Friday, January 17, 2014

LOVE AND OTHER GAMES Anthology Review & Giveaway

LOVE AND OTHER GAMES is a collection of four sexy new adult stories centered around athletes competing in the Winter Games by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, and Kara Leigh Miller.
 
All of these stories were feel good-type stories.  They made me believe there actually is such a thing as love at first sight.  If it can happen at the Olympics, it can happen anywhere.

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Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze
 
Amy Pierce, the klutzy sister and manager of America’s Skating Sweetheart, is used to being invisible. But when a friend drags her to a party near the Olympic Village, Amy catches the eye of a sexy Norwegian ski jumper. It’s a magical night, but an awkward next morning has her running.
 
Everyone knows Erik Andresen’s best shot at an individual medal was back in 2010, before an injury pulled him from the competition. He’s there for his team, but a hot night and a remarkable final training session have him wondering if a gorgeous good-luck charm could give him another chance at the podium.
 
With a little bit of luck, these two might have a shot at something worth more than gold.


Worth More Than Gold ~ REVIEW


Worth More Than Gold is the story of Amy Pierce who used to be a competitive figure skater but quit at the age of thirteen when her younger sister, by four years, showed much more promise than she did.  Amy now manages her sister's olympic path.  When Amy's best friend talks her into going to a party the first night after arriving in Switzerland, she ends up meeting Erik Andresen, a Norwegian ski jumper.  This is his last year for the games and he knows that he's not a contender for the gold but wants to help his teammates.  
 
After spending the night together, Erik’s first qualifying jump lands him in a top position to actually be able to medal.  Now he thinks Amy is his good luck charm.  It was love at first sight for both of them.  Eventually, Erik asks Amy to spend time with him both personally and professionally.

 
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Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier
 
US snowboarder and notorious prankster, Ty (Trouble) Madsen is only getting a taste of his own medicine when his Olympic teammates shackle him to a fence wearing nothing but his boxers.
 
Reception and protocol volunteer, Nadia Hoffman, gets up close and personal with the sexy snowboarder to rescue him, but she's not the kind of girl who lets her hormones get in her way. A professional performance could help her land her dream job at Olympics Committee Headquarters, but her new assignment supervising the rambunctious US Snowboarding Team is making that difficult. Can she see behind the snowman in the community center bathroom and into the warm heart of the man everyone calls Trouble?


Trouble with Gold ~ REVIEW


Nadia Hoffman is a volunteer for the Olympic games trying to obtain a real position with the games at her father's insistence.  She is from Switzerland and falls head over heels in love with Ty "Trouble" Madsen, a US snowboarder.  
 
Nadia is very serious about her job and doesn't know how to have fun.  Ty is the perfect person to help bring her out of her shell.  Nadia saves Ty when his fellow teammates play a prank on him and leave him in only his boxers, in the cold, handcuffed to a pole.  Known for his playboy ways, it's love at first sight when Nadia comes to his rescue.  
 
Nadia and Ty engage in fun antics while they try to find the rumored miniature olympic torch that's supposed to bring good luck.  In the end, Ty moves to Switzerland in order to have a real relationship with Nadia.


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The Girl Behind the Gold by Aria Kane
Greek aerial skier Lia Milonas’s parents are about to lose the family farm. Saving it means medaling and landing a huge sponsor. While her no-nonsense attitude has her well on her way to a medal, it hasn’t won her a place in fans' hearts.
 
“Come back with a story that will make readers cry, or don’t come back.” This is what Brandon James’ boss told him before he left New York to cover the Winter Games for Moment Magazine. With a wink and a smile, he can charm his way into any invite-only party, but that career-making story is nowhere to be found – until he meets Lia.
 
The two strike a deal that should get them both what they want - but neither would have guessed they’d also find what they need.


