A Week of Royal Reads - Friday

Happy Friday! It’s the final day of royalty week, and today the featured book is…SCANDAL WITH A PRINCE!

Given that you're reading my blog, it’s likely you’ve already read this story, as it’s the first novel in the popular Royal Scandals series. However, if you missed it, now’s the ideal time to give it a read. In the coming months, there will be multiple releases in the Royal Scandals series. Though each book stands on its own, reading SCANDAL WITH A PRINCE (or doing a binge reread of the series) will get you revved for the new stories.

Here’s the cover and info on SCANDAL WITH A PRINCE, a contemporary royal romance set primarily in Barcelona:

A one night stand. A lifelong obsession.
 
One magical summer, Megan Hallberg met—and loved—Prince Stefano Barrali. But his royal duties took him home, and when she discovered she carried his child, she also discovered he was engaged…to a beautiful, worldly aristocrat. 

Ten years later, Stefano runs into Megan at the grand opening of a Barcelona hotel, and it’s his every sensual fantasy come to life. His memory of the stunning blonde and their passionate summer has haunted his dreams, and a night under the stars gives him the perfect opportunity to reclaim the woman he thought lost to him. 

Megan finds herself torn between passion with a prince and a fierce need to protect her daughter. Can the man who captured her heart so many years ago be her destiny…or her downfall? 

To read the first chapter, hear an audio sample, or see Behind the Scenes photos, check out the SCANDAL WITH A PRINCE page on the Nicole Burnham website.

Upcoming Royal Scandals titles will be available in ebook, print, and audio. To receive a notice when they’re released, feel free to sign up for my newsletter here. All subscribers receive the bonus short story A ROYAL SCANDALS WEDDING, which gives a peek into Megan Hallberg and Prince Stefano’s world after the events of SCANDAL WITH A PRINCE. You'll be able to select the version that matches your particular ereader, smartphone, or computer.

Thanks for joining me for royalty week. I hope you found a new author to enjoy, or a new title from a favorite author. If you have other recommendations for great royal romance stories, feel free to post to the comments.

A Week of Royal Reads - Thursday

Thursday is here, and with it a royal romance from author Victoria Pinder. If you’ve never read her work, you might enjoy FORBIDDEN CROWN, a marriage of convenience story.

Prince Antonio Aussa is almost out of time. If he doesn’t find a wife within the next two weeks, he’ll be forced to forsake his destiny and disappoint his parents. Kristin Wells is desperate for money. If she doesn’t find a well-paying job soon, her dream of finishing grad school will die.

When Kristin walks into Antonio’s Miami office, he sees a way out of his royal dilemma, but first he needs to convince her to go along with his plan. Before either knows what’s happening, their whirlwind pretend romance turns into something more. But soon their seemingly perfect union stirs up more trouble than they could have ever imagined, jeopardizing their agreement.

With everything on the line for them, can the couple from opposite worlds find a way to make their arrangement work, or will their deeper connection cause them to lose everything in the end…including each other?

For more info on FORBIDDEN CROWN, links to retailers, or to read about the other titles in the Princes of Avce series, check out Victoria Pinder's website.

A Week of Royal Reads - Wednesday

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s day three of royalty week! 

I’m happy to share Tara Wyatt’s newest release today. THE ROYAL TREATMENT is a contemporary standalone romance.

Princess Audrey of Clervaux is on a humanitarian trip to Ndola, a small country in southeast Africa. She’s focused on her work, and her immediate attraction to her sexy Scottish bodyguard, Callum MacLeod, takes her by surprise. When the ex-soldier kisses her, it becomes impossible to deny the chemistry between them. For Audrey, falling feels inevitable.

Callum MacLeod is damaged. Having spent years in the military, he’s seen horrors most can only imagine. He simply survives with his trauma, never looking for what he thought he couldn’t have. That is, until Princess Audrey stumbles into his life. She is beauty and light and goodness, and his need for her consumes him, even though he knows he’s too old and too broken for her.

How can a war-weary former SAS lieutenant and a virgin princess who come from completely different worlds have a future? Desire brings them together, but reality may tear them apart.

Sounds like the kind of story that will make you believe in love at first sight, doesn’t it? (And with a princess, no less.)

If you'd like to read the first chapter, or for links to your retailer of choice, click here to go to Tara Wyatt's website. You can read more about Tara and get a sneak peek of her other works, including Until The Sun Sets, a novella that was a finalist for the RITA award.

Happy Hump Day!

