SCORING AT LOVE
Author: Michele Shriver
Official genre of book: Contemporary romance (sports)
As the starting goaltender for the San Antonio Generals, Becker Lawson tries to fly under the radar, and since most hockey fans are more interested in the players that score, he’s generally allowed that luxury—at least until the Generals’ offseason hockey camps put Beck front and center.
After a difficult divorce, newly single Kendall Myers has every intention of remaining that way—no matter how sexy her son’s new hockey coach might be.
When Beck crosses paths with Kendall, the chemistry is immediately evident, even if she doesn’t want to see it. Can Beck break down her walls and prove that when it comes to love, even goalies can score?
The temperature outside topped the century mark, typical of Texas in June, but the inside of the Alamo Ice Rink was a cool, temperature-controlled fifty-seven degrees. Becker Lawson watched the people filing into the rink and wondered if they were all truly interested in the opening day of the Young Generals hockey camp, or if some of them merely wanted to find a way to beat the San Antonio heat by spending the day in a cool environment. Either way, it appeared that the camp would be well-attended.
There were forty children signed up for the camp, which would allow them to hone their hockey skills with a handful of San Antonio Generals players serving as their coaches. The enrollment numbers for this inaugural camp exceeded everyone’s expectation. Hopefully a few would be budding goaltenders who could benefit from Becker’s tutelage. He knew one of the kids already, a young boy named Bryson Crawford, who was the son of the host family that Becker’s Russian teammate, Nikolai Brantov, had stayed with this season. Bryson had attended a few team practices, so Beck was already familiar with his passion for the sport, and particularly the goalie position.
Beck waited as Meryl Johnson, the director of the camp and the daughter of the Generals’ owner, introduced the coaches and gave them each a chance to tell the kids a little about themselves and the position they played. Finally, after Nik, team captain and star center, Colton Tremblay, right wingers Trevor Collison and Ryder Carrigan, and defenseman Noah Mann had spoken, it was Beck’s turn. Yeah, typical to save the goalie until the very end. It wasn’t the position of glory and glamour. After all, goalies didn’t score, or at least not very often, and too many times they were the goat, shouldering the blame for giving up the goal that might cost their team the game.
Becker first started playing goalie at the age of ten, and never looked back. He couldn’t imagine playing any other position, and he looked forward to teaching his skills to these boys and girls. “Hi there,” he said, taking the microphone from Meryl after she’d introduced him. “I’m Becker Lawson, and I’m the starting goaltender for the Generals. To me, goalie is the most important position on a hockey team. It combines physical skills, mental skills, and emotional skills.” He went on to explain about the importance of each before asking, “How many of you here have played goalie before, or think you might be interested in playing goalie?”
Six hands went up, including Bryson, as expected, and one girl, which pleased Beck. The NWHL had opened up professional hockey to women, and he wanted the sport, and the position, to be inclusive to everyone. “Great. Anyone else?”
There was a boy in the front that caught Beck’s eye. He raised his hand a little ways, then pulled it down, as if he couldn’t make up his mind.
Beck moved closer to him. “What’s your name?”
“Tristan,” the boy said. “Tristan Myers.”
“Hi, Tristan. You seem a little uncertain, like maybe you’re not sure who want to be a goalie. Do you have any questions for me, maybe help you decide?”
“Oh, no. My mind’s made up,” Tristan said. “I already know I want to play goalie. It’s just my mom…” His voice trailed off as he looked down at the ice.
“Your mom doesn’t want you to?” Beck asked.
“Yeah. She says it’s too dangerous for me.”
A common concern, but not an accurate one. “Is your mom here? Maybe I can talk with her for a minute, change her mind.”
“Could you?” Tristan smiled, revealing a missing front tooth. “That’d be great.” He turned around and pointed. “That’s her over there. First row. Blue sweater.”
Beck’s eyes followed Tristan’s finger to a stunning woman with auburn hair that cascaded to her shoulders in soft waves. She wore jeans, the blue sweater Tristan mentioned, and a black leather jacket. She was, quite simply, one of the most beautiful women Beck had ever seen. She also quite likely married, and thus completely off limits. He could still talk a little hockey with her, though, just nothing else. “Great. Let me go see what I can do, buddy.”
***
Kendall was glad she’d worn a coat. It might be hotter than Hades outside, but it was plenty chilly inside the rink. Her close friend and fellow hockey mom hadn’t been as smart, and now Lori rubbed her arms as she complained about the cold temperature.
“Hopefully watching all these hot guys in action will warm me up quickly,” she declared.
Kendall raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me? Aren’t you married?”
