Review- Spiked by Jennifer Lane

Spiked on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

They say
University is the time
To find yourself
But I don’t need to find myself
Just want to find you 

After watching his older siblings find their love matches at Highbanks University, Mateo Ramirez feels unlikely to follow in their footsteps. What girl would want him? Unlike his brother and sister, he battles diabetes and chooses music over sports. But at least he can write songs about his life—and the girl who caught his eye when their parents ran against each other for US President.

Hey, chica! Come conmigo
And baby, why don’t we go
Down under the bridge to the water
With you it can only get hotter 

Jessica Monroe is a talented swimmer who dreams of representing Team USA at the Olympics. When she earns an athletic scholarship to Highbanks, she’s excited to attend the same school as the cute boy she met two years ago: Mateo. Too bad he’s not around when a teammate spikes her drink. Jessica may never trust men again.

Trust
Is a hard-to-earn thing
Just
Try to keep listening

Swallow
Down all of the unjust
Hollow
My chest, my heart will bust 

College years are the time to shake off the past and find your future. But will that future find Mateo and Jessica together? Dive in and immerse yourself in the eagerly anticipated conclusion to Jennifer Lane’s Blocked trilogy.

Release date: October 1st 2016

Published by: Psyched Publishing

Page numbers: 285

My review of Blocked (Blocked #1)
My review of Aced (Blocked #2)

REVIEW: 

"If you liked author Jennifer Lane's Blocked, you will love Aced." This is what I had said in my review for Aced, the second book in the Blocked series. Now I don't really know what stage comes after love, but whatever that is, you will feel that after reading Spiked. Aced still remains my favourite, but the last book in the series, Spiked was just as good as Blocked and an extremely satisfying conclusion to what has become one of my most favourite New Adult series.

Spiked is the story of the youngest children in the Democratic and Republican families, Jessica and Mateo. Their siblings got their achievements and happily ever afters in their respective novels, and while their stories were lovely, I was always curious about Lucia and Alejandro's younger brother Mateo because he seemed like such a nice and quiet boy. And when I got to know that he would be paired with Dane's little sister Jessica, I could not wait to see what Jennifer Lane would put out for us. Well, it goes to say that, like always, Jennifer didn't disappoint because this book was so bloody good.

I feel sad that this series is over, because I love how each book doesn't just focus on the main couple, but on the most important families in America. It's great to get a bit of everything like politics, sport, drama, family, friendship, psychological issues, illnesses and love in one book as that makes it so much more interesting and highly entertaining. Jennifer Lane has a knack for taking up a serious subject and portraying it in a way that is both important, from an awareness point of view and light, in the way that is it incorporated in a contemporary fiction book. 

I feel like the biggest problem with books that I love is that I cannot stop talking about it. I mean, it's been three paragraphs and I haven't said anything about our main characters, Mateo and Jessica yet. It goes to say that I loved them both. While they are part of very important and prestigious families, they both seemed so normal and all the stuff they went through made them relatable and comforting. Jessica and Mateo were both total sweethearts and it was hard not to love them as individuals and even more as a couple, because they were just so perfect for each other; almost like magnets.

Spiked, just like Blocked and Aced, was a great read with a nice message. With this series, Jennifer Lane has made me genuinely appreciate the physical and mental intensity of sports people, the strength of people with physical, medical, psychological or basically any problems or issues, and a good romance; the latter being something I'm not too fond of, but hey, there's a first for everything. I don't normally furiously recommend books, but I would definitely recommend this series to everyone, because aside from being entertaining, it's important as well.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by Jennifer Lane via Raven Publicity in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

Buy the book: AMAZON

Cover Reveal- Spiked by Jennifer Lane

Oh my God, you guys! I am SO excited to post the cover reveal for one of my favourite New Adult authors, Jennifer Lane's Spiked, book #3 in the Blocked series. *throws confetti* 

✯✯SPIKED by Jennifer Lane✯✯

Cover Reveal

The cover for book 3 in Jennifer Lane´s Blocked Series!

Spiked Blurb

They say

University is the time

To find yourself

But I don’t need to find myself

Just want to find you

After watching his older siblings find their love matches at Highbanks University, Mateo Ramirez feels unlikely to follow in their footsteps. What girl would want him? Unlike his brother and sister, he battles diabetes and chooses music over sports. But at least he can write songs about his life—and the girl who caught his eye when their parents ran against each other for US President.

