Don't Brake My Heart by Leonie Mack

 

Last year I read and really enjoy Leonie Mack's book Head Over Wheels which is set in the world of professional cycling (my review). It was always a given that I was going to read the follow up book!

Leesa Kubicka used to be a professional rider. In her mind, it was not a particularly successful career but she wasn't quite ready to give up. However, when injury forces her to retire, she needs to find a new career. She joins a sports marketing agency with only one proviso. She doesn't want to go anywhere near any cyclists. But when you are desperate to secure a contract, sometimes you just have to go where the work is. And so it is that she finds herself back in the world of professional cycling. It doesn't help that Leesa was often the recipient of Colin's many pranks.

Australian professional rider, Colin Gallagher is a man who has the hopes of his team on his back! As one of the successful Gallagher's there is a lot of expectation for this year's Tour de France. His sister, who was the main character in the first book, is a successful cyclist, his dad is the team manager and everyone thinks that he should be a favourite for the most prestigious and famous bike race in the world. The last thing he needs is a sports marketer following him around, filming his every move to give the team sponsor more exposure.

While Colin is driven to succeed, he is also known as a prankster and he has been known to take things a bit far. And that's especially true of his interactions with Leesa. The thing is though, part of the reason that he pranks her is that he really likes her, as in really likes her, and has done every since the first time he met her. And Leesa has no idea that this is why!

Colin needs to focus so he can't afford to be distracted from his preparation and Leesa also needs to just do her job well to increase her chance of keeping her job. Of course, that means that the more time that they spend together the more their simmering attraction keeps getting in the way.

This week was the perfect time to read this book given that the Tour de France is now underway. I do enjoy Le Tour although to be fair I do watch it more for the chateaux, cathedrals, scenery and the 5 minute cooking show which showcases the areas that the riders are racing through. I have, however, picked up some of the more technical terms which helped with reading these books. However, if you don't watch any professional cycling this is still very readable. The author does a great job of showing the gruelling physicality that the racers face, and that's before they accidentally hit the ground!

The first half is set in training camp but the second half of the book is actually set during the Tour, which is very cool!

With Colin being a prankster there is plenty of humour in this book, and the spice level is high! The chemistry between Leesa and Colin is scorching! I did find myself reading some very spicy bits while I was sitting in the café at lunchtime at work! I hope I wasn't blushing!

I have read a lot of Leonie Mack novels over the last few years and I find them very enjoyable and this was no exception! I am not sure if there will be any more books set in this world, but I hope so. In the mean time, the next book in her Adventure Wedding series is out in August so not long to wait for her next book!

Given that this book is set against the background of the Tour de France, I am counting this read for Paris in July hosted at Words and Peace! It also counts as a read for the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog

Rating 4/5

Top Ten Tuesday: Sports Romances

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Genre freebie (Pick any genre you’d like and build a list around it. You can even narrow the topic if you’d like, such as: thrillers with unreliable narrators, fantasy romance with fae characters, or historical romance with suspense elements.)

This week I thought I would focus on sports romances. Now, I wouldn't say I read a lot of these any more, but back in the day I read a lot of Jaci Burton's books which all featured men with bare chests on their covers. Part of the reason for doing this topic is also because I have read a couple of books recently which have more unusual sports than just ice hockey or American football. This is a mix of old and new books. 

Head Over Wheels by Leonie Mack - I really enjoyed this book which features two professional cyclists who fall in love. Can't wait for the next book set in this world. (my review)

Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy - I read this one years ago now. This is a m/m romance where one of the main love interests is a professional Australian Rules Footballer. (my review)

Wicket Maiden by Chrissie Harrison - The main female character in this book is a professional cricketer. (my review)

Breaking the Ice by Amy Andrews - The main male character in this book is an injured ice hockey player who is working in his late grandmother's bookstore while he is recovering. (my review)

A New Dawn at Owl's Lodge by Jessica Redland - The main male character in this book is a former Olympic gymnast (my review)

Clean Point by Meg Jones - This is a tennis romance. It's on my kindle but haven't read it yet

Red Dust Running by Anita Heiss - One of the main characters in this book is a rodeo rider! I heard Anita Heiss speak about this book at Melbourne Writers Festival and it sounds like so much fun.

