Mixed martial arts, football, rugby, tennis, baseball, hockey—oh my!
Do you love sports romance? Today, Carina Press published six new sports romances, and the authors are here interviewing their sports-star characters. Batter up!
Michele Mannon interviews Caden Kelly, Ultimate American Male underwear model and MMA welterweight title contender
MM: How often do you find yourself staring at your…um…rather provocative billboard? [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][blushes]
Caden: That’s the best you’ve got, Shelly? Next question.
MM: What’s your gripe with Sophie Morelle?
Caden: [snorts] Aside from her nailing me in the head with a three hundred pound camera, then having the gumption to proposition me about some MMA documentary she’s filming? No gripe, as long as she respects the restraining order.
MM: No. You didn’t.
Caden: I thought about it. Self-preservation. Plus, I’ve a title to win. I don’t need any distractions.
MM: And Sophie’s a distraction?
Caden: Does an Octagon cage have eight sides?
Allison Parr interviews Abraham Krasner, linebacker for the New York Leopards
AP: Rumor has it you’re involved with sports journalist Tamar Rosenfeld.
AK: Tamar and I grew up together. Since she moved to the city we’ve run into each other a lot, but that’s our business.
AP: Isn’t that a conflict of interest, as she’s reporting on your team?
AK: That’s assuming she has my best interests at heart.
AP: Tell us about the scrutiny the Leopards management has been under—partially from Rosenfeld.
AK: The Leopards are my family, and I’m completely loyal to them. Though my first loyalties lie with Tamar… It’s going to be an interesting season.
Kat Latham interviews Liam Callaghan, London Legends Rugby Club team captain
KL: Let’s start easy. What did you think the first time you saw Tess Chambers?
Liam: [laughs] Pink hair, wet T-shirt—I don’t know whether to be frightened or turned on.
KL: You’ve accomplished a lot. What achievement are you proudest of?
Liam: If my mates ask, it’s winning the Rugby World Cup for England. If anyone else asks, it’s finally winning Tess’s trust. Both happened on the same day—a bloody brilliant day.
KL: If you could be anywhere other than here right now, where would you be?
Liam: [slow, sexy grin] Well, there’s this waterfall in Venezuela…
Rebecca Crowley interviews Regan Hunter, Grand Slam-winning tennis player
RC: How’ve you been?
Regan: How long is this going to take?
RC: Do you have to be somewhere?
Regan: Always.
RC: Hitting the court?
Regan: Not exactly.
RC: Let me guess, you’re meeting Ben?
Regan: [slow smile] Maybe.
RC: Things are going well with you two?
Regan: It’s hard to stay mad at a guy with an accent like that.
RC: The six-pack doesn’t hurt either, huh?
Regan: Are we done here?
Rhonda Shaw interviews Jerry Smutton, Ace of the Detroit Rockets
RS: Hey Jerry! How’s baseball going?
JS: Awesome. After struggling last season, it’s good to put that behind me.
RS: So, after the “incident” at the park last year…
JS: Did you see that? That was hilarious! [chuckles] I still give her shit about that.
RS: She was pretty funny, but has Karen behaved since then?
JS: [wide grin] Behave? Karen?
RS: Yeah, that might be asking too much. How are things going with you two?
JS: She hasn’t killed me yet. [laughs]
RS: But seriously, things are good?
JS: I couldn’t be happier. I’m crazy about that girl. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
Kate Willoughby interviews Tim Hollander, forward for the San Diego Barracuda hockey club
KW: What do you love about your job?
Tim: My team, hands down. When we’re out there working as a five-man unit, it’s like magic.
KW: Three words that describe Erin.
Tim: [chuckling] Only three? Shit. Okay. Funny as hell, gorgeous…and dedicated. Your kid gets sick? You want Erin as your nurse.
KW: That’s more than three, Tim.
Tim: [grinning] Hey, I’m a hockey player, not a mathematician.
KW: Okay, free association, first thing that comes into your mind—hockey.
Tim: The Stanley Cup.
KW: Love.
Tim: Erin.
KW: Limousine?
Tim: [turns beet red] No comment.
Readers, do you like sports romance? Do you have a favorite sport to read about?
Book blurbs
Michele Mannon’s second book, TAP OUT, in the Worth the Fight series, features an underwear model turned MMA superstar, and a reporter who just won’t take no for an answer.
Don’t miss book one, Knock Out!
Amazon.com |Amazon.co.uk |Barnes & Noble |Carina Press |Google Play|Goodreads
Follow Michele:Twitter|Facebook|Blog: The Violet Femmes
Imaginary Lines by Allison Parr
Meet gorgeous NFL linebacker Abraham Krasner in IMAGINARY LINES by Allison Parr. Tamar fell hopelessly in love with Abe at age twelve but knew he’d never see her as more than the girl-next-door. Years later she gets a sports journalist job covering Abe’s team and the sparks fly
Read more about the New York Leopards in Rush Me and Running Back!