Hey, chica! Come conmigo

And baby, why don’t we go

Down under the bridge to the water

With you it can only get hotter

Jessica Monroe is a talented swimmer who dreams of representing Team USA at the Olympics. When she earns an athletic scholarship to Highbanks, she’s excited to attend the same school as the cute boy she met two years ago: Mateo. Too bad he’s not around when a teammate spikes her drink. Jessica may never trust men again.

Trust

Is a hard-to-earn thing

Just

Try to keep listening

Swallow

Down all of the unjust

Hollow

My chest, my heart will bust

College years are the time to shake off the past and find your future. But will that future find Mateo and Jessica together? Dive in and immerse yourself in the eagerly anticipated conclusion to Jennifer Lane’s Blocked trilogy.

Pre-Orderyour copy today!!!

Check out the Blocked series on Amazon and catch up before Spiked releases!

Also FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Pre-Order Spiked today on Amazon US / Amazon UK

Add Spiked to Goodreads

Blocked:

Amazon US / Amazon UK

Aced:

Amazon US / Amazon UK

Streamline:

Amazon US / Amazon UK

With Good Behavior:

Amazon US / Amazon UK

Jennifer Lane on Amazon / Jennifer Lane on Facebook

Join the Online Release Party

Cover Reveal Hosted by Raven Publicity

WHAT A GORGEOUS COVER!!! I'm so excited to read Jessica and Mateo's book. 

Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway- Aced by Jennifer Lane

Hi, guys! If you know me, you know that I like reading author Jennifer Lane's books. She has this almost realistic yet magical way of portraying her characters which is so admirable. This time, I'm reviewing Jen's latest, Aced (Blocked #2) as part of the blog tour for the same. So let's see what's in store for you! But before that, check this out: 

Blocked, the first book in the series is only for $0.99 from December 15 to December 20, so make sure you grab the deal! 

Now, back to Aced!

Title: ACED

Series: Blocked #2

Author: Jennifer Lane

Release Date: December 2, 2015

Genre: New Adult Sports Romance 

Length: 80,000 words
Cover Artist: CoreenMontagna 

Follow the TOUR and Get ACED on Amazon!

REVIEWS FOR ACED:

“Jennifer's characters always interact with each other in a very comfortable pattern of easy and witty banter. She is exceedingly good at dialogue. Aced is a very brave book. Like Blocked, it is not simply a fluffy, sweet and cozy romance."

~Teresa from Goodreads

"Lord forgive me for I have sinned and lusted over the hottie known as ALEJANDRO. Yup, dibs he's all mine, chicas."

~Nelly from Romance Bytes

"The plot is so well paced, I was reading until the wee hours of the morning."

~KarieDeegan from My Reading Reality

"Blocked captivated my attention from start to finish and Aced does not disappoint. Hotheaded Alejandro meets his match in stubborn and confident Maddie."

~Aaliyah from Goodreads

Goodreads Summary:

Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in Jennifer Lane’s Blocked series, it could be her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love.

Medical student Alejandro’s hot Latin looks get him plenty of attention, but his deep faith and admiration for his father keep him on a righteous path, with no time for something as frivolous as love. He strives to do the right thing—study diligently, take care of his siblings, represent the family well—so why does he feel so unfulfilled?

Enter Lucia’s friend and teammate Maddie Brooks, who shines at blocking the ball and acing the serve. Too bad this graduating senior isn’t so confident about her life off the court. Her longtime boyfriend has just bailed on her, and med school applications loom large. Oh, and a nerve-wracking tryout for Team USA also approaches.

Maddie meets Alejandro when he visits Lucia at school, and she’s soon drawn to his sharp mind. Alejandro is similarly intrigued by Maddie’s talent and strength. But will personal biases and family politics smother the slow burn of their attraction? Unless Maddie can learn to believe in herself, and Alejandro can become his own man, their kindling romance hardly stands a chance.

Will either of them be bold enough to try something new? Find out in this emotion-rich story that refuses to shy away from life’s hardest questions. Because love is worth the risk. 

Read my review of Blocked (Blocked #1) by Jennifer Lane

REVIEW:

If you liked author Jennifer Lane's Blocked, you will love Aced. Trust me. Because I really liked Blocked and I ended up liking Aced even more. The combination of sports and politics was brilliant in the first book, so naturally I was looking forward to read more of the same. And oh my God! I instantly fell in love with Maddie and Alejandro. 