The Perfect Play by Jaci Burton - Given I mentioned Jacy in my intro I couldn't imagine not including one of her books in my post.

It Had to be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - SEP was writing hockey romances when they were hot the first time round. I have to say though....can you imagine a book getting published with this cover now?

Double Play by Jill Shalvis - I used to love Jill Shalvis' books a lot but I haven't read one for years now and I have no idea why. 

Do you know of any sports romances which feature unusual sports?

Head Over Wheels by Leonie Mack

 

Happy release day to Leonie Mack for her new cycling themed sports romance, Head Over Wheels.

Lori Gallagher should be in the most successful phase of her career. However, she is recovering from injury so she needs to stay focussed and get back to peak condition.  At home in Australia, she joins a training app called ZSpeed and there she teams up with a guy who calls himself LoonieDunes. They don't share personal details like their names or career history but they spend a lot of time together online and soon they are sharing favourite movies, music, feelings and the like. However, realising that she does not need distractions Lori eventually ghosts him. 

In contrast, Belgian rider Sébastien Franck is at the end of his career. All the years of training, and being the rider who helps out the main riders in the team are coming to the end, and he is okay with that! He did very much enjoy the time he spent with Folklore99 on ZSpeed so he was very shocked when she just disappeared. 

Unexpectedly, Seb gets one final chance to ride in one of the big professional teams. The star rider, and star prankster of that team is Lori's brother Colin. Her dad is also the team manager which gives Lori the perfect chance to train at high intensity with the men. 

At first, Seb and Lori don't realise that they know each other, but the spark of attraction is definitely there. It's the last thing either of them need! It doesn't take long though for them to realise who they each are. Seb and Lori decide that maybe it will help them both get it out of their system if they just sleep together once. Does that ever work in a romance?

Even though they are both professional athletes, they both have very different approaches when it comes to dealing with the pressures of elite sports at different points in their respective careers and with publicity and social media. Lori is a win at all costs kind of girl and this attitude is reinforced regularly by her ambitious parents, whereas Seb is more than happy to do his role, support his leader and let them take the win. Except, this season, Lori seems to be beset by bad luck and Seb is ironically in the best form of his career. 

There was so much that I enjoyed in this book. I loved the dynamics not only between the couple but also the whole team. Some of the strange superstitions among sports people are explored here again both as individuals and whole teams. And the book was funny. There were a number of scenes that made me laugh out loud and share with the people around me. 

I also loved all the pop culture references that are sprinkled liberally through the book from Star Trek, to Taylor Swift, rom com movies and so much more!

I don't mind watching a bit of cycling although to be fair I do watch the Tour de France more for the chateaux, cathedrals, scenery and the 5 minute cooking show which showcases the areas that the riders are racing through. I have, however, picked up some of the more technical terms which helped. However, if you don't watch any professional cycling, there is no need to worry. You can still read and love this story! Yes, the cycling frames the story, but really it is about two very different people who find each other and need the balance that they can give each other. 

This is my eighth book by Leonie Mack and I have rated all of her full length books as either 4 or 4.5 star reads, with more at the higher end of the scale. I am definitely at the point where I will happily call her an autobuy author. Leonie Mack is originally from Australia, but has lived overseas for many years. I felt like I could see the Aussieness more in this story than in other books, although it isn't the first Australian character living overseas she has written.

If you follow her on social media, it is clear that Mack has had a lot of fun with the marketing of this book from character art to playlists and so much more. I am looking forward to watching this unfold as we get closer to the second book, which will feature Lori's brother Colin. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy.

Rating 4.5/5

Blog Tour: Wicket Maiden by Chrissie Harrison

 

Ellie is a professional cricketer but she has been having a tough time over the last few months. Some things happened in her life that meant that she lost a bit of focus, and she was also injured. Now she's fully recovered and she is aiming to get back to the top, to reclaim her spot in the English cricket team and she doesn't need any distractions. At the same time, in the back of her mind she is starting to think about the big question of what comes after cricket. 

