Her
biggest fantasy is about to become a reality. . .
MISTER HOCKEY
Hellion's Angels #1
Lia Riley
Releasing July 11, 2017
Avon Impulse
Jed West is
Mr. Hockey. The captain of the NHL’s latest winning team, the Denver
Hellions—and the hottest player on the ice—at least according to every
magazine. .and Breezy Angel. Breezy has been drooling over Jed at games for
years, and he plays a starring role in her most toe-curling fantasies. But
dirty dreams don’t come true, right?
Then Jed
saunters through the doors of her library, a last minute special guest for a
summer reading event, and not only is he drop dead gorgeous up close, his
personality is straight up swoon-worthy. He even comes to the rescue when she
has an R-rated “Super Book Worm” costume malfunction. But when he mistakenly
assumes she’s more into books than pucks, she’s too flustered to correct his
mistake. And then comes a big kiss, followed by a teensy-tiny problem. Jed’s
dating policy is simple: Never date a fan.
So what’s a
fangirl going to have to do to convince her ultimate crush that he’s become
less of a perfect fantasy, and more like the perfect man. . .for her?
Jed West’s stomach curdled faster than overheated hollandaise sauce as
he squinted at the menu
for Zachary’s, Denver’s most popular all-day breakfast hangout. Ghost-like
shadows haunted the specials list, blurring the descriptions for peanut butter
French toast, country fried steak benedict and sweet potato pancakes. Ah,
shit. Not fucking now. There went the prices too–the dollar signs
and numbers blurring until barely legible.
No point
blinking. He knew the drill. Jaw tight, he reached for his orange juice, took a
swig and waited. Short bouts of double vision had dogged him ever since Game
Seven, the pattern the same. After a minute or two, his focus would snap back
to normal as if nothing had happened. Until then, he needed to follow one of coach’s favorite axioms: “Suck
it up, Buttercup.”
Who cared
about the damn menu anyway? He pushed it to one side, having already ordered
the “Manwich”, chorizo and eggs smashed between a jalapeno cheddar biscuit–the
kind of breakfast that wanted to kill you in the best kind of ways–and crunched
ice. Too bad the cubes didn’t pass on their chill, because this. . .situation
for lack of a better word, was getting under his skin and it shouldn’t.
No–Scratch
that. It couldn’t.
Unexplained
double vision wasn’t a walk in the park, but facts were facts. And the ugly
truth was that if he didn’t quit batting his lashes like Scarlett O’Hara with a
fly in her skirt, The Post’s toughest sports columnist would glance up
from across the table, mistake his tic for a cheesedick wink, and go Lord of
the Flies on his nut sack.
At least
for the moment, Neve Angel was occupied. She hunched over her digital voice
recorder, dark bangs obscuring her sharp gaze as she fiddled with the control
settings. Her lips moved to the upbeat Buddy Holly song piping over the sound
system while she plucked a mic from her messenger bag. His vision came back
online in time for him to read the orange button pinned to the front.
Had a
Ball at The Rock Creek Testicle Festival.
Christ,
looked to be an authentic souvenir too.
Slamming
his knees together, he forced a grin, the one that had potential endorsements
lined up around the block, eager for him to shill everything from vitamin
infused coconut water to shaving cream. He unwrapped the paper napkin from
around the fork and knife, and began tearing the corner into neat strips.
No doubt
the eye thing was fatigue-related, an inevitable toll from the grueling NHL
season and subsequent hard-fought playoffs. Everything would be all right in
the end. If it wasn’t all right, it wasn’t the end.
“You plan
on telling me what’s up with Mount Napkin Shreds?” Neve leaned her elbows on
the recycled wood tabletop, a signal they were shifting into interview mode.
Her brows arched beneath her thick-cut bangs. “Nervous about being in the hot
seat, princess?”
“Yeah,
terrified,” he answered laconically, not missing a beat. Hiding his true
feelings behind a mask of confidence was a reflex; it came with the territory
of having the “C” stitched on the front of his jersey. A good captain never
showed fear to an opponent. “A jackal’s bark is worse then it’s bite.”
“Jackal?
Don’t tell me you’re using Gunnarisms now.” She rolled her eyes. “And I’d so
wanted to enjoy my bagel without gagging.”
The
Hellions Head Coach, Tor Gunnar, had a reputation for dismissing the press as
“jackals.” He fostered a tense relationship with journalists, in particular,
the tiny woman sitting opposite. Neve had run a piece on his divorce a few
years ago. He retaliated by refusing to call on her during press conferences.
Neve hit back with increasingly critical op-eds. Their mutual enmity had
devolved to the stuff of local legend.
What would you do if the man of your fantasies showed up at your workplace? If you are Breezy Angel you rein in the crazy fangirl and try to act as normal as possible - not so easy to do in reality.
One of my absolute favorite parts of this book was the humor - from costume mishaps to sibling conversations and other crazy relatives - I laughed often and loved the bonds between Breezy and her family (most of them anyways) and Jed and his teammates.
