The first in a sexy new series, Rachelle Vaughn introduces Ryan, Gavin and Coop—three bad-boy heroes who smoothly mix hot hockey action and scorching sex appeal…
Security guard Jenna Riley is a quintessential good girl. She works hard, stays out of trouble and keeps the peace in the up-and-coming gated community of Harlequin Hills. Day after day she watches as residents drive in and out of the community in their pricy cars, all the while ignoring her curiosity about their glamorous lives. They are Red Valley’s wealthiest and include Ryan Wade, natural goal-scorer for the Razors. He has heartbreaker written all over him and just when Jenna thinks the only glimpse she’ll get of the hockey player with the rugged good looks and killer smile is from afar, a cougar—a real-life, fang-bearing wildcat—starts prowling the neighborhood and all hell breaks loose.
Ryan proves he has moves off the ice that are just as smooth as the ones he uses at the rink, but Jenna doubts she can fall for someone who keeps everyone pushed so far away. This bad boy’s heart is as guarded as the gated community he lives in and half as welcoming. Can Ryan convince her that he’s ready for forever? Or will it be the other way around?
Riley's Rebel, Book 1 of the Bad Boys of Hockey Trilogy will be released October 6th and is available for pre-order now!
Rachelle Vaughn is the author of the Razors Ice books, a series of hockey-themed romance novels. She lives in California with her husband and their sassy calico cat. When she isn't writing, Rachelle enjoys watching action movies, snapping photos for her birding blog, Wings and Daydreams, and cheering for her favorite hockey players. Visit her website at rachellevaughn.com.
Hockey player Ben Westmore
has some serious skills---on and off the ice---and he's not above indulging in
the many perks of NHL stardom. When a night in Vegas ends in disaster, he
realizes two things: 1) it's time to lie low for a while, and 2) he needs a
lawyer---fast. But the smoking-hot woman who walks into his office immediately
tests all his good intentions.
Olivia Davis doesn't need
anyone derailing her career---or her dreams of starting a family---least of all
a skirt-chasing player like Ben. But soon he's unleashing a full-court press to
convince her that he's the real deal. She's slowly falling for his sweet,
rugged charm, but with so much on the line, Olivia has to decide whether Ben
can truly change---or if he's just playing the game.
“Relax,” he said smoothly, his gaze locked on hers, his expression
soft, unfazed—the look of a man not dancing with the lawyer who could ruin his
life or at least playoff season. She had to learn this guy’s secret, because
there was no way he was this unaffected. Yet, his hands weren’t sweating the
ways hers threatened to, and the only heartbeat she could hear thundering was
her own.
She forced a slow and what she hoped was unobvious breath. “I am relaxed. I’m not the one who should
be worried.”
The palm of his hand spread across the exposed flesh of her back
and she prayed the tingling sensation in her spine didn’t result in goose
bumps. “So you’re saying I should
be?” he asked, turning them in rotation to the steady beat. Despite her
resistance to this dance, her hips betrayed her by swaying in sync with his,
and her feet kept time with his every step. He led with a silent authority that
she was forced to follow. And for the first time in her life, she wasn’t hating
giving up control.
“I think so, yes. My client is…”
He brought their joined hands between them and placed a finger to
her lips.
Her heart all but stopped.
“Why don’t we save the shop talk for the courtroom? Let’s just
enjoy this dance.”
She swallowed hard, but nodded. Dancing in silence, she could do
that.
Unfortunately, Ben seemed eager to chat. “How long have you been
practicing law?”
He expected her to remember stats as his hand on her back dipped
slightly lower, his hold drawing her even closer? It had been far too long
since she’d been enveloped in the arms of a man who felt and smelled so strong,
so confident…How long would it be again if she went ahead with her plans for a
baby? She pushed the thought aside when he stared at her, still waiting for an
answer. “Twelve years,” she said, cutting out her time as a junior lawyer and
intern, so as not to age herself. She knew from his online Wikipedia page that
he was thirty-four, two years younger than she.
“Do you love what you do?” he asked.
