Layla Reyne

Dine With Me by Layla Reyne: Blog Tour, Interview, Excerpt, Review and Giveaway

September 16, 2019 by Denise

Life never tasted so good.

Miller Sykes’s meteoric rise to award-winning chef is the stuff of culinary dreams, but it’s all crashing down around him. He’s been given a diagnosis that could cost him something even more precious than his life: his sense of taste. Rather than risk the very thing that defines him, Miller embarks on a last tour of his favorite meals while he still can.

But there’s a catch: he needs a financial backer to make it happen, and he doesn’t want anyone to know he’s sick.

Dr. Clancy Rhodes has two weeks to come to terms with putting aside oncology to work at his father’s thriving plastic surgery practice. When the opportunity to travel with a Michelin-starred chef presents itself, the foodie in him can’t believe it. It doesn’t hurt that Miller’s rugged good looks are exactly Clancy’s cup of joe.

As Clancy and Miller travel from coast to coast and indulge in everything from dive bars to the most decadent of culinary experiences, they’re suddenly sharing a lot more than delicious meals. Sparks fly as they bond over their love of flavors and the pressures of great expectations. But when Miller’s health takes a turn for the worse, Clancy must convince him he’s more—so much more—than just his taste buds. And that together, they can win a battle that once seemed hopeless.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

This book is approximately 69,000 words

Title: Dine With Me

Author: Layla Reyne

Release Date (e-book and audio): September 16, 2019

Amazon

Universal

Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?

LR: It’s not just Miller and Clancy in this story. There’s a supporting cast of characters—family, of the blood and found sort—that I absolutely adored writing. And they support, first and foremost. No one here is trying to foil or divert our main characters, and I love that about this story. They are there to support Miller and Clancy, as best and as full-of-heart as they can.

Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

LR: Every place Miller and Clancy visited is a place I’ve dined or based on a place I dined. (Sadly, a few of my favorites had closed!) Each place in this book is as special to me, for my own reasons, as it is for Miller and Clancy. For instance, one of the stops is The French Laundry, which is where my husband and I got married, so it holds a special place in my heart too.

Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

LR: Ohmigod, they both do. This story has been rattling around in my head since 2015. It was on the initial list of project ideas I gave my agent. There’s a lot of me in both Clancy and Miller (more so Clancy, my husband more so Miller), but it’s really a love letter to all the amazing dining experiences I’ve been so lucky to have in my life.

What is the significance of the title?

LR: It starts as the opening line of the advertisement Miller posts for the tour. It also ends the book in a way that still makes me happy sigh.

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

LR: This is a standalone, so there won’t be a sequel. Though keep your eyes peeled for a special project involving one of the secondary characters.

If you had to describe character Miller Sykes in three words, what would those three words be?

LR: Loyal, Self-Sacrificing, Stubborn

If you had to describe character Clancy Rhodes in three words, what would those three words be?

LR: Earnest, Honest, Risk-taker

If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?

LR: Oh, this is easy (since the book has been in my head for YEARS). I’ve always had Clive Standen as my fancast for Miller and Grant Gustin as my fancast for Clancy.

Was the writing process different and what challenges did you face writing contemporary romance versus romantic suspense?

LR: I couldn’t just throw a car chase or explosion in when I needed to pick up the pace! But seriously, I really did have to dig deep to center this one more on emotions, more on the journey of these two men, individually and potentially together in the future. That’s what’s driving the story, versus my usual twisty plot.

Seventies Santa laid a hand on Clancy’s hip, and the connection between Miller and Clancy snapped, the latter’s attention drawn to the interloper. Miller was off his stool the next instant. If he thought too hard on it, he’d reverse course and walk out the door instead of onto the dance floor. Let Clancy pursue things with the attractive man who was clearly interested in him. Who wouldn’t be? And why shouldn’t it be Santa? It sure as hell shouldn’t be Miller, who had a death sentence hanging over his head.