A Week of Royal Reads - Tuesday

Day Two of royalty week is here! Today, I'm happy to feature Kylie Gilmore's new release, ROYAL SHARK, which is out today. 

Here's the down and dirty preview:

Adrian

I’m a gentleman and a card shark, so taking the lead on the new upscale casino on Villroy is a natural fit. I’m proud to run the place, especially given our flagging economy. Except, after a month in operation, it’s been proving to be more than one prince can handle. I need a right-hand man (or woman) to make this operation a success, and hundreds of jobs are counting on me.

And then my twin, Silvia, gets in touch about Sara, a girl we were close to as children when her family summered in Villroy. Ironically, at twelve, we swore a solemn vow to marry when we were twenty-five. We’re now twenty-five.

But that’s not why Silvia contacted me. Turns out that Sara, like me, loves poker, but now she’s in trouble, running a poker game in New York and upping the pot high enough to attract the wealthy underbelly of the city. Of course, I ride to the rescue with the perfect solution—a job, working for me.

Except the stubborn woman won’t stop her game, won’t leave New York, and won’t leave her sister who’s all grown up. Now I find myself wanting her for more than just business, unable to leave her in such a dangerous situation. But my kingdom is counting on me to make the casino a success.

Something’s got to give.

This is the sixth book in Kylie's series about the Rourkes, but you don't need to start with book one. If you're interested in learning more about ROYAL SHARK or connecting to your retailer of choice, visit Kylie Gilmore's website. You can see the rest of the series and preorder upcoming titles. Enjoy!

A Week of Royal Reads - Monday

Recently, an email from popular author Tara Wyatt popped up in my inbox (always a good thing, right?) Tara and I both write romances set in the world of modern royalty. Given that readers who enjoy my stories are likely to enjoy other royal romances, and that there are several of us who write about contemporary royal families, she thought it'd be fun to pull together a week of royal romance for all of our readers. So, for the next five days, I'll share tales of princes, princesses, and their tangled romantic lives. Give them a try. You might discover a great read!

First up: Rachel Lacey and IF THE SHOE FITS.

This is the first book in Rachel's Almost Royal series, and a perfect first read if you haven't tried her books yet. Here's the quick summary:

NOT ALL FAIRYTALES END AT MIDNIGHT

Elle Davenport is no princess—she just dresses up as one for her job at a local theme park. But when she gets the call that she’s won a contest to live and work at a real-life castle in Virginia, she finally feels like she’s found her calling. If she’s successful, her venture could become permanent, and that sounds like Elle’s idea of the perfect modern-day fairytale. There’s only one problem: the castle’s grumpy—and sexy—new owner wants her gone as soon as possible.

Theo Langdon never imagined he’d inherit the title of Earl of Highcastle so young. With his grandfather’s recent death, he needs to sell Rosemont Castle so he can return to London. If only he wasn’t butting heads with the vivacious new property manager at every corner. Although he’s got a life waiting for him in London, Rosemont Castle suddenly feels a lot like home, thanks to Elle. As the clock winds down on her time at the castle, he’ll have to reconcile his obligations in London with the American woman who’s stolen his heart.

If you're interested in reading the first chapter, seeing the Pinterest board behind the story, or for links to your retailer of choice, visit Rachel Lacey's website. There's information on the entire Almost Royal series, including bonus material.

On Book Reviews

Ask a group of twenty authors their thoughts on book reviews and you’ll hear twenty different answers. Some authors read them, some don’t. Some read them occasionally. A few will only read reviews posted to certain venues. Others will ask their agents and/or editors to scan them and send along those they think the author would want to see. It’s a question of author, know thyself: if a scathing review is likely to send an author into an emotional tailspin, or cause them to self-edit work that a thousand readers will love into something intended to please a single reviewer, the author in question will likely adhere to an avoidance policy. Others are able to step back, take the reviews they receive as a whole—taking both the good and bad reviews in stride—and file them in their mental bank of useful information before moving on.

Every so often, I post my book discoveries on my Goodreads or Bookbub pages. I don’t leave reviews detailing what I liked or didn't like, but I do recommend books I’d give four or five stars. I read anywhere from fifty to a hundred books a year, so I don’t even cover all those. Today I posted about a read I adored, Jordan Harper’s She Rides Shotgun. It was a book I picked up on a whim and ended up blazing through, then recommending to a number of my friends. While I was on the site, I was alerted to recent reviews posted for my own books. It reminded me that, just a couple days ago, I received a question from a reader asking me what I thought about reviews.