Amazon.com |Amazon.co.uk |Barnes & Noble |Carina Press |Google Play |iBooks |Goodreads
Follow Allison:Twitter |Facebook |Blog
Playing It Close by Kat Latham
Kat Latham writes the London Legends series about the world’s hottest rugby team. Book two, PLAYING IT CLOSE, features the team captain and a scandalous woman with whom he spent one passionate night and never thought he’d see again—until she turns out to be his team’s newest sponsor.
Meet Liam’s teammate Spencer Bailey in Knowing the Score!
Amazon.com |Amazon.co.uk |Barnes & Noble |Carina Press |Google Play|iBooks |Goodreads
Follow Kat: Twitter |Facebook|Newsletter|Website|Pinterest
Love in Straight Sets by Rebecca Crowley
In Rebecca Crowley’s LOVE IN STRAIGHT SETS, love and ambition go head-to-head. Professional tennis player Regan Hunter’s temper is almost as notorious as her unstoppable serve, but her anger when player-turned-coach Ben Percy attempts to wrest control from her grasp is nothing compared to the sizzling attraction that instantly blazes between them.
Amazon.com |Amazon.co.uk |Barnes & Noble |Carina Press |Google Play |iBooks |Goodreads
The Men of the Show series, written by Rhonda Shaw, follows the sexy and irresistible men on the Detroit Rockets baseball team. In the second book, THE ACE, a friends-with-bennies agreement quickly turns into long, romantic evenings. But denial is the name of the game…until a line drive to the forehead threatens to erase all that’s happened.
Meet Jerry’s teammate Chase Patton in The Changeup!
Amazon.com |Amazon.co.uk |Barnes & Noble |Carina Press |Google Play |iBooks|Goodreads
Follow Rhonda:Twitter |Facebook |Website
On the Surface by Kate Willoughby
Kate Willoughby’s In the Zone series invites you into the locker room and the love lives of the NHL San Diego Barracudas. In book one, ON THE SURFACE, Erin thinks all Tim wants is another notch on his hockey stick, when what he’s really shooting for is forever.
Amazon.com |Amazon.co.uk |Barnes & Noble |Carina Press |Google Play |iBooks |Goodreads
Follow Kate: Website |Twitter |Instagram |Pinterest[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
We supply custom t-shirts solutions using screen printing, dtg printing and sublimation printing. Check us out at % POSTDOMAIN %.
Hey! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could
get a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same
blog platform as yours and I’m having problems finding one?
Thanks a lot!
love this quotes.
Prekrasne urice Mini watch v naši www trgovini Time In Trend. Poglej si modno kolekcijo takoj.
These all sound great–I’ve loved SEP and Jill Shalvis’s sports stories, as well as Marie Force’s Line of Scrimmage and some by Kate Angell. Looks like I’ll be adding quite a few new authors to my TBB!
Great post sounds like interesting books.
This was so much fun to read! Congratulations on your new releases Kate, Rhonda, Rebecca, Kat, Allison, and Michele! I love sports and romance, so they all sound awesome to me! Best wishes!
Thank you, Robin!
I like sports romance. SEP & Rachel Gibson are some of my favourite. My favourite sport is rugby, and I didn’t know there was a series about an English rugby team (Kat Latham’s), I think I should give a try. Does anybody know if there’s anyone with Aussies or the All Blacks or the Springboks?
I love these brief character interviews! Way to tease us ladies.
So glad you enjoyed! They were fun to do. :)
Yup, love sports books. One of my all-time favorites is Tigers & Devils by Sean Kennedy about Australian football. More recently, I’ve really liked Pull Me Under by Zarah Detand.
These books sound really good. I enjoyed the character interviews very much. Yes, I enjoy reading sports romances. I like to read about any of the sports, but especially rugby or hockey.
Cathy, I read Playiing It Close by Kat Latham and have to admit that was only my second experience with rugby. My first was Invictus I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am not a big sports fan so it surprises me how much I have liked a lot of the sports romances I’ve read.
Maggie, thanks for reading Playing It Close!
Glad you enjoyed the interviews, Cathy (and that rugby’s one of your favorites!).
I enjoy reading sports romances. I’m not a hockey or football fan, yet I still enjoyed reading Rachel Gibson’s and Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ series.
Love both these writers. I wish both of them would go back to doing sports romances. I don’t like their other work as well. I haven’t even read Gibson’s latest Texas books. Just don’t find anything in them to pull me in.
Interesting books