He had no business making any sort of claim on Clancy. No business getting more involved with him, even if only for the week they had left together. No business shoving his body between Santa’s and Clancy’s, knocking Santa’s hands off him, and grasping Clancy’s hips. No business, when Clancy grinned and stepped forward, coasting his hands over Clancy’s hips and splaying his fingers across the curve of that perfect ass.

Santa ceased to exist, Clancy’s attention totally on him.

“Dancing,” Miller shouted over the music. “Wouldn’t have figured.”

Clancy leaned forward, speaking right into Miller’s ear. “Did you miss the part where I like dick and live in WeHo?”

Laughter bubbled out of Miller, and Clancy’s goofy smile made him impossibly sexier. That body, those moves, and still the irrepressible brightness. Miller stepped closer, swiping back Clancy’s damp hair and letting his fingers drift slowly through it. “Fuck, you’re stunning.”

Smile wide, Clancy draped his arms over Miller’s shoulders and brought their bodies into brushing contact. “Dance with me, Chef.”

Miller didn’t even care about the slip, not when it was uttered in that low, sexy voice, seducing him into movement.

Song after song, they swayed and writhed in sync, their bodies like magnets inching closer and closer. Miller couldn’t say how many songs it was before his forehead fell against Clancy’s and the last bit of distance between their bodies vanished. The instinct was there to close the distance between their mouths too, but almost as strong was the profound relief rushing through Miller. He’d needed this release, needed to let go and forget about everything except moving his body in time with the gorgeous man in his arms. Clancy had known that, had recognized it while they’d sat at the bar, and had made it happen. He’d been exactly what and who Miller needed tonight.

“Thank you,” Miller whispered.

“You’re welcome.” Clancy’s warm breath tickled his lips. “But this is ninety-five percent selfish on my part.”

“It’s one hundred percent selfish on mine.”

Clancy looked up with dilated eyes, only a thin ring of dark green visible. He licked his lips, and if he hadn’t spoken, Miller would have claimed them. “I’m more than okay with that.”

Unhooking his arms from behind Miller’s neck, Clancy ran his hands over Miller’s shoulders and down his arms, tracing the ink. They traveled back up, then down his chest, fingers curling in Miller’s T-shirt. Clancy dragged them backward until his back hit the wall. Miller tried to slam on the brakes, not wanting to crush Clancy, not wanting to eat him alive in public, but Clancy kept hauling him forward. Cheek to cheek, chest to chest, Clancy slid a knee between Miller’s legs and pressed his thigh up against Miller’s straining cock. Clancy canted his hips, revealing his own need, and Miller couldn’t stop himself from rocking forward. He shoved a hand between the wall and Clancy’s ass and grabbed a handful of cheek, holding Clancy and his dick tight to him, chasing after this feeling. Heat, relief, life, desire, all driving him higher. He snuck his other hand under the hem of Clancy’s shirt, dragging his fingertips through the sweat at the small of his back. A shiver raced through Clancy, and Miller thrust his hips again. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this turned on, had felt so wanted while also wanting so much.

Clancy nipped his earlobe. “Be selfish a little longer.” He dragged his lips along the line of Miller’s beard and over his cheek, angling toward his mouth.

Miller wanted to taste him, more than he’d ever wanted to taste anything. Wanted to taste the hot, flushed skin behind Clancy’s ear, the sweat from his back that slicked Miller’s fingers, and the softly curving lips that had tempted Miller every time they’d closed around a damn fork. He wanted to know how the bitter, spicy sweetness of the Vieux Carré mixed with Clancy’s own unique flavor.

This is both a foodie lover’s dream and a romance lover’s dream. Long, slow burn and a happily ever after (no spoiler there, it says it right in the blurb).

Miller is all about food. As a chef but also as a foodie. He loves and appreciates it all- from burgers to the finest meal at the finest restaurant. And with his mortality in question, he wants to eat it all one last time.