My answer: I’m grateful.

I’ve had good reviews and bad. I’ve had reviews that are wildly inaccurate about facts in a story (no, nowhere in the book did it state that Venezuela was located in Spain) and some that were truly insightful (yes, that character probably would have made a comment to her mother on that topic, and I missed the opportunity.) However, whether or not a reader fell in love with one of my stories, I’m always glad they took the time to read and post their take.

The world is full of entertainment choices. Given that we all have a limited number of hours in the day, and a limited entertainment budget, it means the world to me when readers choose one of my books. The time they take to post a review helps potential readers know whether or not one of my stories will fit their tastes. I’ve discovered dozens of authors—and ended up binge reading their entire backlist—after reading a review that resonates with me. Sometimes, it’s even a bad review. There are cases where what one reader hates is just my cuppa.

I don’t comment on reviews—that way there be dragons—but if you’re reading this and left a review on one of my books, please take this as a thank you. I appreciate it.

On Heroes

There are certain authors whose books are automatic buys for me. Whether they deliver a twisted thriller, an emotional romance, or a wild ride into space, these authors have hooked me over the years with their engaging plots and characters. When I see an announcement for a new release, I preorder so I don’t miss it, then get a zing of excitement when the book arrives because I know I’m in for a treat.

Recently, a book arrived that was written by one of my longtime favorite romantic suspense authors, and no, I won’t say which one. The cover copy promised all the plot twists I’ve come to expect from that author, and I dove in immediately. The opening chapter introduced the hero, with his domineering personality made crystal clear. You know the type: broody, belligerent, and brash. Huge ego. Someone who acts as if he is more important than anyone else in the room.

Alpha heroes are a romance trope. They’re often described as being asses, but I don’t believe “ass” and “alpha” are interchangeable. There are plenty of fictional alpha heroes who aren’t capital-A Assholes, at least not by the end of the book. They have swagger, they have presence, but they don’t bring down those around them with their behavior or the force of their personality.

The guy in this book was a capital-A Asshole.

Now, I don’t have an issue with a hero who’s an ass on page one. In fact, it’s often a-okay with me. Humans are imperfect, therefore good characters are imperfect. It’s the tears in the fabric of their humanity—and the methods they choose in order to ignore, to hide, or to repair those faults—that make those characters interesting. Perfect characters are boring. They aren’t believable. Even sweet Glinda the Good Witch in the Wizard of Oz put Dorothy through some hellish trials. If a character is perfect, that perfection had better be a plot point.

However, when I encounter a hero who’s an asshole on page one, I want to know the reasons behind the behavior. I also want that character to grow. It may take some digging over the course of the story, and it may take some serious self-reflection or confrontation, but a hero needs to understand that he’s an ass—even if he has a damned good reason for it—and to question it. As a reader, if I’m supposed to cheer for this guy to beat the evil empire, save the world, and/or walk into the sunset with his true love, he needs to prove that he’s worthy. Over the course of the story, he needs to show improvement. At the very least, he needs to show that he desires to become a better person.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, aka GOT's Jaime Lannister

If you’ve watched HBO’s Game of Thrones, Jaime Lannister starts out about as repulsive as a human being can be. He’s involved in an illicit relationship with his sister. He throws a young boy from a tower. We're told that he killed the previous king. Yet over the course of the series, we see him struggle not only with the ramifications of his actions, but with the actions themselves. He begins to make choices that go against his own self-interest. He makes sacrifices to save the lives of others and becomes increasingly uncomfortable with killing in order to gain or maintain power. By the midpoint of the series, I wouldn’t say that Jaime is a hero, but viewers see that he has the potential. It’s not out of the realm of possibility for Jaime to prove through his actions that he deserves happiness. He’s also interesting. Viewers want to follow his journey, to see if he can overcome the odds and continue to redeem himself.

On the other hand, if a character who’s an ass on page one remains that way on the final page, and he makes no headway toward change, he isn’t a hero. If it’s a romance and he walks away with the love of his life despite treating everyone—likely including that love interest—like dirt, I’m going to regret every minute I spent reading that story. I’m also going to be annoyed with that love interest for displaying an utter lack of self-respect. If it’s a thriller, I’ll be happy the guy saved the world (duh), but I’ll be pissed to see him gloat about it. An ass doesn’t save the world for the greater good. An ass saves the world for his own enrichment.