“If I say no will I get the inspirational ‘do what you love and it
will never feel like work’ speech?”
“Is that a no?”
She shook her head. “Actually, I really do enjoy my job.” She
couldn’t say watching families get ripped apart by bitter divorces was
something she loved without sounding like a sociopath, but she enjoyed her
career.
“Can I ask why only professional athlete divorces?”
“I was dumped by a jock,” she said.
Ben laughed. “So one guy ruined it for us all, huh?”
She nodded then shook her head. “No. Everyday cases—with normal,
everyday husbands and wives—just seemed a little too…real,” she said.
His blue eyes burned into her and his grip tightened on her hand.
“So, guys like me aren’t real?”
She swallowed hard. He felt real…He felt more than real—he felt
amazing. His arm wrapped around her felt deceivingly safe and his hand holding
hers felt warm and secure. God, she could see herself giving in to these
painfully real feelings…“You’re probably one of the more real ones,” she said,
hoping he didn’t detect the slight quiver in her voice.
He nodded slowly as though unsure whether her words were a
compliment. “Have you ever been married?” he asked, rotating them in time to
the music.
“That’s crossing a line into personal.”
“Kids?”
“That’s less personal?” She raised an eyebrow.
He smiled. “Guarded much?”
The effect of his smile from a safe distance was knee-weakening.
This close, it was downright dangerous. She quickly averted her gaze to the
other couples on the floor. “How long is this song anyway?” She felt trapped
the way she had in tenth grade when Robbie Gropes-a-Lot Harris had tricked her
into dancing with him at the winter formal to “November Rain”—the full
eleven-minute extended version. Except Ben’s breath smelled minty fresh and not
like tacos, and his arm draped across her lower back made every fiber in her
being spring to life, making her want to flee for a completely different reason
than the one Robbie had evoked.
“Do I make you uncomfortable?”
Damn right. And it should be her
making him uncomfortable. There
needed to be a power shift between them and fast. “Of course not.”
He pulled her closer. “You make me uncomfortable,” he murmured, his
expression suddenly serious. Every inch of her body was pressed to his and she
could barely catch a breath. Dancing was a really bad idea—a torturously bad
idea. Being in his arms reminded her of all of the things she’d sacrificed for
her career, of all the things she’d told herself she didn’t need…
“G-good,” she said, her voice cracking. “As I said, my client…”
“I don’t mean the divorce case. I mean you.” He touched her cheek
and her skin burned. Thank God he was holding her so tightly because she
couldn’t trust her legs.
Their stare locked and held for what could have been a lifetime, as
everything seemed still and quiet around them.
Still and quiet.
The song had ended.
She yanked her hand free of his and stumbled away from him,
inhaling a gulp of air into her deprived lungs. “Well, dance is over.
I’ll…uh…see you.”
He nodded, the charming polite smile back on his face and for a
second she wondered if she’d imagined the intensity in his gaze seconds before.
“Goodnight, Olivia.”
Olivia.
Her own name sounded foreign coming from him. She longed to hear
the sound again, and she was an idiot for wanting something so dangerous. The
NHL’s biggest playboy had just worked his charm on her, and she’d lost all
common sense.
She turned and headed straight for the table, leaving him on the
dance floor.
She had to pull it together, but she also had to admit the
unfortunate truth. Never before had she been tempted to kiss the enemy.
Jennifer Snow lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her
husband and son. She writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance stories set
everywhere from small towns to big cities. After stating in her high school
yearbook bio that she wanted to be an author, she set off on the winding,
twisting road to make her dream a reality. She is a member of RWA, the Writers'
Guild of Alberta, the Canadian Authors Association, and the Film and Visual
Arts Association in Edmonton. She has published over ten novels and novellas with
many more on the way.