Clancy finished his residency and is about to join his father’s medical practice in LA. But before that, his parents are footing the bill for him and Miller to take a two week eating tour of all of Miller’s favorite spots. Because even though he is a doctor, Clancy is a total foodie. He wants to eat it all, experience it all, talk about and dissect it all.

They talk about food. A LOT. They eat A LOT of food. And we are all in with the first restaurant, the real life The French Laundry. Where they eat various courses for 4 hours.

So you’d better like reading about food. Luckily for me, I really do.

I loved following these guys as they traveled to different spots in the United States. The best is that they weren’t always the best of the best by Michelin stars standards. They were the best in Miller’s heart for various reasons.

The bison stew was amazing, but they were also there for the view. Irish pub food in NYC that you could get on any corner, but this is where Miller and his two best friends really cut their teeth in the business.

And through the travels and the food and the stories, Clancy begins to really try to diagnose Miller, because his excuse of altitude sickness isn’t cutting it. But he is also trying to respect Miller’s boundaries. All the while caring more and more about the man as a friend. And questioning his career choice to work with his father in plastic surgery instead of his first love of oncology.

There is not a meal that wasn’t on purpose. Even when they hit a road block with one of the scheduled stops. They improvised and another magical meal with meaning (sorry for the alliteration) was enjoyed.

The sicker Miller got, the more Clancy wanted to help. But also the sicker he got, the more his defenses slipped around Clancy. Until neither could fight it any longer. Which just made it all the better.

If you don’t love and or appreciate food and the restaurant business, some parts may get boring for you. But I truly loved it.

4 Pieces of Eye Candy

RITA Finalist Layla Reyne is the author of the Agents Irish and Whiskey, Fog City, and Changing Lanes series. A Carolina Tar Heel who now calls the San Francisco Bay Area home, Layla enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart-pounding romance. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and its Kiss of Death and Rainbow Romance Writers chapters. Layla is a 2019 RWA® RITA® Finalist in Contemporary Romance (Mid-Length) and 2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist in Romantic Suspense.

Connect with Layla:

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/laylaslushes/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/laylareyne

IG: https://www.instagram.com/laylareyne/

Newsletter: https://www.laylareyne.com/signup

AMZ: https://www.amazon.com/author/LaylaReyne

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/layla-reyne

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Prince of Killers (A Fog City Novel) by Layla Reyne: Exclusive Excerpt, Interview, Blog Tour and Giveaway

June 13, 2019 by Denise

No indiscriminate killing. No collateral damage. No unvetted targets.

These are the rules Hawes Madigan lives by. Rules that make being Fog City’s Prince of Killers bearable. Soon, he’ll be king—of an organization of assassins—and the crown has never felt heavier. Until the mysterious Dante Perry swaggers into his life.

Dante looks like a rock god and carries himself like one too, all loose-limbed and casually confident. He also carries a concealed weapon, a private investigator’s license, and a message for the prince. Someone inside Hawes’s organization is out to kill the future king.

In the chaos that follows the timely warning, Hawes comes to depend on Dante. On his skills as an investigator, on the steadiness he offers, and on their moments alone when Hawes lets Dante take control. As alliances are tested and traitors exposed, Hawes needs Dante at his back and in his bed. But if the PI ever learns Hawes’s darkest secret, Hawes is sure to get a knife to the heart—and a bullet to the brain—instead.

There’s no shortage of twists and turns in this new romantic suspense trilogy from Layla Reyne. Prince of Killers is book one of three. Fair warning: buckle up, cliffhangers ahead!

Prince of Killers by Layla Reyne

Series (name + # in series): Fog City #1

Publisher: Layla Reyne (Self-Published)

Release Date (Print & Ebook): June 10, 2019

Length (Print & Ebook): 216 pages (52K words)

Subgenre: M/M Romantic Suspense

Warnings: Explicit sex including mild kink; explicit language; violence; instances and/or discussion of homophobia; off-page instances and/or discussion of PTSD, drug use, and abuse of minor characters.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Get to know more about Layla Reyne in this fun Review Tour Q&A!

