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!

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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

RelayCaptain 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.
  • Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win.  The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
  • If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
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  • Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
  • All book prizes are in electronic format unless otherwise specified.
  • By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
  • Readers may only enter once for each contest.  Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
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