Because It's You by Lindsay Paige My rating: 5 of 5 stars Lindsay Paige scored again with BECAUSE IT'S YOU the second book from the Carolina Rebels series. I have been looking forward to hearing Marc Polinski’s and Elizabeth Boyd’s story since the first book, BACK TO ME. The story starts off at the Halloween party from book one and takes place around the same time frame. I loved hearing the story for both Marc’s and Lizzy’s point of views. Both characters are well-developed and complex. They have amazing chemistry and are likeable. They have multiple issues in their past that make their relationship challenging. My heart went out to both characters. I’m glad Lizzy has Sylvia and Scott. Elizabeth is the widow of Scott’s brother, Roger. She has had a difficult time dealing with his death even though it has been close to six years since he past. Sylvia decides to set her up with Scott’s Carolina Rebels NHL teammate, Marc Polinski. Despite all their issues and secrets, the two start to see each other, eventually healing one another in the process. They are perfect for each other. I love Marc. He has a huge heart. He had a difficult childhood that still haunts him, although you would never guess it from his typically happy personality. I think it’s great that his friends call him Marco Polo because of his last name. I enjoyed how they always say Marco Polo to each other. Elizabeth is sweet and has carried many burdens. I love how the couple opens-up to one another. The plot was amazing with tons of interesting twists. BECAUSE IT'S YOU was skillfully written and flowed well. The hockey scenes were credible and exciting. The story was heartfelt. There were unexpected thrilling turns of events. The story had everything you could want in a sports romance. I cannot wait for the next book in the series US AT FIRST. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book. ebook Published February 20th 2017 by Smashwords Edition ISBN: 139780998195506 Series: Carolina Rebels #2 View all my reviews
Please welcome IN SKATES TROUBLE, part of HOT ON ICE: A HOCKEY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY author Kate Meader to Diane’s Book Blog.
Why I love Sports
Romance
There are so many reasons to love sports romance. Muscles, tight
shorts, muscles, scruffy beards, muscles … you know the drill. But how about a few reasons that don’t
involve blatant objectification of the perfect male form? Okay, if I must!
1.There is nothing sexier than talent. Pro
athletes are the best at what they do and boy is it hot watching them do it.
2.Sportsmen have all the traits we admire in a
hero: focus, drive, work ethic, and loyalty. When all that is centered on the
object of his lusty affections, it can be very dizzying.
3.Team dynamics. The bro banter, tough ribbing,
and team friendships are key to why we love sports romances.
4.The stakes. Often it’s not just about the
success of the romance, but there are intertwined professional goals at play
here. Win the game, make the playoffs, take home the trophy. We root for the
player while we root for the happy-ever-after.
5.Sweaty, muscled guys in tip-top- condition. It
bears repeating, don’t you think?
In my story in the Hot on Ice anthology, IN SKATES TROUBLE,
Ford “Killer” Callaghan is already a Cup winner, but he’s looking for the next
big challenge. He didn’t expect to meet it on a darkened balcony when the voice
of his hotel room neighbor seduces him utterly and leaves him begging for more.
Finding out who she is will put his career, his future, and his heart in
danger. But Ford didn’t get to be a champion by quitting when things got hard …
and things are about to get very hard indeed!
Title: First Down Authors: Alexis Noelle & Madison Street Genre: Sports Romance Release date: April 10, 2017 Cover Design: Cover Me, Darling Photographer: Lindee Robinson Photography Model: Jim Wiedenman
Blurb: Football is my life. My passion. The only thing that matters. There's one goal: A perfect season. But now, all that’s changed. The feisty little brunette on the sidelines. I watch her. I study her. I want her. She’s my new goal. And it won’t be easy. Not to mention she’s the enemy. We both know being together will stir up a storm. That doesn't change my mind. In fact, knowing there's a challenge only makes me want her more. No matter how hard she fights, I’m going to make her mine.
(unedited) Excerpt: “What do you want Dawson?”
“Ha! So you do know who I am. And here I thought we needed introductions.”
My eyes roll. “Everyone knows who you are. I’m not an idiot.”
His body reaches me and he completely towers over my short frame. I can’t help but feel a little intimidation but I can’t let him see that. I won’t.
“I just want to finish our conversation from before that little interruption. I know you saw me last night. Just admit; you were watching.”