Do you listen to audiobooks? If so, are there any you’d recommend?

Yes! One of my day jobs is as a legal resource editor, and I always have an audiobook playing when I’m doing that work. The Tales of Verania series by TJ Klune, narrated by Michael Lesley, is an absolute treasure.

What are your five favorite words?

I just need one: Fuck, especially the way Tristan James says it narrating audiobooks 😉

Do you have a favorite cover from one of your books?

This one! Cate Ashwood who did all the Fog City covers sent me the cover concept for Prince of Killers first, and I screamed “Holy Shit!” so loudly that my dogs startled. And I kept repeating “Holy Shit” for like the next week. She deserves so much credit, as does Wander Aguiar for the gorgeous photos, and Patrick Sean (the model) for just being that damn gorgeous.

He was starting to think Dante was right. Whatever was happening now was connected to what had happened then, on the night Isabelle Costa died.

That fact acknowledged—and the anxiety and unease that came with it internalized—a calm settled over Hawes. He counted the panes in the windows, waited for his breath and heartbeat to slow, then dropped his arms and turned back to his condo full of visitors. “I’ll see what I can find out today at the pier.”

“I’ve got a hearing at ten.” Helena dumped her empty paper plate into the trash. “If I don’t go by the station beforehand, I’ll swing by there after. I can be at HQ by one.”

“No,” Hawes said. “Things need to appear as usual. I would normally be in this morning. You wouldn’t.”

“I’ll go in with you,” Holt said. He patted Lily’s back through the sling. “She’s having fun being out today.”

Dante pushed off the fridge. “And I’ll have their backs.”

Helena blocked his forward momentum with her arm. “Look here, Mr. Hair—”

“Hena,” Hawes chided, while Holt laughed.

Their sister, however, held the steak knife at-the-ready and had drawn nose-to-chest with Dante, though you wouldn’t know it by her stance. For all she cared, she was taller than Dante, not a good foot shorter. “You’ve gotta give us more before I let you walk into this with my family.”

“There’s a flash drive in my coat pocket.”

“I’ve got it,” Hawes said, saving Holt the trouble of reaching around the baby and laptop. He retrieved the flash drive—generic, drugstore model—and held it out to Holt.

Holt’s wary gaze split between him and Dante. “I’m not putting that in my computer without checking it for viruses.”

“I wouldn’t either,” Dante said. “Which was why I checked it before I put it in mine. No viruses, I swear.”

Holt still hesitated. Hawes slapped the drive into his hand with a firm, “Just do it.” They didn’t have time to argue.

Hawes moved behind Holt so he could view the screen as Holt disconnected from servers and wireless networks before inserting the flash drive. No blue screen of death appeared. Holt released a held breath, and Hawes put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. Then harder, unintentionally, when Holt opened the first unnamed folder and the screen filled with surveillance photos—of Hawes. From various spots around town, from the pier, from outside the family fort in Pac Heights, and in front of his condo. Each had a bull’s-eye drawn on his head.

About Layla Reyne: RITA Finalist Layla Reyne is the author of the Agents Irish and Whiskey, Trouble Brewing, and Changing Lanes series. A Carolina Tar Heel who now calls the San Francisco Bay Area home, Layla enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart-pounding romance. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and its Kiss of Death and Rainbow Romance Writers chapters. Layla is a 2019 RWA® RITA® Finalist in Contemporary Romance (Mid-Length) and 2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist in Romantic Suspense.

Connect with Layla:

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/laylaslushes/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/laylareyne

IG: https://www.instagram.com/laylareyne/

Newsletter: https://www.laylareyne.com/signup

AMZ: https://www.amazon.com/author/LaylaReyne

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/layla-reyne

Enter to win 2 sets of signed backlist paperbacks (Trouble Brewing or Changing Lanes, winner’s choice); if international, signed book plates.