Adam is a big fan of the Scorpions cricket team, and particularly of Ellie, but not in a stalkerish way. He is also an artist and a photographer who does whatever work he can to make ends meet. When their paths begin to cross, Adam knows he likes her, but he has no intentions of dating a famous person, particularly since he was dumped by his ex who was a wannabe social media influencer.

As they spend more time together they both push away from anything more but they are drawn to each other. Adam has long admired Ellie's dedication and drive and she admires his artistic flair and wishes he would push himself forward more!

Whilst this is a sports romance, there is so much more going on here with sub themes around grief, epilepsy, the impact of social media particularly on well known people and more. There is also a gentle humour running through. One clever little thing is that each of the chapters is headed as 1st Over, 2nd Over, 3rd Over etc. At the back of the book the author has shared a list of Easter Eggs where the cricket action was inspired by something that happened in real life and also a guide to the fielding positions which is useful. If you weren't a cricket fan a term like Silly Mid On would make no sense at all without the guide!

Sports romance seems to be having a moment right now, and it is great to see a different sport given the chance to shine. I don't think I have even read a cricket romance where the man is the sport star.  I do wonder what someone who doesn't understand cricket would make of it, but then again there are millions of cricket fans around the world so there would still be a super huge market. Growing up in Australia, you can't really avoid cricket in summer and I have been known to head to the MCG to watch Australia play along with 100000 other people! I must confess I can only name a few women cricketers though

I also love that some of the proceeds of this book are going to the grass roots of women's cricket, so I hope that this book gets lots of sales!

This is the first in a trilogy so I will be interested to see who the next cricketer is to have their story told.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the author, publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Rating 3/5

About the book

Wicket Maiden

WICKET MAIDEN is a groundbreaking romantic comedy set in the world of women’s cricket.

It’s the start of a new season for professional women’s cricket team The Scorpions.

Acclaimed batter Ellie, 32, is returning to the game after a long injury, determined to regain her form and her place in the England squad. This is her last chance, and she won’t let anything stand in her way.

Cricket fan Adam, 34, an artist and photographer, has followed Ellie and the team through highs and lows. He’s drawn to her talent, athleticism and public persona - but is content to be a face in the crowd, cheering her on. He’d never date a famous person, anyway.

When events on and off the pitch bring Ellie and Adam together, friendship blossoms, and their careers initially soar. Yet, with romance in the air, Ellie loses focus, jeopardising her dream.

What’s more important to them both - love, or cricket?

A share of the book’s royalties will be donated to pertinent clubs and organisations who champion the development of grassroots, girls’ and women’s cricket.

The story echoes the film “Notting Hill” – the challenge of love between a ‘star’ and a ‘normal person’.

The book touches on the good and bad sides of fame, and shines a light on women’s cricket – the mental and physical challenges, pressure of relentless media attention, community outreach, fan engagement, and the finite nature of the career of professional athletes. Above this, it is, of course, a love story.

The book is a non-spicy romance, and also includes neurodiversity and epilepsy representation.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wicket-Maiden-groundbreaking-womens-cricket-ebook/dp/B0DVMPT1DN/

https://www.amazon.com/Wicket-Maiden-groundbreaking-womens-cricket-ebook/dp/B0DVMPT1DN/

About the Author 

I’m an incurable romantic at heart, and a sucker for great humour. I’ve been writing for many years, and all the stories contain either love, or humour, or both – I simply can’t keep these elements out of my work.

I’m inspired by the big and small screen as well as books, and have a soft spot for Richard Curtis’ romcoms, timeless TV comedy like The Good Life and Blackadder, less well-known feelgood films and romances (Always, Forget Paris, Roxanne), and books which make me laugh (Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, The Rosie Project).

I have a soft spot for stories with strong women and nerdy or hapless guys.

Fundamentally, I try to write the books I like to read. I hope to distil humour, romance – and sometimes pathos or bittersweet vibes – into my novels.

Outside of writing, I enjoy photography, great scenery, a nice peaceful train ride, delicious coffee and cake, and catching up with old friends. I’m also something of a geek, fascinated by maths, science and even fonts!

Chrissie Harrison is a pen name.

