Today I am so pleased to welcome Kelly Farmer to Joyfully Jay. Kelly has come to share an exclusive excerpt from her latest release, Out on the Ice. Please join me in giving her a big welcome!

 

Excerpt

Here’s a sneak peek from my debut novel, Out on the Ice. Caro runs an all-female hockey school. She hires Amy as a summer camp coach. The bubbly pro women’s hockey player brings excitement to Caro’s quiet life. Caro offers to help Amy with her off-season training. Now, we’re catching them after doing yoga at Caro’s place. Amy’s had a crush on Caro forever and is trying to keep it at bay while working on her people pleaser tendencies. Caro doesn’t want to jeopardize her summer camp by hitting on someone she hired. Her black Lab Doug is snoring nearby.

 

Caro leaned back on her hands, causing Amy to readjust. She uncrossed her legs and pulled them up and to the side, hugging her knees. She rested her temple on Caro’s back because it felt really nice leaning against her.

“Look, I’m not a doctor, or an expert,” Caro said. “But can I give you some friendly, well-intentioned, coach-type advice? I’m a headstrong, bossy Aries.”

“Of course, Coach.” Ooh, an Aries. They were astrologically compatible.

“I’m not sure how healthy it is to give in to other people’s expectations and desires. It’s…it’s something you might want to take a look at. To consider.”

“But if I don’t do that, who am I?” She tried to sound light, but it was a totally serious question.

“You’re Amy,” Caro said simply.

“Am I being Amy right now?”

“I hope so.” Her fingers twitched near Amy’s foot. “I told you I like Amy.”

“Good. I like who I am right now.” She liked this feeling. Relaxed, even though her thoughts were multiplying again. She liked how she felt around Caro. She was just Amy around Caro.

The simple truth. This was who she was, and someone liked her for it, warts and word vomit and all.

She snuggled closer, breathing in Caro’s soft lotion and natural essence. “You smell good.”

“So do you.” Gentleness colored Caro’s voice. “Is that a citrus-based perfume, or…?”

“Body lotion. It’s this all-natural kind I spend way too much on because it smells and feels like heaven.”

“It’s nice. Well worth the money.”

“I also have the shampoo and conditioner but don’t use them much. I have to use my color-retaining stuff, since my hair is always dyed.”

“The price of beauty,” Caro sighed.

“Being a girl is hard. I think I’ve spent ten years of my life shaving my legs.”

“Pants.”

“I’m girly. I like dresses.” Amy cast her eyes up to gauge Caro’s reaction. “It’s either activewear or dresses. Not much in between. Well, jeans, but everyone does jeans.”

“Dresses, huh?” Caro raised an eyebrow. Oh yeah, she was intrigued. “I’ve only seen Activewear Amy.”

Putting on an affected air, Amy said, “That’s too bad. Fancy Amy’s not too shabby.”

“I hope to meet her someday.” Caro’s fingers twitched again. Well, she could ask Fancy Amy out…

Doug sneezed, then shook his head. “Uh oh,” Amy said. “The beast is up.”

Caro gently removed herself. Cool air where her warm skin had been almost hurt. “He’ll have to go out. Do you want to take a quick walk around the block with us?”

“I couldn’t say no even if I wanted to. Which I don’t.”

“Great.” Caro slowly got to her feet, then held her hands out. Amy slid hers in Caro’s, letting her long fingers pull up until Amy was on her feet. She took an unsteady step forward and bumped Caro’s shin with her knee.

“Whoops. Gotta get my sea legs.” She pretended to use Caro’s strength to right herself. Purely an excuse to keep holding hands. Her left breast brushed the back of Caro’s hand and sent sparks shooting through her chest. Horniness roared back with a vengeance and it was all she could do not to lean in and plant a big wet one on Caro’s welcoming mouth.

Caro didn’t seem to mind. The muscles in her forearms flexed as she held tight. Freaking hell, did she have amazing forearms. And strong hands. And those lovely, long, capable fingers.

“You okay there?” she asked Amy, amused concern creasing her forehead.

“Just admiring your arms.”

Caro laughed. “That’s what I’m doing. With yours, not mine.”

“You should admire yours. They’re spectacular.”

Amy met Caro’s beautiful, clear blue eyes. Eyes filled with humor and happiness. She really hoped she made Caro feel as good as she made her feel.

Doug shoved his way between them, insisting on being the center of attention. “Well hello there, jealous pants,” Amy said. Still not releasing Caro.

“He must’ve heard us talking about taking a walk.”

His ears perked at walk, tail swinging back and forth. She didn’t want to worry about that people pleaser stuff right now. In this moment, Amy was all about the joy on Caro’s face. The pleasure swirling through her body.

She squeezed Caro’s hands. “Let’s have fun today.”

Caro squeezed back. “Sounds perfect.”


Blurb

Don’t miss this tender and funny contemporary romance from debut author Kelly Farmer.

Caro Cassidy used to be a legend.

During her career, Caro was one of the best defense players in women’s hockey. These days, she keeps to herself. Her all-girls hockey camp is her life, and she hopes it’ll be her legacy. Sure, her new summer hire is charming and magnetic, but Caro keeps her work and personal life strictly separate.

Amy Schwarzbach lives life out loud.

Amy’s as bright and cheerful as her lavender hair, and she uses her high-profile position in women’s hockey to advocate for the things she believes in. Ten weeks in Chicago coaching a girls’ training camp is the perfect opportunity to mentor the next generation before she goes back to Boston.

Letting love in means putting yourself out there.

When the reticent head coach offers to help Amy get in shape for next season, her starstruck crush on Caro quickly blossoms into real chemistry. As summer comes to an end, neither of them can quite let go of this fling—but Amy can’t afford a distraction, and Caro can’t risk her relationship becoming public and jeopardizing the one thing that’s really hers.


Bio

Kelly Farmer (she/her) has been writing romance novels since junior high. In those days, they featured high school quarterbacks named Brad who drove Corvettes and gals with names like Desireé because her own name was rather plain. Her stories since then have ranged from historical and contemporary male/female romances to light women’s fiction to LGBTQ+ romance. One theme remains the same: everyone deserves to have a happy ending.

Kelly was a 2015 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Finalist in the Contemporary Romance category. She is past president of the Chicago-North Romance Writers and is also a member of Women’s Fiction Writers Association.

When not writing, she enjoys being outside in nature, quoting from 80’s movies, listening to all kinds of music, and petting every dog she comes in contact with. All of these show up in her books. She also watches a lot of documentaries to satisfy her hunger for random bits of trivia. Kelly lives in the Chicago suburbs, where she swears every winter is her last one there.

To connect with Kelly, talk about Schitt’s Creek and RuPaul’s Drag Race, and share photos of your adorable pets, please head over to:

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