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Noble Hops by Layla Reyne: Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

February 12, 2019 by Denise

Layla Reyne stopped by today with the final book in her Trouble Brewing series, Noble Hops. She brought an exclusive excerpt only for TCO readers, and a fantastic book and swag bag giveaway. Make sure you check it out! Noble Hops is available in ebook and audiobook now, so pick it up here!

Everything Dominic Price has worked hard to uphold is about to come crashing down on everything he holds dear.

So much for the quiet life. Just as assistant US attorney and brewery owner Dominic Price is settling into a comfy new chapter with his partner, FBI agent Cameron Byrne, the sudden death of Nic’s father puts their happily-ever-after in jeopardy. Nic immediately suspects foul play, his prime suspect a notorious gangster his father was indebted to—only now the loan shark is out for blood.

Cam has been longing for Nic to finally let him in on this very personal case. But when Nic’s belief that he’s the sole Price heir is upended, the line between personal and professional starts to blur, leaving Cam unsure of where he stands.

Nic is depending on Cam’s kidnap and rescue expertise to save his recently discovered family member before it’s too late. But with a dangerous threat closing in, the ghosts from Nic’s past cast long shadows. Any relationship could crack under the pressure, but for Nic, finding his family might mean losing the love of his life.

Noble Hops (Trouble Brewing #3) by Layla Reyne

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date (Print & Ebook): Ebook/Audio: February 11, 2019; Print: February 26, 2019

Length (Print & Ebook): 320 pages

Subgenre: M/M Romantic Suspense

Layla Reyne says: Nic and Cam have to fight for their lives and their happily ever after in this exciting, action-packed conclusion to the Trouble Brewing series.

“Well-matched protagonists fueled by love and purpose risk everything to bring a slick gangster down in a thriller both hot and sweet, wrapping up a well-done M/M series in style.”

— Library Journal

“I adore this series, and I can’t wait for more Nic and Cam!”

— Author of The Fall, May Archer, on Craft Brew (Trouble Brewing #2)

Amazon

Audible

Thanks for having me on the blog today to celebrate the release of NOBLE HOPS, the final book of the Trouble Brewing series. The Whiskey Verse gang is all back together – and indulging in Cam’s favorite treat – in this exclusive excerpt. Enjoy!

Cam entered the conference room with a pink, brown and orange box on each hand, skirting past Nic who held the door open for him. “We come bearing doughnuts.”

Despite his vow in Boston to never eat Dunkin’ Donuts again, once Cam had learned there was a new one on their way from the house to the office, all bets were off. His colleagues had reaped the rewards ever since, as Lauren did today, looking up from her computer with a tired smile.

“My heroes.” She took one of the boxes from Cam and dug right in.

“You’re lucky he didn’t eat them all on the way here,” Nic said, as Cam slid the other box onto the table.

With his free hand, Cam shot Nic the bird. “Well, if someone hadn’t kept me up all night.”

Lauren clapped her hands over her ears. “Earmuffs!”

Cam laughed around a bite of blueberry-glazed doughnut.

“It was nothing that fun,” Nic said, headed for the coffeemaker. “He pretended to be Vaughn, and I grilled him for hours.”

“Waste of a night. You’re ready.” Cam reached for a second doughnut, and Nic shoved a cup of coffee in his hand instead.

“That’s four already, and as for last night, I want to be prepared.”

“I think I can help with that,” Lauren said, losing the battle with a powdered one, her navy blazer from yesterday taking a sugar beating.

“You cracked Harris’s computer?” Cam asked.

The slim MacBook had been locked away in a wall safe, hidden behind the framed alphabet poster in the nursery. When Lauren had carried it out last night, Vaughn’s eyes had flashed with what looked like fear, the first crack Cam had seen in his shiny, too-cool veneer.

“I did.”

“Then what am I here for?” came a familiar voice behind them, the drawl unmistakably Southern.

Cam twisted to see his best friend entering the conference room ahead of Aidan. He was half out of his chair when Jamie pulled him the rest of the way up and into a back-slapping hug. “Brother,” Cam said, feeling like the missing piece of the team, of his support system, was back where it belonged.