His voice deepens as his eyes turn dark, seeping with tease and lust. I gulp, returning his stare and know that I can’t lie my way out of this mess.
“You’re right, I did see you last night. I was watching. But, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. You just caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting to see that and that’s why I was staring.”
His eyes squint, trying to decipher what I just mumbled.
Just as his mouth opens, the valet driver returns with my car, pulling up to the curb. “Your car, Miss Andrews.”
I step away from Dawson and spin to face the driver. I thank him and walk around the car toward the driver side as the valet holds open the door for me.
Just as I’m about to climb inside, Dawson grabs the valet by his jacket and pushes him away and shuts the car door. “Buzz off kid, we’re busy here.”
My mouth drops as Dawson sends the driver inside. “Why would you do that? He’s just doing his job.”
Dawson snickers, “Please. He’s just trying to score points with you. I could have seen that shit from a mile away.”
I shrug, standing against the driver side door. “And what if I wanted him to. That’s none of your business.”
He chuckles deep under his breath then inches his head, closer to mine. “Yeah? And I bet you would have been thinking of me instead.”
His fingers reach up, grazing my skin, igniting it on fire as the heat from our touch scorches between us.
He whispers, “Just admit it Peeps…you want me to --.”
My mind snaps out of the trance and I immediately push him away from me. “No, stay away from me.”
I open the car door and jump inside, immediately shifting the car into gear. Just as I’m about to pull away, he taps the window and I can hear his voice chime through the glass.
He gives me a devilishly handsome and conniving smile. I can’t help but feel excitement and aggravation all at the same time. “You can’t run from me forever. This ain’t over.”
Alexis Noelle lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her husband, and three kids. On top a writing career, she is a full-time student and a full-time mom. She loves spending time with her kids, although she has to hide the computer from them when she is writing! She loves being active and being outdoors, especially if it involves any kind of shopping.
She has always been passionate about writing. She loves to read romance books and feels like being able to lose yourself in a book is one of the more exciting aspects. The books she loves to read and write will be ones that make you feel for the characters. Alexis believes that you should have an opinion on every character in a book whether you love them, hate them, or think they are up to something.
She also believes that the most important critic is your reader, so she loves to hear from the readers. She wants her fans to be open & talk to her about what they want for the characters in the story, and what they would like to see happen.
Follow Alexis: Website: http://www.alexisnoelleauthor.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralexisnoelle/?hc_ref=SEARCH Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7133378.Alexis_Noelle Twitter: https://twitter.com/_alexisnoelle_ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alexis-Noelle/e/B00KFGVPPS/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1487380040&sr=1-2-ent Madison began writing at a young age. She would write episodes of her favorite television shows and her passion has grown since. She decided to pursue her dreams and debuted her dark romance suspense novel, Little Things, in June 2014. It was well received by thousands of readers and became a bestseller in Romance Suspense on Amazon.
Madison Street was born in New York City and was raised in the Bronx, where she resided until she was 17 years old. After 9/11, Madison joined the United States Navy to serve her country.
During the deployments, Madison constantly wrote short stories and she discovered her passion for writing. You will find Madison always on the computer, whether she's on Facebook, designing websites, messing with Photoshop, or writing for her blog.
Follow Madison: Website: http://madisonstreetbooks.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/madisonstreet Twitter: @madisonstauthor Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7536753.Madison_Street Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Madison-Street/e/B00KPJ4ZWK
Porter Prescott spent years fighting to be his own person. His goal of playing for a hockey club not associated with the Prescott name finally comes true. But just as he's leaving for the next chapter in his life, he meets her.
Asher Spence spent a lifetime learning she was worthless and unwanted. She learned that sometimes the only person you can count on is youself, and even then, you can fail.
What starts out as picture perfect can only come crumbling down. No one listened to her pleas before, Why should they listen to them now that she's found a place to finally call home?
But sometimes, it's the fight that takes you out of the game.