“Yes,” Lori said. “Married, not dead. I’m still allowed to appreciate a good-looking man, and this hockey team is full of them. Seriously, they ought to make a calendar. I don’t know why they haven’t.”
“Whatever.” Kendall did her best to sound as if she hadn’t even noticed. The last thing she wanted was her friend to get any ideas that one of the players might be a good match for Kendall.
“Yeah, ‘whatever,’ yourself,” Lori chided. “It’s time for you to get back in the game.”
“Can we quit with the sports references, please? Oh, and the divorce has only been final for three weeks.” Kendall wanted a chance to enjoy being single, which sounded good in theory. The reality was all she’d done so far was feel sorry for herself. Even the day the decree was approved by the judge, when Lori showed up at the house with several bottles of high-priced sparkling wine in an attempt to celebrate Kendall’s newfound singlehood, she’d ended up a blubbering mess.
“Yes, but the marriage was over long before that,” her friend said, before softening her tone. “Look, Kendall, I know it stings. Carter was an ass. Actually, Carter is still an ass. But it doesn’t mean all men are. There are plenty of good ones in the world.”
Kendall was about to offer another ‘whatever,’ which had become her new favorite word, when Lori said, “Oh my. Hello. Hottie alert. And he’s coming this way.”
Sure enough, Kendall turned her head and spotted one of the Generals players, whom she recognized as the starting goalie, heading toward them. Lori wasn’t exaggerating. He was definitely hot, with dark hair and piercing brown eyes.
The official website of the San Antonio Generals. The Generals are a fictional NHL expansion franchise based out of San Antonio, Texas and featured in the Men of the Ice series by author Michele Shriver.
The Men of the Ice books are contemporary romance novellas about the Generals players and the women who love them.
More information about the books, as well the team, organization, and news and events can be found on this site.
Visit the official Facebook page of the San Antonio Generals. The Generals are a fictional NHL expansion franchise based out of San Antonio, Texas and featured in the Men of the Ice series by author Michele Shriver.
Register to win a custom San Antonio Generals hockey jersey, worn in the photo shoot for Men of the Ice book 7, and autographed by cover models Jax Turyna and Josh Gil, and author Michele Shriver. All U.S. residents who purchase any book in the Men of the Ice series between February 13- October 31, 2016 are eligible to win.
Michele Shriver writes women’s fiction and contemporary romance. Her books feature flawed-but-likeable characters in real-life settings. She’s not afraid to break the rules, but never stops believing in happily ever after. Michele counts among her favorite things a good glass of wine, a hockey game, and a sweet and sexy book boyfriend, not necessarily in that order.
Book Title: F*This
Author: G.L. Tomas
Genre: I/R Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 7, 2016
With wealth, good looks and confidence at her fingertips, nothing was going to stop her from living life to the fullest. Not even the secret she’s been forced to live with.
When Asher Rose met Teddy King, he knew it’d be trouble but it was just the kind of trouble he didn’t mind himself falling in, what he didn’t plan was falling hard for the girl no one could tame.
What happens when you take a trip on this sexy ride? An intense, messy and wild ride all the way down.
Asher
She crawled up next to me, and if things weren’t awkward enough, she straddled me. She leaned in to kiss me, and just as I suspected, her lips felt as soft as they looked. It was lips like hers that were always the best to kiss. She drew them in a line from my ears to the middle of my neck, igniting a low moan from me. She had me hypnotized, making me forget who I was kissing for a second.
Teddy. The same Teddy who was tight with my boy. Hooking up with him, too. I knew they weren’t serious, but it felt like I was crossing a line here. “Wait, wait. Teddy…what are we doing?”
She ran her fingers through my hair and unleashed a small smile. It was slight, but I had a feeling it was that, that did most people in. I was not immune. “Do you want to stop?”
I thought about it for a good second, but only for a second. “No, not really.”
“All right then.”
Guinevere is the G. Libertad is the L. Seems fitting to go by GL Tomas as twin coauthors with a mission. They’re mostly known by their platform Twinja Book Reviews, a review blog that supports and promotes diversity in YA titles and speculative fiction, but they hope to successfully cross genres successfully with their romance debut Same Page.
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She crawled up next to me, and if things weren’t awkward enough, she straddled me. She leaned in to kiss me, and just as I suspected, her lips felt as soft as they looked. It was lips like hers that were always the best to kiss. She drew them in a line from my ears to the middle of my neck, igniting a low moan from me. She had me hypnotized, making me forget who I was kissing for a second.
Teddy. The same Teddy who was tight with my boy. Hooking up with him, too. I knew they weren’t serious, but it felt like I was crossing a line here. “Wait, wait. Teddy…what are we doing?”