Jamie drew Nic into a hug next. “Whatever you need.”

“Thank you,” Nic replied.

This is the final book of Cam and Nic’s story. The guys are pretty much settled into their relationship and how they feel about each other. But Nic is still waiting for the other shoe to drop as he tries building a case against his father’s — and now his — arch enemy. As Nic’s reeling from a family tragedy, a stunning secret is revealed to him that will change everything.

This book felt very much like a wrap up. We know where the guys stand with each other, and there are a few bumps but they come through for each other — no surprises there. Nic confronts parts of his past and reveals things he’s been keeping from Cam which serves to bring them closer while giving the reader some closure. And the theme of family, both blood and who you choose for yourself, is woven throughout and always gives me warm and fuzzies.

I’ll miss these guys for sure, but with new characters introduced, it won’t surprise me to see them show up again sometime.

3 pieces of eye candy

Author Layla Reyne was raised in North Carolina and now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bi-coastal 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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Imperial Stout by Layla Reyne: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

July 23, 2018 by Denise

Layla Reyne spins off from her pulse-pounding Agents Irish and Whiskey books with Imperial Stout, the first installment in the Trouble Brewing series

It’s a good thing assistant US attorney Dominic Price co-owns a brewery. He could use a cold one. Nic’s star witness has just been kidnapped, his joint operation with the FBI is in jeopardy, his father’s shady past is catching up with him and the hot new special agent in San Francisco is the kind of distraction best handled with a stiff drink.

Kidnap and rescue expert Cameron Byrne has his own ideas about how to handle Nic, but his skills are currently needed elsewhere. The by-the-book FBI agent goes deep undercover as a member of an infamous heist crew in order to save Nic’s witness, break up the crew and close the case before anyone else gets hurt. Nic in particular.

Things heat up when Cam falls for Nic, and the witness falls for Cam. As the crew’s suspicions grow, Cam must decide how far he’s willing to go—and how far into his own dark past he’s willing to dive—to get everyone out alive.

Imperial Stout by Layla Reyne

Series: Trouble Brewing #1

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date (Print & Ebook): Ebook/Audio – July 23, 2018; Print – July 31, 2019

Length (Print & Ebook): 272 pages

Subgenre: M/M Romantic Suspense

Amazon

Carina Press

“Turn around, baby,” Cam whispered. He stepped back, only far enough for Nic to rotate, then pulled him close again. “We’ve been dancing around this for months,” he said, walking them back toward the desk, Nic bumping up against it. “You want this as much as I do, if the two kisses we’ve shared are any sign. Unless I read them wrong?”

Chin down, Nic glided his hands up the outsides of Cam’s arms and over his shoulders, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake. “You’re not wrong.”

It was a miracle Cam had held out this long. This close to what he’d desired for months, the wild part of him desperately wanted to break free, wanted to play rough and hard with Nic. “Then what’s the problem?” he asked. “You came to my place the other night. You made that move.”

“A lot can change in forty-eight hours,” Nic said, angling his face away.

Cam didn’t let him get away with it, trapping Nic’s chin between this thumb and forefinger and righting his gaze. “The way you feel about me?”

“This is messy, Boston, for a number of reasons, the least of which is you could get killed tomorrow.”

Nic’s blue eyes swirled with a stormy mix of lust and hesitation, the former on the cusp of winning out. Cam just needed to push a little harder.

I was so glad when I saw this book is out. I read the Agents Irish and Whiskey series last year and I love those guys. I remember liking Dominic, even though he was dating Irish while Whiskey was and — well, it was upsetting for both Whiskey and I. then when Whiskey’s bff Cameron showed up, I figured we’d see his story sometime soon. And here it is.

The attraction between Nic and Cameron begins before this book, when they kissed at a wedding. So, it’s already established that these two share an attraction and think about each other a lot. Once Nic’s witness goes missing, Cameron goes undercover to find her. Just a little angst and danger before we finally get to see these two take each other for a test drive, so to speak.