Breezy isn't your typical lost in a dream world librarian - though some people assume that. She's got dreams and desires but she also tries to be realistic. She's got family issues - namely that she doesn't see eye to eye with her mother and often feels like the outsider. She's down to earth and fun, smart, sassy and the type of woman I'd call my best friend. When she meets Jed and realizes that he's so much more than the fantasy she's carried in her mind for years she knows that she has to tone that part of her down. But in doing so, Breezy holds back the true nature of herself and when they've grown closer - she's not sure how to let that cat out of the bag.
Jed can't help it, there's something about Breezy that calls to him in a way he hasn't felt. She's different from most of the women he comes across and that pushes him to consider the possibilities. Jed loves being a sports star - he loves hockey, he loves his team - what he doesn't love is wondering if women love him for who he is inside or what he is on the outside. So when he's intrigued by a woman who he sees as someone not so impressed by hockey or his sporty reputation it's a whole new thing for him.
Mister Hockey was a quick and sweet read. It's the perfect book for a hot summer day - a swoony romance that will pull you in and have you sighing. Jed and Breezy were both fun characters and though their romance moves quickly - it isn't easy sailing. I loved everything about their growing bond, Jed's insight and seeing something more than others see in Breezy and his willingness to share that insight with the world (and her family). When things hit a bump - I really enjoyed how Breezy and Jed worked it out.
I also loved the glimpses we got into some of the other players and Coach Tor - yeah I'm really interested in getting more of that story. Looking forward to more of the Hellion's Angels series and what they deliver within the pages.
Q&A
with Lia Riley
A
la Twitter style, please describe your book in 140 characters or less.
Curvy, nerdy librarian gets a chance to score with
her fantasy crush, the captain of the Denver hockey team.
What
did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I really enjoyed two things about writing this book:
Breezy Angel and Jed West. I have always loved the trope about the so-called
“ordinary” person who falls for a celebrity who in turn views them as nothing
short of “extraordinary.” Probably one of the reason that Notting Hill is one
of my all-time favorite movies. I wanted Jed to be alpha in the bedroom and
obviously an amazingly talented athlete, but I didn’t want to right him as a
one-dimensional “bro.” Instead, I wanted him to be a good guy, someone supportive
of team mates and his woman. A natural leader who thrives by building up those
around him, most importantly his lady. And as for Breezy, I wanted to write a
woman who wasn’t drop-dead model perfect. I don’t know women like that in real
life, and I want to see people in line around me at the grocery store get a
chance to have their own swoony, earth-shattering happy ever after moments too!
Can
you tell us about your upcoming book?
I am so excited for readers to get their hands on Book Two
in the Hellions Angels series. Head Coach
is coming out on November 21st and features (wait for it)
Hellions Head Coach, Tor Gunnar and his enemies-to-lovers relationship with
determined sports journalist Neve Campbell. There is hate kissing, a bet over a
game of air hockey and a fake date to a wedding. Also, it’s one of the sexiest
books I’ve ever written.
And don’t forget about Virgin
Territory about the team goalie who is not only an almost-priest who was
kicked out of seminary school, but also has a reputation for brawling. Plus he
may or may not be a virgin hero.
If
you had a theme song, what would it be?
Don’t
Stop Believing by Journey…because I’m mostly an
optimist, plus I would take immense satisfaction creating ear worms every where
I went.
If
you had to title your own life what would it be and why?
Did
I Leave the Stovetop On?: A Lia Riley Story
Top
Five Sexy Hockey Players
By
Lia Riley
We all know hockey players are hot as puck. Here are
five NHL players I’d love to have a face off with, and by face off I mean stare
at and drool over. Who are your favorite hockey gods? Tell me in the comments,
bonus point if you link to a pic J
In no particular order because all get two solid
thumbs up:
1.
Sidney
Crosby, Captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Crosby). He
has boyish good looks and Tom Hardy lips, can’t ask for more than that!
2.
P.K
Subban, Defenceman for the Nashville Predators (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._K._Subban). His
eyes could melt ice, plus he won Olympic gold in 2014 Sochi Olympics.
3.
Joffrey
Lupul, Left winger for Toronto Maple Leafs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joffrey_Lupul). He
likes to play the guitar too, so not only is he pretty, he
can also croon you a love song. Plus that jaw bone could cut glass.
4.
Tyler
Seguin, Center for the Dallas Stars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_Seguin) Three
words: Full. Sleeved. Tattoos. (nuff said)
5.
Darnell
Nurse, Defenceman for the Edmonton Oilers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darnell_Nurse). Not
only is he 6’3 of pure yum, he also roots for his sister who plays basketball
for Team Canada. That makes him a hero in my book!
After
studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, Lia Riley scoured
the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of
direction. She counts shooting vodka with a Ukranian mechanic in Antarctica,
sipping yerba mate with gauchos in Chile and swilling fourex with stationhands
in Outback Australia among her accomplishments.
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