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChrissieHarrison

https://www.instagram.com/authorchrissieharrison/

https://www.tiktok.com/@authorchrissieharrison

https://www.youtube.com/@AuthorChrissieHarrison

https://www.chrissieharrison.co.uk

Blog Tour: Breaking the Ice by Amy Andrews

 

After reading my last book, which was quite an intense WWII novel, I needed something completely different and this book provided that! After all, this is a funny, spicy sports hero, bookshop centred romance.

Sam is an ambitious career woman who is aiming to go even further up the chain - she is determined that the coveted corner office is going to be hers. She also suddenly has a ticking biological clock. She has gone from being a woman who had no interest in having children to being obsessed with the idea of meeting Mr Right and having babies...now.

The one person who she turns to to help her find the right guy is Nick. Nick is an injured NHL star who has been asked  by his family to run his grandmother's beloved romance bookstore until he gets back to his hockey career. Sam is a big romance reader and she has long loved visiting Birdie's bookstore, so when Birdie passes away she is relieved that the store will still be operating, although she is concerned that Nick will make wholesale changes.

When Sam quits her job after her boss promotes his smarmy nephew, she finds herself working at the bookshop, alongside Nick. Sam is a bit curvy and Nick is a handsome professional athlete so she thinks that there's no way that he could possibly be interested in her. He also does not want kids, so he doesn't meet her brief. She therefore asks him to help set her up with blind dates to help find the man who does.

We follow Sam as she goes on date after date, with Nick watching on wondering why she doesn't see how attractive she is. And when Sam and Nick do give into their attraction, the chemistry leaps off the page.

I loved that Nick and Sam were able to share their reading with each other. Whilst Sam is a diehard romance reader with a penchant for pirate romance, Nick loves Westerns and they challenge each other to read each other's preferred authors. 

My favourite of the secondary characters was definitely Sam's straight talking sister who often called Sam out on her shortsightedness when it comes to her life, and definitely when it comes to Nick.

Whilst I thought that this book was a lot of fun and I liked it a lot, there was one aspect that was overdone for me and that was Sam's eggs, as in her reproductive system. They were described as being mutinous, as cheeping, noisy, talking and recalcitrant, and that is just in the first chapter. Whilst it was fun at first, by the end of the book it was too much.

These spicier, sports romance are a little out of my current reading zones, but I will be happy to read more  of these from Amy Andrews, not least of all because she is an Aussie author. This book was previously released under the title Risky Business. I will be interested to see if her next release is another re-release or if it will be something new.

.I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and the Bookish Books Reading Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley  and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Rating 3.5/5

Breaking The Ice

A bookshop face off!

NHL hot shot, Nick Hawkeye Hawke has 4 months to recuperate from a potentially career ending injury. All he has to do is take it easy and keep things low key. So, looking after his grandmother's beloved second hand romance bookshop and working very closely with the ruthlessly efficient Samantha Evans is just what he needs right? Wrong!

Career driven Sam has impulsively decided to swap her highly stressful corporate job for a slower pace in her favourite bookshop at the exact time her biological clock has started to tick. And she wants absolutely none of that. But when your boss is a hot hockey superstar and you can’t stop daydreaming of him being your baby daddy, forced proximity takes on a whole new meaning.

With temptation around every book shelf, Nick and Sam find themselves skating on thin ice until they put themselves firmly in the friend zone. But the more they try to resist their slow burn, the more they want each other. How long can they stay in the zone until one of them breaks the ice?

Previously publishd as Risky Business

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/breakingtheicebook

Author Bio –

Amy is an award-winning, USA Today best-selling, triple RITA nominated, Aussie author who has written eighty-nine contemporary romances in both the traditional and digital markets. Her books bring all the feels from sass, quirk and laughter to emotional grit and sizzling heat.

Social Media Links

Facebook: AmyAndrewsAuthor

Twitter: @AmyAndrewsbooks

Instagram: @AmyAndrewsbooks

Newsletter Sign Up: bit.ly/AmyAndrewsNews

Bookbub profile: @AmyAndrews

Blog Tour: Look What You Made Me Do by Amy Andrews

 

If you keep track of your reads for long enough, you can see how much your reading changes over a period of time. For example, around 12 years ago I went through a phase of reading sports romances. More precisely, I went through a phase of reading sports romances written by Jaci Burton mostly. I did read some other authors as well, but I really don't recall when I last read one. I do know that sports romances are kind of a big deal at the moment but still, it's not my first choice. So what made me agree to read this one for this blog tour? It was the fact that the author, Amy Andrews, is an Aussie! 