And so it was with the book I’d been dying to read. The hero was an ass on page one. Reasons were given over the course of the story to explain the hero’s sullen self. He even says he’s a jerk. But he doesn’t care that he’s a jerk. He continues to treat people like dirt, and as the story progresses, there’s little to no change in his behavior. I became more and more annoyed with him as I flipped the pages, waiting for him to have a moment of revelation, to make different choices, to become a better human being. That moment never came.

The heroine of the story was an intelligent and likeable professional. She had friends and was respected by her colleagues. She treated others well, but refused to be a doormat…except when it came to the hero. He was repeatedly rude to her. In response, she huffed, she yelled, and she told him he was wrong. He inevitably responded with a variation of, “I am who I am,” and she sighed. At one point, she thought to herself that the guy was an ass, but the sex was fantastic, so she may as well stay put. That would all be well and good if she only wanted sex, but the heroine wanted a relationship, and she knew that. I wanted her to walk away. When she didn’t, I started to dislike her, too. When the two of them nailed the bad guys at the end of the book, my “goody for them” was sarcastic. I didn’t care. I wanted them to go into a cave together and never come out.

Heroes need to be worthy of that role. They need to live up to the promise of the premise. Readers want reasons to cheer for them to solve the mystery, get the bad guys, and/or fall head over heels in love with an equally worthy partner.

All that being said, I’ve preordered the author’s next book, because this is a writer who has delivered the goods time and time again. But if the hero is an ass on page one, I’m flipping to the midpoint to see what he’s doing before I commit to reading the full book. Life’s too short to deal with assholes when the bookstore shelves are filled with more interesting choices.

Five Ways To Find The Time To Read

 When I meet someone new and they learn that I’m an author, their first response is often, “cool!” followed by a lamentation on their lack of reading time. They tell me how much they love books and that reading relaxes them, or they’ll share a fond memory of a favorite book. Occasionally, they’ll say they’ve made a New Year’s resolution to read more.
 
They’ll ask how much I read, and how I find the time to do it.

In answer to those questions: I read around fifty to sixty books a year. This year the number will be higher. It’s Halloween, and a check of my reading log shows I've completed 76 novels and four novellas. I started book number 77, Gregg Hurwitz's Hellbent, last night. There were also three books that I didn’t—and likely won’t—finish.

So how do I find the time, given my workload and family obligations? Simple: I make it. The investment is well worth it. Not only does reading make me a better writer, it lets my imagination fly and offers a respite when I’ve had a stressful day. 

If you want to make more time for reading, here are five easy tips:

Carry A Book At All Times. It doesn’t have to be bulky. If you have a phone with you, you have books with you. There are several apps available for reading, either via your phone’s app store, such as Apple Books, or by checking out Amazon’s Kindle App page, the Kobo App page, or Barnes & Noble’s Books App page. Have a few minutes of downtime? Instead of playing Minecraft or solitaire while waiting to meet a friend or to catch your bus, open your book and read. Prefer not to read on a phone? A Kindle, iPad, Kobo, or other device works, too. Then there are good old paperbacks. (Those still work!)

Consider Audio. I admit, I wasn’t sure I’d like audiobooks. On the recommendation of a friend, I did a free trial at Audible and was hooked. Now I listen in the car, while walking the dog, and while doing yardwork. If I’m at a particularly good spot in a story, I’ll forgo music while I run to listen. It’s amazing how a great narrator can bring a book to life. Audiobooks are less expensive and more accessible than in the days of tapes and CDs. You can listen on your phone and through many car speakers, either through programs like Apple CarPlay or via Bluetooth or by using an Aux cable. Now lulls in my day can be filled by a good book, even when my hands aren’t free to hold one.

Don’t Like It? Don’t Read It. No matter how many people rave about a book, if you aren’t enjoying it, it’s fine to quit reading. It took me years to allow myself to dump a book without finishing it. Silly, maybe, but there are thousands of wonderful books in the world. Why waste your precious reading time on one that doesn’t fire your imagination or entertain you in some way? Why slog through a horrible-to-you story when you can race through two or three great ones in the same time frame? Apologies to the late Aldous Huxley, but for me, reading Brave New World felt like trudging through ankle-deep mud in a cold headwind. I quit about a third of the way through, then read a fantastic romance novel and a thriller in the same amount of time it had taken me to slog through that third of a book. Lesson learned.

