a great series. Reading a book in the Father Tom series is always like a visit with an old friend you want to go back and reread once you finish. I can easily recommend this excellent story about faith, family, friends, and forgiveness. ☆☆☆☆☆

Steven R. McEvoy, Book Reviews and More 

When I read the first book in the Father Tom Series, The Father’s Son, I found it to be one of the most humbling books I had ever read. As I read each new book in the series, I found each story to be another “must-read” masterpiece and triumph. The Fighter is the latest in the series and quite a story that invites reflection on our own relationships with the Heavenly Father. ☆☆☆☆☆

Deacon Donald Keane, Educator, Psychologist

I enjoyed the lastest book from Jim Sano. As always, you feel as if you are in Boston while reading his books. The fighter made a great summer read. As like several of his other books, there are several twist and turns and even a suprise or two...simply another enjoyable read! ☆☆☆☆☆

Boston Wayne

A champion! Another great read in the Fr Tom series! Angelo, Fr Tom’s beloved sidekick, steps into the limelight as a central character. Sano always gives his reader something to ponder while taking us into a mystery full of twists and turns. Over the years, I have used several of his books for a book group and they always prompt meaningful discussions I highly recommend any of his books. ☆☆☆☆☆

Blessed

Readers’ Favorite (Five Star Review)

In Jim Sano’s The Fighter, Danny Nolan has built his life around his daughter Jenny, funding their Boston home through underground boxing before collecting illicit money for Michael Quigley. As Jenny prepares for college, her questions about the mother she has never known begin pushing Danny toward a family history he has kept hidden since his own parents disappeared. Her concern brings Father Tom Fitzpatrick into Danny’s life. Tom’s friend Angelo Salvato sees enough talent in the thirty-four-year-old fighter to steer him toward the New England Golden Gloves. A legitimate tournament could offer Danny a future beyond Quigley’s criminal operation, yet every step toward it places new pressure on the secrets surrounding his past. With Jenny demanding answers, Danny can no longer keep every part of his life in separate corners.

Jim Sano’s The Fighter is excellent Christian sports fiction, with Danny written as the kind of character readers can genuinely get behind. The author gives his relationship with Jenny a warm affection that feels completely natural, shown when wooden spoons turn into microphones during a kitchen duet. The boxing scenes put the physical demands of the sport right in front of you. At Greene’s Gym, Angelo drills Danny on a three-punch combination until his arms finally drop from exhaustion. Danny’s connection with Father Tom gives the Christian foundation a sincere place in his life, with their conversations about God fitting naturally into the way he understands himself. Manny Alvarez brings a gracious spirit to the book, proven when he crosses the dressing room before facing Danny simply to wish him luck. Boston has a wonderful sense of place. Saint Francis Church glows through colored stained glass at night, then Harvard Stadium provides an imposing backdrop as Danny trains on its steep concrete steps before sunrise. Boxing fans and lovers of Christian sports fiction are in for a real treat. Very highly recommended. ☆☆☆☆☆

Readers’ Favorite Five-Star Review