Ella Lucas is the principal of a struggling high school. She has come along way from her small home town, where everyone assumed that she would turn out just like her mum (or should I say mom!). She left town as early as she could with some scandalous rumours swirling in her aftermath.  Another person who has left that same home town behind is Jake Prince, He made it all the way to the NFL until he was forced to retire in mysterious circumstances.

The book opens with an encounter between Ella and Lucas when they both happen to be back in town. Ella is there for her mother's funeral and Jake for his father. They both have long term parent issues and both can't wait to get back out of town as soon as possible. That is a little bit complicated for Ella as it turns out that she has a brother that she didn't even know about who is now her responsibility. 

Fast forward two years, Ella's school is in danger of being closed down completely. After running into Jake at his newly opened sports bar, one of her friends suggests that one way she could help the school is to set up a football program. If they were successful it could raise the profile of the school enough to save it. Who better to coach the team  than a retired superstar? Jake reluctantly agrees, but he has some conditions. The main one is there must be no media involvement. He wants no media. She needs a high profile success story. What could go wrong?

If having work issues is not enough, she also has to raise Cameron, her brother. He too has grown up with all the fallout from being his mother's son and he blames Ella for not saving him earlier. Luckily, Ella has some support in the form of her best friend Rosa, and her eccentric aunties. They are Ella's found family and biggest supporter. They know that Jake and Ella will be good for each other way before Jake and Ella know that for themselves.

I don't know much about high school football in America. I do know that it is unlikely that you would be able to set up a new football program and achieve the success required in such a short time. However it does make for a good story as you see the way that the team comes together, about the difference having pride in themselves and their school has on them.

I read quite a few romances from this publisher, Boldwood. Mostly they are second chance romances or escape lit, where the main characters move to locations like France or Italy. This book surprised me a bit as it is spicier than normal. Maybe there are other spicier books on the publisher's list, but I don't normally read them!

As I was writing this review, I happened to see the copyright information and found out that this is actually a rework of an early book called Holding Out for a Hero. Guess what? I read this book 11 years during the phase I was talking about in my opening paragraph! It has been revised and it definitely feels fresh, fun and contemporary! This version is the first time that the book has been released in the UK, so I am going to count this for the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews.

My read on a theme book club chose the theme of Sports at their last meeting, so this will be my choice for that as well.

Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

About the book:

Look What You Made Me Do

A disgraced football star, a high school in need of saving and a reunion too hot to handle

Headteacher Ella Lucas and football star Jake Prince have a very complicated history! Their mind-blowing encounter two years ago is proving impossible to forget now Jake is back, in her small town after being kicked out of the NFL.

She knew he was trouble then, but Ella has enough on her plate without having to worry about Jake Prince. Her school’s on the brink of closure, and she needs help. Then it dawns on her that maybe they can benefit each other - in more ways than one! Ella will help Jake to restore his disgraced reputation, if he can coach the football team to a winning streak. With nothing to lose, Jake reluctantly agrees....

As the school season heats up so does the inevitable chemistry between them. Far from being stuck in the past, the sparks between them are still there. And although he may look like her next mistake, Ella is determined that she will keep her hands off Mr Anti-hero even though she has an itch longing to be scratched. Because Ella's has one golden rule: this is strictly business, they are never ever getting back together....

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/lookwhatyousocial

About the author:

Amy Andrews is an award-winning, USA Today best-selling, Aussie author who has written eighty-nine contemporary romances. Her books bring all the feels from sass, quirk and laughter to emotional grit and steam. She loves frequent travel, good books and great booze. For many years she was a registered nurse which means she knows things, anatomical things, and she’s not afraid to use them! Amy lives in a pretty little coastal town where she gets to stare at the ocean all day.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: @AmyAndrewsAllStars

Twitter: @AmyAndrewsbooks

Instagram: @amyandrewsbooks

Bookbub profile: @AmyAndrews