Keep a Log. I started keeping a log in 1999. It’s fascinating to look back on what I’ve read and enjoyed. Seeing the breadth of titles keeps me from getting in a reading rut. It also reminds me of authors I’ve enjoyed in the past so I can search for what they’ve written recently. There are several websites and phone apps that can manage a reading log for you, or you can go the old school route, as I do, with pen and paper. It’s a legit reason to buy a Moleskine or that cool notebook you’ve been eyeing on Etsy.

Share. Book clubs in my neighborhood tend to be more about the wine than the books, but some balance social time with meaty discussion. If you’re interested, ask your friends and neighbors if they belong to a book club, and ask them how it runs to see if it might be a good fit. If you can’t find one, why not start one? If book clubs aren’t your style, consider joining a site like BookBub or Goodreads, where you can discover new books and authors, read or write reviews, and discuss your favorites on message boards. Many authors have profile pages where they answer reader questions and make book recommendations.

The more you read, the more you’ll want to read. You’ll discover your own ways to fit reading into pockets of otherwise wasted time in your day.

Have great ideas of your own? Share them in the comments. In the meantime, go forth, find a great book, and enjoy.

What's In Your TBR?

Romance writer Patricia McLinn recently went through her TBR pile--you know, those books that are To Be Read that accumulate on our nightstands, bookshelves, and e-readers--to see what gems she bought, but hadn't yet gotten around to reading. She talked about her discoveries with other authors, encouraging them to go on a #TBRDive, and to invite their readers to join in and share their hidden treasures.

It's not quite Jennifer Garner asking, "What's in your wallet?" but my guess is it's far more entertaining.

A quick perusal of my e-reader and the top shelf of my nightstand brought up several titles that have now been flagged with the goal of reading before the end of the year. What about you? What books do you have ready to read? Which most excite you?

My #TBRDive Titles:

The Viper, by Monica McCarty. This is the fourth title in Monica's Highland Guard series. I loved the first three books, and can't believe I didn't read the fourth right when I bought it! Now I'm anxious to crack the spine and continue with the series. The Viper is available on Amazon in every format you could imagine, as well as from Apple Books.

An Affair With a Notorious Heiress, by Lorraine Heath. I've enjoyed every historical romance I've ever read from Lorraine Heath, so she's an autobuy for me. This is one I know I'll tear through. The son of a duke and a mother whose reputation is less than impeccable, Alistair Mabry is determined to marry an honorable woman so his children will never have to endure what he did as a child. Then, of course, he falls for a scandalous woman. Just my kind of read! Find it on Amazon in the format of your choice, or grab it from Apple Books.

The Kill Artist, by Daniel Silva. I read a lot of thrillers, but I haven't tried Silva's popular series about assassin Gabriel Allon. I have the first few titles, so it's high time I started reading. The Kill Artist is the first of what's currently an eight-book series. You can find it on both Amazon and Apple Books.

Just One Damned Thing After Another, by Jodi Taylor. When this book came out, author friend Christina Dodd emailed to tell me how much she was enjoying it. Based on her recommendation, I bought a copy, but have yet to read it. It looks wildly entertaining, so I have a feeling this will be a nice end-of-year reward for hitting my writing goals. No surprise: you can pick it up on both Amazon and Apple Books. 

Five To Try: Paranormal Romance Series

It’s October, a time when the human mind wanders to thoughts of the supernatural and things that go bump in the night. If your reading tastes follow that path, here are some paranormal romances to fit your mood.

Moon Called, by Patricia Briggs. This is the first book in the Briggs’ much-loved Mercy Thompson series, and I was hooked by the end of the first page. Need a strong female warrior to cheer? Wolves that become human (or is it vice versa?) Vampires who may or may not be friendly to humans? All this with a great romance storyline will have you hooked, too. Currently only $2.99 on Kindle or on . 

Kiss of Midnight, by Lara Adrian. Lara’s books are some of my favorites, and I can’t recommend her work highly enough. If you’re interested in an early autumn binge read of vampire romance, start here to enjoy her Midnight Breed series. As I post this, the book is available for $2.99 in and on Kindle.

Shadowland, by Meg Cabot. This is the first title in Meg’s Mediator series. Most readers know her for The Princess Diaries, but these stories are my favorite of hers. The main character, Suze, is a mediator, a link between the living and the dead, and a cowboy ghost lives in her bedroom. Adventures and romance ensue, and it’s fabulous.  Get it from or on Kindle.

Dark Lover, by J.R. Ward. This book launched a series that has had romance readers obsessed for years and pre-ordering each new release. J.R. Ward is one of the most talented romance authors writing today. If you haven’t read her work, start here. Currently, this first title in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series is only $2.99 at and for the Kindle.

Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs, by Molly Harper. I haven’t read this yet, but I bought it a few weeks ago and it’s nearing the top of my To Be Read pile. I’ve heard raves for its romance and the humor. This is the first book in the popular Jane Jameson series, and is available from and on Kindle. I’ve heard that the audio edition is also fantastic. If you’ve read it, share your thoughts in the comments (but no spoilers, please! I can’t wait to dive in.

Ten to Try: Sports Romances

I make no secret of my love of baseball. I wouldn't object to being locked in Fenway Park or Coors Field for a week during the season. (I imagine my letter: Dear Family, I am afraid I can't make it home for several more days, as an emergency situation has cropped up....) There's something about the energy of the crowd, the scent of freshly-cut grass and red dirt, and the sight of wide-eyed kids at their first MLB game that gets me every time.

Of course, my other love is a great story. I write romance because it allows me to delve into the human condition in a way other genres don't always permit. Given those two loves, sports romances are a natural go-to read for me. If you've never tried one, here are ten to consider. And if you're already a fan of these stories, please post your own suggestions in the comments!

1) It Had To Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. You wouldn't know it from the poodle on the cover, but this romance is about a fiesty, ultra-feminine woman who inherits a professional football team. The first in Phillips' popular Chicago Stars series, it's a classic...and one of my favorite romances of all time. 

2)  Double Play by Jill Shalvis. Pitcher meets reporter in this endearing baseball romance. Jill's books are compulsively readable; if you haven't read the two books in her Pacific Heat series (Double Play is the first, Slow Heat is the second) you're missing out.

3) Against the Ropes by Sarah Castile. Fascinated by mixed martial arts competition? This MMA romance features a steely, focused hero and a woman who takes a job as a medic in an elite MMA club. This was a Publisher's Weekly Top Ten Pick for Romance & Erotica, so expect a steamy, blazing hot read along with a great storyline.

4)  Simply Irresistible by Rachel Gibson. Gibson is a master at gut-splitting humor. Mix in a runaway bride and a sexy hockey star, and you have a surefire winner. This classic is on sale for $1.99 on Kindle as I post this, which is a total steal. I've read and reread this story. It's that much fun.

5)  Miracle Road by Emily March. If you've visited my Facebook page, you know that I consider author Emily March one of my dearest friends. Even if we'd never met, she'd still be one of my favorite authors. Her stories are optimistic, humorous, sexy, and offer readers a rich sense of community. Every. Single. Time. That being said, Miracle Road is probably my favorite Emily March book. It features Lucca Romano, a college basketball coach engulfed by guilt after two of his players are killed when the team bus goes off the road, and the schoolteacher who shows him that his life has meaning. This is a can't-miss read from a New York Times and USA Today besteselling author.

6)  Game for Love by Bella Andre. Bella is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller with good reason: she creates characters readers love. This book, with a linebacker hero, is no exception. If you haven't read Bella's books, this is a great place to start.

7) Dare to Love by Carly Phillips. Like alpha heroes? Strong women? Billionaire romances? If so, give Carly Phillips Dare to Love series a try. Dare to Love is currently free on Kindle.  It tells the story of wealthy football team owner Ian Dare and the woman sure to bring him to his knees. And what better way to see if you like a new series than by reading the first book free?

8) Flat-Out Sexy by Erin McCarthy. NASCAR fans, Erin McCarthy's steamy Fast Track series is for you! Two years after Tamara Briggs lost her husband in an wreck at Talladega, she crosses paths with a rookie driver who's sexy, fun, and great with her kids. But Tamara knows all too well what can happen during a race, and how devastating it can be. This eight-book series has rave reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads.

 

9)  Changing the Game by Jaci Burton. A sports agent and her top client, a professional pitcher, rely on each other for career success. But when personal feelings and business mix, complications arise. Jaci's Play by Play series features athletes from a variety of sports (there are baseball, football, auto racing, and hockey books in the series) who know each other via family and hometown connections. This is a seductive, emotional read.

10) Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally. Jordan Woods has been surrounded by great-looking, athletic guys her whole life...mostly because, as quarterback of her high school's football team, they consider her one of the guys. She's devoted her entire existence to being the best athlete she can be. But when a new, talented quarterback moves to her high school, he threatens everything she's worked to achieve. This young adult romance has received raves from the moment it was published in 2011, and it's destined to be a classic. If you enjoy YA romance, grab this one!