The Girl Behind the Gold ~ REVIEW


Lia Milonas is a Greek aerialist.  If she doesn't win the gold and obtain a sponsorship, her family will lose their farm so she's very serious about her reason for being at the Olympics.  She's been told she's not likable even if she is pretty and a contender to win the gold.  When she meets Brandon James, a magazine reporter from the US, they instantly fall head over heels in love with each other.  Brandon helps Lia to become "likable" and sets up a lot of interviews for her.  He writes a very compelling article for his magazine about her that comes straight from his heart.  They look for the rumored mini olympic torch for good luck to help her win the gold.  But they end up winning each other's hearts.

 
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Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller
Colton Campbell thrives on the fast paced, adrenaline rushed lifestyle of being an Olympic hockey player.
 
Despite Brenna Jessup's abhorrence for the games and the athletes, she's hand-picked as the official photographer for the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.
 
When a faux pas by Brenna almost costs Colton his career, she owes him. Too bad for her, Colton doesn't want apologies -- he wants retribution! And he knows just how to get it -- and her -- in the process.


Ice Gold ~ REVIEW


Brenna Jessup is a photographer from the US sent to Switzerland to cover the US hockey team.  She tries to get out of it because she hates everything related to the Olympics.  She and her mother were forgotten about in her father’s and brother's quest to get her brother to the Olympics years ago.  Unfortunately, she's the best photographer so she ends up going to Switzerland.  It's love at first sight for her when she meets Colton “Cole” Campbell, the star hockey player for the US team.
 
Cole is a playboy and finds it amusing when they end up next to each other on the plane ride to Switzerland and knows that Brenna is attracted to him.  But then again, he's extremely attracted to her too. Brenna tries to keep their relationship professional but ends up falling in love with him anyway.  Their antics also include trying to find the miniature olympic good luck torch.  They continue to pursue their relationship during and after the games are finished.
 
Rating: 4 (Overall book rating)
 
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Book Length: 242 pages
Source: Blog Tour Host
Reviewed by: Julie
Reading format: Available only in eBook


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You can follow the Love and Other Games blog tour here.


Aria Kane is a recovering mechanical engineer and romance writer. As a military brat, she grew up all over the country, but now lives in sunny Florida with a 60 lb mutt who thinks he's a chihuahua.
 
Places to find Aria Kane:


Kara Leigh Miller was born and raised in the small town of Mexico, New York, Kara was an only child who was forced to find ways to entertain herself. Playing make believe with her Barbie dolls and stuffed animals was her first real taste of storytelling before she became old enough to develop a love affair with the written word.
 
In early 2010, Kara picked up her very first romance novel, and she was instantly hooked. She loves to write contemporary romance, new adult, and young adult romance. Currently she has several full-length novels in the works, a series of novellas, and a handful of short stories. Kara is an active member of the CNY Creative Writers Café and the CNY Romance Writers.
 
Today, Kara resides in New Haven, New York with her husband, five kids, and three cats. When she's not reading or writing, she's thinking about reading and writing. And when she's not doing that, she's spending time with her family and friends.
 
Recently, Kara has taken on the position of Managing Editor for the Surge Imprint at Anaiah Press, LLC -- a Christian fiction press. She's working exclusively in the young adult and new adult line.

 
Places to find Kara Leigh Miller:
Melinda Dozier lives in Guatemala, Central America, with her husband, three boys and German Shepherd.  She enjoys being the queen of her household and dreams of being pampered fully by her boys once they’re grown.

 
Places to find Melinda Dozier:
Ana lives just outside Washington DC with her very supportive husband and three rather demanding cats. She loves the ocean, Indian food, Ikea, and cooking. Ana admits to watching too much television and she swears that someday she’s going to learn how to play the guitar resting on the bookshelf in her office.

 
Places to find Ana Blaze:



Tour Wide Giveaway for Nook Simple Touch (see terms for international) and Swag Pack from Aria Kane w/ Olympic bracelet, evil eye necklace, bookmarks (US only)

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