Today I am so pleased to welcome Layla Reyne to Joyfully Jay. Layla has come to talk to us about her latest release, Relay (which I reviewed yesterday and loved). She has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving Layla a big welcome!
Favorite Olympic Athletes
Relay, releasing January 8, and Medley, releasing April 23, comprise the sports romance duology, Changing Lanes. Relay’s Alex and Dane, and Medley’s Bas and Jacob make-up the four-man Olympic medley-relay team for USA Swimming. Perhaps surprisingly, when asked for my five favorite Olympic athletes, only one swimmer makes the list, and she’s from the women’s team. Here’s my list of favorites, drawn from my lifetime, and yes, I know I’m dating myself…
Katarina Witt – Figure-skating at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics was intense. But it was after the competition, at the exhibition gala, when Katarina Witt forever stole my heart. Already known for pushing the envelope with her routines and costumes, Witt came out in a fringe skirt and studded leather jacket and skated a sexy, entertaining and seriously fun routine to Michael Jackson’s “BAD.” She moonwalked on ice!
Kerri Strug – I watched her make that vault, bum ankle and all. It is one of those events in my life that I remember exactly where I was (family beach trip) and what I felt (awe). It remains one of the most inspiring moments I’ve ever seen.
1992 US Men’s Basketball Team (the “Dream Team”) – I was raised in North Carolina, born and bred a Tar Heel and born and bred a basketball fan. In this first Olympics when professional NBA players were allowed to participate, seeing my favorite sport’s stars playing together, on one team was AWESOME (minus that Laettner guy).
Dara Torres – I watched Torres swim at Olympics most of my life. Her longevity (two comebacks) and record (twelve Olympic medals, three earned when she was 41) is just as noteworthy and impressive as Phelps and the other stars of swimming. She’s a testament to perseverance and dedication.
Curling Teams – I can’t pick one in particular, but this sport and these athletes, in general, have given me so much late night viewing joy—because they are always the Olympic late show—that I would be remiss not to include them. I honestly don’t think I would have survived mid-terms in college and law school without them!
Blurb
Captain is not a title Alejandro “Alex” Cantu takes lightly. Elected by his teammates to helm the US Men’s Swim Team, he proudly accepts the role, despite juggling endless training, team administrative work, and helping out on the family farm. And despite his ex-lover, Dane Ellis—swimming’s biggest star—also making the Olympic Team.
Dane has been a pawn in his celebrity parents’ empire from crib to pool, flashing his camera-ready smile on demand and staying deeply in the closet. Only once did he drop the act—the summer he fell in love with Alex. Ten years later, Dane longs to cut his parents’ strings, drop his too-bright smile, and beg Alex for another chance.
Alex, though, isn’t ready to forgive and forget, and Dane is a distraction he doesn’t need on his team, until an injury forces Alex to accept Dane as his medley relay anchor. Working together, their passion reignites. When Dane’s parents threaten reprisal and Alex is accused of doping, the two must risk everything to prove Alex’s innocence, to love one another, and to win back their spots on the team, together.
Bio
2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist Layla Reyne was raised in North Carolina and now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bicoastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart-pounding romance. When she’s not writing stories to excite her readers, she downloads too many books, watches too much television, and cooks too much food with her scientist husband, much to the delight of their smushed-face, leftover-loving dogs.
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Giveaway
To celebrate the release of Relay, one lucky winner will receive a signed paperback copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on January 13, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!
- By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
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Sports themes aren’t usually a favorite of mine but I so enjoy Ms. Reyne’s writing that I definitely want to read this.
Jays very nice review has me intregued to read this book.
booklover-forever(at)web(dot)de
I have enjoyed the Irish and Whiskey books and sports themes are ones I go for.
I will date myself even further – as a young girl, the first big olympuc star I remember (probably because he was in a teen magazine I had) was Mark Spitz and his 7 golds
Littlesuze at hotmail.com
Really intrigued for this one!
Thank you or sharing your favorite Olympic athletes.
humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com
Sounds good!
jlshannon74 at gmail.com
thanks for sharing your list of athletes, but curling??? LOL The book sounds great!
heath0043 at gmail dot com
Welcome, Layla, and thanks for sharing your list of favorite athletes. For what it’s worth, I like curling, too! Best wishes for the success of Relay and the forthcoming Medley.
As a Canadian, you know I appreciate curling! Thanks for sharing and can’t wait to read!
smith(.)tori at gmail(.)com
That feeling when you’re on the block, waiting your turn to dive in the water… is at the same time the most amazing feeling and something that I used to dread…. I always hold my breath, can always feel like I’m the one bout to jump when I’m watching/reaading about someone swimming. I miss it so much.
joana_isabel_aleixo(at)hotmail(dot)com
I loved Katarina With…so beautiful.
Relay sounds so good and I’ve read several great reviews. 🙂
aelnova@aol.com
I love how they became inspirations to you. I admit that I don’t know much about them but by reading your words, I could totally see that they’re dedicated to what they do. ^_^
mushyvince(at)gmail(dot)com
No Miracle on Ice boys, from the 1980 Winter Olympics? There are so many ways to adore them! You can have the biopic version, with fantastic ’70s hockey hair and dreamy Muppetiness. Or, if you read THE BOYS OF WINTER, you’ll find many slashy opportunities (many faced each other in the Frozen Four collegiate championship, so you could conjure up enemies-to-lovers in your head if you had to)…
vitajex(at)aol(Dot)com
Last time I watch any Olympic games was eons ago. Now? I don’t even have cable/satellite. I just don’t care for television. This stories, though, sound great. Would love to read the series. Congratulations and much success!
Last time I watch any Olympic games was eons ago. Now? I don’t even have cable/satellite. I just don’t care for television. This stories, though, sound great. Would love to read the series. Congratulations and much success!
taina1959 @ yahoo . com
Congrats on the release, Layla. I’m not a big fan of sports myself, my fav is rugby but it has not a big tradition here in Spain, so no many chances for me to watch and enjoy it!
susanaperez7140(at)gmail(dot)com
Thank you for introducing me to this book, it sounds like something I’d really enjoy reading!
I’ve never read a sports romance, but it sounds great!
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
This book sounds wonderful and entertaining. Thanks for the post. Would love to read Relay.
Congrats on the new release! I0ve heard great things about this book.
serena91291@gmail(dot)com
Congrats, Layla, and thanks for the favs. I also would add Greg Louganis. I love swimming & diving as well as 2nd chances. It sounds like both were dealt with authentically, making for a good story. – Purple Reader,
TheWrote [at] aol [dot] com
Thank you, Jay, for having me on the blog and for your lovely review, and thank you readers so much for your interest!
You are so welcome, great to have you!