Rachelle Vaughn is the author of the Razors Ice books, a series of hockey-themed romance novels. She lives in California with her husband and their sassy calico cat. When she isn't writing, Rachelle enjoys watching action movies, snapping photos for her birding blog Wings and Daydreams, and cheering for her favorite hockey players. Visit her website at rachellevaughn.com.
Releasing December 15th, "FALL WITH ME" brings readers more of the sultry hot rockers that you love from Jayne Frost's Sixth Street Bands Series, along with a healthy dose of steamy romance with some laughs on the side. Also, don’t forget to check out the cover art by none other than Judi Perkins at Concierge Literary Designs.
As the bassist for the band Caged, the last three years have been one, long non-stop party. Sure, I’ve had some regrets. Everyone does. But getting trapped in a relationship isn’t one of them. I know good and well what happens when the attraction fades. I’ve seen it first hand. Love is a zero sum game, so why play? As long as I'm upfront about my feelings, no one gets hurt. Besides, I'm never in one place long enough to worry about tomorrow.
That is, until the band decided to take an extended hiatus in our hometown. That’s when I met Melody Sullivan. She’s the full-package. Whip smart and beautiful, with enough determination to take on anything life has in store. And the best part? Melody shares my philosophy on the fleeting nature of attraction. She doesn’t buy into the whole “happily ever after” crap anymore than I do. We’re perfect for each other. For now. And now is all I want.
With the expectations off the table, I can let my guard down and enjoy her company until the spark dies. And we both know it will. In a week, or a month. But until then, we’ll just keep having fun. The good kind, with lots of sex and no strings attached. And when it’s time to move on, we will. No drawn out goodbyes and no remorse.
Pinning Mel to the cinder block wall in her tiny living room, I kissed her deeply, my fingers creeping under the hem of her blouse. She sighed, the back of her head bumping against the concrete as I palmed her breast.
“Fuck…sorry.” My hand disappeared into her blond locks, searching for a lump. “Are you all right?”
The girl had me so revved up I was ready to take her right here, inches from her front door.
Resting her palm against my chest, she laughed softly. “No permanent damage. I’ve got a hard head.”
Mel was hardheaded, all right. And smart. Not to mention sexy as hell.
Slipping out of my arms, she headed for the kitchen before I could devour her mouth again. I bit my lip when she ducked her head into the fridge, wiggling her ass as she poked around.
“Would you like something to drink? I’ve got water and…” She walked back with two bottles of Dasani. “Water.”
“Water’s fine.”
Twisting the cap off the bottle, I looked around the tiny apartment. Mel’s place was as bare bones as it got. Campus housing with concrete walls and worn carpet. Her entire kitchen would fit in the guest bathroom at my house.
Sinking onto the arm of the recliner, Mel snagged her lip between her teeth. “I’ve never had a one-nighter,” she admitted, like it was a bad thing. “So you’re going to have to tell me how this goes.”
Shifting my gaze to the large calendar on the wall in her dining room, I glanced over the neat stack of books on the table below. The girl was organized—OCD style—which was refreshing. But the fact that she was already planning for my imminent departure unnerved me.
Closing the gap between us, I twirled a lock of her hair around my finger. “It goes the way it goes, angel. The only thing set in stone is your breakfast. Eggs, right?”
She looked up, the sparkle in her eyes faint at best. “I’m not expecting you to be here in the morning, Christian. We both know what this is. I’ve heard all the rumors. I’m not naïve, you know?”
I pulled away out of sheer reflex. All night long we were just Christian and Mel. My celebrity was barely mentioned. Hell, she didn’t even pump me for information about the band.
After a moment, I eased onto the chair.
“Really?” I slid her onto my lap. “What have you heard about me? I’m dying to know.”
Staring at the bottle in her hand, her fingernail skated over the label. “The usual. Oversexed rocker. Never in one place more than a night.”
Tucking a finger under her chin, I tilted her face until our gazes met.
“I’ve been in Austin for months, so you shouldn’t believe everything you hear.”
Her expression indicated she saw through my halfhearted attempt to address the rumors. I may have been in the same city, but that didn’t mean I was in the same bed. A Google search would turn up dozens of pictures to prove the point.