Maddie is a volleyball star and studies medicine at Highbanks, where she is friends with Lucia. The two girls have been with each other through thick and thin and it was really nice to read about this beautiful friendship. Maddie was a sweetheart. I liked how she was portrayed as a real and very relatable 21 year old girl, who is strong, intelligent and independent but also vulnerable, sensitive yet super sweet. During one of the games, Maddie meets Lucia's bother, Alejandro. Sparks were literally flying off of the pages of the book and the chemistry between the two was amazing. 

Alejandro is son of the president of America and he is charming- oh, so charming. Alex is an innocent boy until he falls head over heals in love with Maddie. His portrayal was a fresh change in New Adult, and a change I really liked and appreciated. He wasn't your normal bad boy sleeping around with girls and pretending to be the coolest of the lot. Rather, Alex is a hardworking and respectful person who, beyond anything else, is a wonderful soul. His love for Maddie was so cute and it had me smiling most of the time. 

What I loved the most about Aced was the very realistic portrayal of Maddie and Alex. It's not often that book characters end up being just like normal people that you and I know or that may be you and I. But Jennifer Lane nailed it, and it was fabulous. Not just Maddie and Alex though, there were also families from both sides who were portrayed excellently and it was fantastic to get to know Maddie's family and meet Alex and Lucia's young brother Mateo and their parents again. The sports and politics added to a lot of fun and drama. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the White House and getting a hint of how it works.  It was all excellent. 

It's not often that I read or even like to read romances, so the few authors who are my exceptions when it comes to the genre have to be good at what they do. Clearly, Jen does an amazing job because I always end up liking her stories and in the case of Aced, loving them too. 

*A copy of Aced was provided as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. We thank the tour host and Jennifer for the book. 

RATING: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she’s a therapist, and by night she’s a writer. She can’t decide which is more fun.

Jen adores creating sporty heroines and hot heroes in her college sport romances. Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in the Blocked series, it’s her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love. Aced launches in December 2015.

A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen writes swimming-based romances as well: Streamline, a military mystery, and the free New Adult novella Swim Recruit.

Stories of redemption interest Jen the most, especially the healing power of love. She is also the author of The Conduct Series, a romantic-suspense trilogy that includes With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, and On Best Behavior.

Ultimately, whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry. In her spare time she enjoys exercising, attending book club, and visiting her sisters in Chicago and Hilton Head.

AUTHOR LINKS: WEBSITE | NEWSLETTER | AMAZON | 

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM

GIVEAWAYS:


1) Join us for the Facebook party 12-2-15 HERE. Over 25 Authors with prizes!

2) Leave a review on Amazon on 12-2-15 for a chance to win $25 gift card.

3) And enter the Rafflecopter Release Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'd like to thank Jen for sharing such lovely stories for the opportunity to read an ARC of the book. And thank you, readers, for stopping by! 

Review- Aced by Jennifer Lane

Goodreads Summary:

Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in Jennifer Lane’s Blocked series, it could be her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love.

Medical student Alejandro’s hot Latin looks get him plenty of attention, but his deep faith and admiration for his father keep him on a righteous path, with no time for something as frivolous as love. He strives to do the right thing—study diligently, take care of his siblings, represent the family well—so why does he feel so unfulfilled?

Enter Lucia’s friend and teammate Maddie Brooks, who shines at blocking the ball and acing the serve. Too bad this graduating senior isn’t so confident about her life off the court. Her longtime boyfriend has just bailed on her, and med school applications loom large. Oh, and a nerve-wracking tryout for Team USA also approaches.

Maddie meets Alejandro when he visits Lucia at school, and she’s soon drawn to his sharp mind. Alejandro is similarly intrigued by Maddie’s talent and strength. But will personal biases and family politics smother the slow burn of their attraction? Unless Maddie can learn to believe in herself, and Alejandro can become his own man, their kindling romance hardly stands a chance.

Will either of them be bold enough to try something new? Find out in this emotion-rich story that refuses to shy away from life’s hardest questions. Because love is worth the risk. 

Read my review of Blocked (Blocked #1) by Jennifer Lane

REVIEW:

If you liked author Jennifer Lane's Blocked, you will love Aced. Trust me. Because I really liked Blocked and I ended up liking Aced even more. The combination of sports and politics was brilliant in the first book, so naturally I was looking forward to read more of the same. And oh my God! I instantly fell in love with Maddie and Alejandro. 