She ran her fingers through my hair and unleashed a small smile. It was slight, but I had a feeling it was that, that did most people in. I was not immune. “Do you want to stop?”
I thought about it for a good second, but only for a second. “No, not really.”
“All right then.”
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THE VOICES OF ANGELS
book 4 of The MacQuire Women series
Author: Peggy Jaeger
Official genre of book: Contemporary romance
Love is the last thing Carly Lennox is looking for when she sets out on her new book tour. The independent, widowed author is content with a life spent writing and in raising her daughter. When newscaster Mike Woodard suggests they work on a television magazine profile based on her book, Carly’s thrilled, but guarded. His obvious desire to turn their relationship into something other than just a working one is more than she bargained for.
Mike Woodard is ambitious, and not only in his chosen profession. He wants Carly, maybe more than he’s ever wanted anything or anyone else. As he tells her, he’s a patient man. But the more they’re together, Mike realizes it isn’t simply desire beating within him. Carly Lennox is the missing piece in his life. Getting her to accept it-and him-may just be the toughest assignment he’s ever taken on.
“Now for a check on the weather. Carl?”
When the monitor light changed colors, Mike turned back to her. “Well done.”
“Thanks for being so patient. I almost lost it for a second there.”
Her beautiful mouth quirked at the corners, and his own went drought-desert dry. He swallowed and ran his suddenly sandpapered tongue across his lips.
“You know, I read parts of your book last night as prep,” he said as she stood, noticing how long and shapely her legs were under her short green skirt. “I was taken with the stories and the details in it.”
“Thanks.” She glanced down at her wristwatch and then offered her hand. The shockwave electrifying through his body at her touch staggered him. A bolt of lightning, hot, fast, and bright surged straight to his core.
What seemed like confusion clouded her eyes as she looked at him. “I-I have to go. I’ve got to be across town by nine. God only knows what the traffic’s like. Thanks again for plugging my book. Tell Sharon I’ll call her soon. Bye. And thanks, again.”
Mike watched her bolt through the studio doors and was only brought out of his musings by the director calling him back to the news desk.
For the rest of the broadcast he was distracted by thoughts of her, resulting in him flubbing some of his lines and intro’s, something he rarely-if ever-did. How compassionate and warm her face had been as she’d told her touching story; the subtle fragrance of roses surrounding her; the deep coppery sheen of her hair as the hot, bright studio lights intensified its color.
By the end of the program he vowed he’d find a way to see her again.
Interested in meeting Peggy and picking her brain about her books? Well, you're in luck...this incredible author will be doing signings at the following locations.
Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance author who writes about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can't live without them.
Her current titles, available now, include SKATER'S WALTZ and THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, and FIRST IMPRESSIONS books 1, 2 and 3 in her 6-book The MacQuire Women Series, published by The Wild Rose Press.
Tying into her love of families, her children's book, THE KINDNESS TALES, was illustrated by her artist mother-in-law.
Peggy holds a master's degree in Nursing Administration and first found publication with several articles she authored on Alzheimer's Disease during her time running an Alzheimer's in-patient care unit during the 1990s.
In 2013, she placed first in two categories in the Dixie Kane Memorial Contest: Single Title Contemporary Romance and Short/Long Contemporary Romance.
A lifelong and avid romance reader and writer, she is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.
Title: High
Author: LP Lovell
Genre: Erotic Humor/Romantic Suspense
Release Date: March 7, 2016
Blurb
I’m Blake McQueen, daughter of Miles McQueen: businessman, politician, all around upstanding member of the community.
I’m told that name means something, but well, I’ve pretty much doused it in petrol, set it on fire, and taken a shit on it for good measure. I like to think of myself as a walking middle finger.
My name is now synonymous with booze, parties, sex, and drugs. I have to read the newspaper in the morning just to see where I was, possibly who I fucked, and judge my state of inebriation based on how much tit or minge is splashed across page five.
Judge me all you like, love me, hate me. I don’t give a fuck.
Life’s a party and you should never stop dancing.
But even the sweetest of highs has it’s low. There is only so high you can go before you fall, and fall I did, right into the arms of the only man that could possibly stop me from crashing and burning. I’ve always been untouchable. I’ve never cared enough to be touchable. Until now.
Love is the most destructive drug of all.
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Lauren Lovell is an indie author from England. She suffers from a total lack of brain to mouth filter and is the friend you have to explain before you introduce her to anyone, and apologise for afterwards.
She's a self-confessed shameless pervert, who may be suffering from slight peen envy.
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