This is Book #1 in this series. So while Cam and Nic are in a good place at the end, Nic’s past has come back to haunt him and the ending promises more to come. I like these guys, and I like the other members of this world which come to visit here. If you enjoy the Whiskey and Irish cast, you’ll like this one too.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Connect with Layla:

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Relay by Layla Reyne: Blog Tour, Exclusive Guest Post, Review and Giveaway

January 8, 2018 by Denise

Welcome to the RELAY Blog Tour, presented by Layla Reyne and Riptide Publishing! RELAY, by Layla Reyne, is Book 1 of the Changing Lanes sports romance series featuring Olympic swimmers. RELAY is an enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance between Alex, the team captain, and his closeted ex, Dane, swimming’s biggest star. Read on to learn more about RELAY, Changing Lanes, and Layla Reyne!

Captain 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.

Researching for Olympic Swimming

Relay and Medley are contemporary sports romances featuring Olympic swimmers as they train for and compete in the Olympics. Relay’s Alex and Dane, and Medley’s Bas and Jacob, make-up the four-man medley-relay squad for USA Swimming.

While the Olympics are broadcast and we see what goes on at the meet portion of the event, training leading up to it isn’t as much of an open book. In researching and drafting Relay, which is focused more heavily on the training portion of Olympic competition, I gathered what information I could about past Olympic “training camps.” The teams do have domestic and international training camps, which are increasingly covered and attended by the media and fans. There are pictures, for instance, from the past camps that were very helpful in describing facilities and setting the scene.

As for what actually goes on at training camp, practice regimens, etc., that sort of information is not as widely available, so yes, some creative license had to be taken. That said, I have a number of friends who swam at the collegiate level, and I peppered them with questions—from diet, to pool versus dryland training, to swimwear and terminology. They were an invaluable resource to helping me get the details as close as I could.

Amazon

Riptide Publishing

About Changing Lanes

A chance at gold or a chance at love? Members of the US Men’s Swim Team fight for both in this sports romance duology following two couples on one medley relay team as they train and compete in the world’s biggest sporting event: the Olympics. To reach the top of the podium, they’ll need to depend on one another and be willing to change lanes—in their lives and hearts, and in the biggest race of their athletic careers.

Check out Changing Lanes!

Anything Olympics related, especially swimming and gymnastics (anyone on that one???) and I will snap it up right away, without question. So when I saw this up for preorder, it was with grabby hands that I requested this one, and I was not disappointed. The author did a fantastic job with this story.

It has to be difficult to write about an area of sports that is only really seen by the public every four years, but well done by the author to connect with those that have an inside track into how that world works.

Alex and Dane certainly had their work cut out for them to come back together. Lovers at 16, then Dane turned his back when his parents said he had to leave. The anger and hatred that burned between them was palpable from the first day they were back in each other’s orbits. With Alex as captain, he was able to make decisions, along with the coach, who would swim what group events, and he didn’t hesitate to use that power to push Dane to the side, even knowing there was a chance it could affect the team’s chances of bringing home gold. In the end, the choice was taken away from him, once their anger was so out of control, it affected the entire team.

It took time for Alex to come to terms with where Dane was at in his life that he would walk away from what was clearly love, and even when he began to, Dane found a way to make it worse, allowing Alex’s belief in him to falter, because he knew there would be no way he could save him otherwise.

They worked together to overcome the outside forces that worked against them as individuals and a couple, even overcoming a small twist I didn’t see coming.

I do like a book that doesn’t tie everything up neatly, 100%. That to me is real life. There were several unanswered questions, along with people who definitely needed more of a comeuppance, but that is how real life is sometimes. Not all the questions are answered, and not everything ties up in a neat little bow. And that works just fine for me.

These two got their HEA, and the reader gets a glimpse of the next book, and even through how the secondary characters react, what their issues will be. I’m looking forward to it.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

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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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!