Maddie is a volleyball star and studies medicine at Highbanks, where she is friends with Lucia. The two girls have been with each other through thick and thin and it was really nice to read about this beautiful friendship. Maddie was a sweetheart. I liked how she was portrayed as a real and very relatable 21 year old girl, who is strong, intelligent and independent but also vulnerable, sensitive yet super sweet. During one of the games, Maddie meets Lucia's bother, Alejandro. Sparks were literally flying off of the pages of the book and the chemistry between the two was amazing. 

Alejandro is son of the president of America and he is charming- oh, so charming. Alex is an innocent boy until he falls head over heals in love with Maddie. His portrayal was a fresh change in New Adult, and a change I really liked and appreciated. He wasn't your normal bad boy sleeping around with girls and pretending to be the coolest of the lot. Rather, Alex is a hardworking and respectful person who, beyond anything else, is a wonderful soul. His love for Maddie was so cute and it had me smiling most of the time. 

What I loved the most about Aced was the very realistic portrayal of Maddie and Alex. It's not often that book characters end up being just like normal people that you and I know or that may be you and I. But Jennifer Lane nailed it, and it was fabulous. Not just Maddie and Alex though, there were also families from both sides who were portrayed excellently and it was fantastic to get to know Maddie's family and meet Alex and Lucia's young brother Mateo and their parents again. The sports and politics added to a lot of fun and drama. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the White House and getting a hint of how it works.  It was all excellent. 

It's not often that I read or even like to read romances, so the few authors who are my exceptions when it comes to the genre have to be good at what they do. Clearly, Jen does an amazing job because I always end up liking her stories and in the case of Aced, loving them too. 

*A copy of Aced was provided as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review. We thank the tour host and Jennifer for the book. 

RATING: 

Cover Reveal- Aced by Jennifer Lane

ACED (Blocked #2) Cover Reveal

Title:  Aced

Series:  Blocked #2

Author:  Jennifer Lane

Genre:  New Adult Sports Romance

Cover Design:  Coreen Montagna (coreenm@gmail.com)

Release Date:  December 2, 2015

Blurb:

Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in Jennifer Lane’s Blocked series, it could be her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love.

Medical student Alejandro’s hot Latin looks get him plenty of attention, but his deep faith and admiration for his father keep him on a righteous path, with no time for something as frivolous as love. He strives to do the right thing—study diligently, take care of his siblings, represent the family well—so why does he feel so unfulfilled?

Enter Lucia’s friend and teammate Maddie Brooks, who shines at blocking the ball and acing the serve. Too bad this graduating senior isn’t so confident about her life off the court. Her longtime boyfriend has just bailed on her, and med school applications loom large. Oh, and a nerve-wracking tryout for Team USA also approaches.

Maddie meets Alejandro when he visits Lucia at school, and she’s soon drawn to his sharp mind. Alejandro is similarly intrigued by Maddie’s talent and strength. But will personal biases and family politics smother the slow burn of their attraction? Unless Maddie can learn to believe in herself, and Alejandro can become his own man, their kindling romance hardly stands a chance.

Will either of them be bold enough to try something new? Find out in this emotion-rich story that refuses to shy away from life’s hardest questions. Because love is worth the risk.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Book one BLOCKED on SALE for a limited time!

Excerpt from Aced:

I’d only seen Alejandro on TV, but his presence seemed magnified in real life. He was Jaylon’s height but probably weighed thirty pounds less. He moved like a panther, sleek and long in a black suit “dressed down” with no tie. His short black hair shone in the arena lights, and he appeared freshly shaven. Hot damn! He sure looked more suave than any college boy I’d encountered. Was that the typical dress for medical school at Johns Hopkins? Probably not. Something told me Alex did things his own way.

As Alejandro approached, Lucia stood to hug him, shaking her head. “Hey, what’re you doing here? You didn’t tell me you were coming.”

He smiled. “Could we go somewhere to talk?”

She glanced at me. “I don’t want to leave Maddie. I dragged her here, so it’d be rude to abandon her.”

“So this is the famous Maddie.” When Alejandro reached across to shake my hand, his dark eyes burned into me. “I’ve seen you play, but it’s good to finally meet. I’ve heard great things about you.” His handshake was firm, but his hand was soft and warm, zinging a surprising thrill right through me. I realized that for at least a few moments, I hadn’t thought about Jaylon. Alejandro let go all too quickly.

His expression sobered as he looked back at Lucia. “I want to talk to you about something in private.”

She folded her arms across her chest as they both sat. “I already said no, thank you. I can’t right now.”

He frowned and squared his shoulders. Then he leaned in to Lucia’s ear and spoke to her in Spanish. She bristled next to me.

“How dare you?” she hissed.

I leaned back. What had just changed my sweet Rez into a pissy hellcat?

Sign up for ACED Review Tour HERE.

Author Bio:

Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she’s a therapist, and by night she’s a writer. She can’t decide which is more fun.

Jen adores creating sporty heroines and hot heroes in her college sport romances. Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in the Blocked series, it’s her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love. Aced launches in December 2015.

A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen writes swimming-based romances as well: Streamline, a military mystery, and the free New Adult novellaSwim Recruit.

Stories of redemption interest Jen the most, especially the healing power of love. She is also the author of TheConduct Series, a romantic-suspense trilogy that includes With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, and On Best Behavior.

Ultimately, whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry. In her spare time she enjoys exercising, attending book club, and visiting her sisters in Chicago and Hilton Head.

Author Links:

WEBSITE / NEWSLETTER / AMAZON / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / PINTEREST / INSTAGRAM

Other Books by Jen:

Blocked New Adult Volleyball Romance...Top Seller in Volleyball Books

Streamline New Adult Swimming Romance

Swim Recruit New Adult Novella (free!)

With Good Behavior (The Conduct Series #1) Romantic Suspense

Bad Behavior (The Conduct Series #2) Romantic Suspense

On Best Behavior (The Conduct Series #3) Romantic Suspense

The Conduct Series Box Set

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am super excited for Aced as I really liked Blocked, so I cannot wait to see what Jen has in store for us next. Plus, hot guy on the cover is already a huge tick. *winks*

Thank you so much for stopping by, and happy reading! 

Review- Blocked by Jennifer Lane

Goodreads Summary:

College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player.¡Híjole! Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her.

Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President. 

When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?

REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of Blocked by Jennifer Lane from AToMR Tours in exchange for an honest review. We thank the author and the tour company for the book! 

I took so long to read Blocked that I thought about giving it up more than once. But because it's a book by Jennifer Lane whose Streamline was a great read that I really liked, I decided to take my time with Blocked and trust me, it was worth the wait, although I really really wish we got to know the final results of the elections. I do have my theory on who wins, and I love books that end abruptly, but this time, I really wanted to know. The slow pace of my reading (which really had nothing to do with the story, but my pure laziness) and the abrupt ending are the only two negatives that I can come up with. 

Blocked is the story of two star athletes Dane Monroe and Lucia Ramirez who also happen to be the children of the two governors who are contesting for the US presidential elections. Politics and sports are two topics that I find very interesting so that there is a great combination. I really liked the glimpse into the lives of Dane and Lucia who are living in the same apartment for safety purposes, who in spite of being the children of such high profile people, were simple and had normal issues like you and I do. They were both great individuals and made for a great pair. The chemistry between the two was quite sizzling and hot. 

Lucia was a really nice girl. I got her whole eating disorder issue, but I failed to understand why a determined and strong girl would let herself be demotivated that way. Dane was a great guy who appeared quite the jerk at first, but made up for all his mistakes and stupidity later on by showing how great he is. Both the protagonists gave importance to their respective siblings and family which I loved so much. 

In Blocked, we already have two topics that form a major part of newspapers and it's not just that, there's secret service, competition, separation, media, issues like alcoholism, eating disorders, domination, blood sugar, etc. that make it such a realistic read. Not to mention, heaps of knowledge since we get inside scoops and even some psychological know-hows. So Blocked is basically packed with reality. The importance given to family was really appreciative as well. I found this one to be a great read. 

RATING:

Blog Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway- Blocked by Jennifer Lane

Hi, guys! I am excited to be part of the Blocked blog tour hosted (click to see the entire tour schedule) by AToMR. I have previously read and really liked author Jennifer Lane's Young Adult novel, Streamline. So obviously, I was really looking forward to her New Adult contemporary novel, Blocked. As part of the blog tour, I have an excerpt and there's also some more great stuff for you guys to check out. I want to apologise since I was supposed to read the book and I am reading it, but I couldn't finish it on time. I will be publishing my review once I get done with it anyway, so keep and eye out for that. So without much ado, let's get on to see what's in store for you now. 

New Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance

Released October 21, 2014

BOOK SUMMARY:

College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player. Hijole. Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her.

Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President.

When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?

For more information, check out the book page on Amazon and Goodreads. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she witnesses growth in her psychotherapy clients, and by night she wrangles misbehaving fictional characters as she writes sports romance and romantic suspense with a psychological twist. She can’t decide which is more fun.

A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen wove some of her own experiences into Streamline—a military mystery about swimmers. And readers can dip their toes into Jen’s world of swimming romance by sampling her free New Adult novella Swim Recruit.

College volleyball romance Blocked is Jen’s newest release, launching 10-21-14. Peek inside big-time college sports and even bigger national politics when the offspring of two presidential candidates find out whether opposites really do attract, or their match is blocked from the start.

Stories of redemption interest Jen the most, especially the healing power of love. She is also the author of The Conduct Series, a romantic suspense trilogy that includes With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, and On Best Behavior. Ultimately, whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry.

In her spare time she enjoys exercising, attending book club, hanging out with her plus-size, “I’m not fat, I’m big-boned” Izzie cat, and visiting her sisters and their families in Chicago and Hilton Head.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

GUEST POST: 

Writing Blocked

Lucia opened the door. "They say not to discuss politics and religion on the first date."

 “Well, then.” 

I gave her a huge smile. “We’re screwed.” 

 ~*~ 

 Has a political opinion on social media ever made your blood boil? Have you struggled to tolerate friends’ opposing political views? There’s a bitter political divide in many countries, including the US, and those polarized philosophies inspired the story of Blocked. 

 Heroine Lucia Ramirez and hero Dane Monroe view the world in opposite ways but are thrown together as their parents compete for the US presidency. Underhanded national politics are hardly the place for a trusting relationship to begin, but can love bridge the gap of mistrust and hatred? 

The theme of forbidden love intrigues me. Lucia’s conservative father, the Republican nominee for US President, would be horrified to learn of his daughter’s crush on his liberal opponent’s son Dane. Dane and his mother, the Democratic nominee for US President, believe that harsh conservative ideals thwart the American dream. 

One lesson from my psychology career is that perception is reality. Democrats see the world quite differently from Republicans, and both groups are hell-bent on proving they’re right. Dane wants equality for all. Lucia stands for individual responsibility. Which philosophy is better? Which will persevere in the next election? 

Sometimes, political discussion becomes heated. It gets ugly. In contrast, I tried my hardest to present each viewpoint fairly in this story. Readers and editors from both sides of the aisle critiqued the manuscript, and one reason I self-published the novel was to preserve a delicate balance of political views between Dane and Lucia. 

Despite their political differences, Lucia and Dane share one thing in common: volleyball. Both are scholarship volleyball players at a top university, vying to earn a spot on the US national team one day. In addition to swimming, I played volleyball at a small college, and my love for this sport bleeds onto the pages. To smash a perfectly set volleyball down the opponent’s throat? There’s nothing more satisfying. And the closeness of a team is one of life’s special pleasures, experienced by Lucia and Dane. 

 I hope you enjoy the political and sport elements in Blocked.

Well, I for one, am enjoying the book and hope to finish it as soon as I possinly can. I can't wait to see how it ends! Thank you for the post, Jennifer, by the way. 

GIVEAWAY:

This is the most exciting part of blog tours- giveaways! There are quite a few prizes to be won in this giveaway, thanks to Jennifer, who has hosted this generous giveaway. Here's what you can win:

(1) $15 Amazon Gift Card

(1) eBook of BLOCKED

(1) BLOCKED cover cookie

(1) BLOCKED bookmark

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If the form doesn't load or show up, go here to enter. 

So go ahead and enter, and I wish you all the very best. May the odds be ever in your favour. 

I hope you enjoyed the post just as much as I enjoyed putting it up for you. I also hope that you are now looking forward to reading Blocked and checking out more of Jennier's books. I'd like to thank the author and the AToMR for the opportunity to be part of this fabulous tour. Thank you, readers, for stopping by! Have a fantastic day/ afternoon/ evening/ night- depending on where you live! Happy reading!