Mel slipped her arms around my neck. “I’m just letting you know that I get it. Guys like you don’t date—they fuck.” She fought to keep her smile. “And breakfast isn’t usually part of the deal.”
I tightened my grip on her waist, my thumb skimming the smooth skin above the waistband of her jeans. Conversations like this weren’t usually unnecessary. The chicks I hung out with knew the score. Hell, they were fine with it. No truths exchanged beyond the basics: hotel or tour bus, and where should the cab drop you off when we’re finished.
But Mel wasn’t like that. She spent her time in libraries, not waiting behind rope lines hoping to get my attention.
Taking her hand, I blew out a breath. “I’ve been on the road for four years. It’s a little hard to plan breakfast when you don’t know what city you’ll be come morning. But I can’t blame it all on my lifestyle. From a strictly biological standpoint, you know, attraction fades as soon as the hormone rush is over. Pheromones and all that.” Chancing a peek at her face, I found her nodding in agreement, her green eyes glued to mine. I smiled, tracing a finger over the curve of her jaw. “I’m not saying I’m opposed to a repeat performance. I just don’t believe in making promises I can’t keep.”
Realization slammed me in the chest as she mulled over my declaration. Despite the passionate kiss at the door, Mel wasn’t a sure thing. She could ask me to leave. Hell, she might.
I held my breath as she shoved to her feet.
Propping a hand on her hip, she studied me for a long moment. “But you will be making me breakfast…is that what I’m hearing?”
Not quite a question, but a statement of fact. And one I’d gladly agree to if it meant a night in her bed.
“You can bet on it, angel.”
I stood with the intention of capturing her mouth.
Instead, Mel entwined our fingers and said, “Cool. I think I’ll take you to bed now.”
Book 1
As the guitarist for the rock band Caged, I know the rules: no relationships. No complications. Leave ‘em willing when you go, but always go. Besides, it’s not like I’m ever in one place for more than a few days at a time. As the next hottest thing out of Austin, the band and me are riding the wave, and the music is all that matters.
Until her…
Lily Tennison has “complication” written across her beautiful face. But I can’t get involved. The timing’s all wrong. But she’s under my skin, and I can’t resist her troubled eyes and sweet smile. And I do have a little time to kill. Not much, just a few days in Dallas.
So I’ll scratch the itch and move on, like I always do.
As a writer you would think that would be a simple question…but it’s not. I spend so much time living in my characters heads, listening to their voices, that sometimes I forget about my own.
I guess I should start with the basics: the backstory. I was born and raised in California. At this point, I’m usually asked what it was like to grow up near the beach, but sadly, I don’t know. I grew up in the “other” part of California. Perfect for an aspiring writer, if you ask me. You learn a lot about keeping yourself busy when the nearest house is a mile away…and it belongs to your grandparents.
I spent all my time with my nose in a book, living vicariously through the characters, until I wrote a book of my own. I was ten at the time. It was a scintillating piece that cast the family pet as the protagonist.
By the time I went to high school, I moved on to romance. Why? Because I met my very own prince charming. I wrote love poems in my journal about the green-eyed boy who stole my heart. He promised, the way all storybook heroes do, to sweep me away and take me on a grand adventure. And he did.
We picked up and moved to the Lone Star State and began the story of us. The best stories begin without a road map or a compass. Veering off course makes the journey so much more interesting.
True to form, just when I thought my life was set, we started the next adventure. I traded in my cowboy boots and followed my green-eyed boy to Las Vegas. My home will always be in Texas, but my heart is anywhere that he is. Our beautiful daughter made the journey with us. Our son stayed in Texas, to write his own story.
Somehow, in the midst of the chaos that is our life, I find time to write. Writing is what I love. I might stray from romance every now and then if that is what moves me…but I always come back. Some of the stories don’t seem romantic at all. They are gritty stories about flawed characters that find each other and hold on tight. Those are the stories that speak to me. Because that’s life. I believe that every story should have a happy ending—even the difficult ones.
Blurb:
