Five weeks until the release of Blocked!
Have you added Blocked to Goodreads yet? Add it HERE.
And US readers, be sure to enter the giveaway for two signed copies.
My Spanish expert, Elii Vela from Book's Minion Blog, has this to say about Blocked:
"The relationship between Lucia and Dane was very sweet and very sexy. The end of the story was fabulous, made me scream with excitement because it was the perfect ending."
Leading up to the release, I'll share excerpts each week. This is from chapter one.
~*~
“Hey, Ramirez,” a friendly voice said, and I turned to find a
welcoming smile. “I’m Maddie Brooks.”
“The team captain?”
“That’s me.” We were about the same height — six-foot-two — and she studied me for a moment. “You’re obviously a strong side hitter.”
I cocked my head. “How’d you know?”
“You look strong as hell, girl.” She rubbed my right shoulder.
I felt twenty pounds lighter all of a sudden. The awesome team captain said something nice about me! “Actually, I’m a lefty.”
“Even better!” Maddie’s eyes lit up. “Bridgetown won’t know what hit them when you slam the ball down the line.”
I laughed. The Ramirez-Monroe presidential rivalry had just begun, but the storied Highbanks-Bridgetown sports rivalry had been around for years. When things had gone south at Texas, I’d considered playing at Bridgetown until my club coach Susie had squashed that idea like a tiny bug.
“The team captain?”
“That’s me.” We were about the same height — six-foot-two — and she studied me for a moment. “You’re obviously a strong side hitter.”
I cocked my head. “How’d you know?”
“You look strong as hell, girl.” She rubbed my right shoulder.
I felt twenty pounds lighter all of a sudden. The awesome team captain said something nice about me! “Actually, I’m a lefty.”
“Even better!” Maddie’s eyes lit up. “Bridgetown won’t know what hit them when you slam the ball down the line.”
I laughed. The Ramirez-Monroe presidential rivalry had just begun, but the storied Highbanks-Bridgetown sports rivalry had been around for years. When things had gone south at Texas, I’d considered playing at Bridgetown until my club coach Susie had squashed that idea like a tiny bug.
“So, what happened to the Texas coach?” asked Maddie.
I peeked back at Coach Holter, who appeared engrossed in lecturing my Secret Service agents. Frank’s jaw looked pretty tight but Allison maintained her serene smile. Good luck fighting US Government regulations, Coach.
Noting my hesitation, Maddie asked, “Or maybe that was a nosy question?”
“It’s okay.” I shrugged. “Apparently the Texas coach had an affair with one of the players.”
Maddie’s jaw dropped.
“When he got caught, the athletic director made him resign.”
“Whoa.”
I nodded. “He seemed like a cool guy on my recruiting trip, and I had a full ride. But my dad freaked — he told me I couldn’t go to UT anymore, even after the coach resigned.”
Maddie blinked. “Why?”
“My dad was concerned that the affair had gone on for two years before anyone found out.” To mimic my father, I tucked in my chin and deepened my voice, allowing a subtle version of Grandpa’s Mexican accent to creep in. “My daughter will not play for such a morally reprehensible program.”
“My God!” She snickered. “You sound just like him. It’s so cool to have somebody famous on our team.”
As we approached Griffin Athletic Complex, I heard the throng of reporters a moment before I saw them. “You might not think so in a second.”
“Lucia Ramirez!” a female reporter called as she jogged toward me in heels and awakened the ten or so ambulance chasers behind her.
My chest tightened as I braced myself. I immediately felt the presence of Frank on one side and Allison on the other, hustling me forward and pushing Maddie to the side. “Sorry,” I said, and she nodded.
The breathless reporter neared me. “How do you like Highbanks, Lucia?”
I peeked back at Coach Holter, who appeared engrossed in lecturing my Secret Service agents. Frank’s jaw looked pretty tight but Allison maintained her serene smile. Good luck fighting US Government regulations, Coach.
Noting my hesitation, Maddie asked, “Or maybe that was a nosy question?”
“It’s okay.” I shrugged. “Apparently the Texas coach had an affair with one of the players.”
Maddie’s jaw dropped.
“When he got caught, the athletic director made him resign.”
“Whoa.”
I nodded. “He seemed like a cool guy on my recruiting trip, and I had a full ride. But my dad freaked — he told me I couldn’t go to UT anymore, even after the coach resigned.”
Maddie blinked. “Why?”
“My dad was concerned that the affair had gone on for two years before anyone found out.” To mimic my father, I tucked in my chin and deepened my voice, allowing a subtle version of Grandpa’s Mexican accent to creep in. “My daughter will not play for such a morally reprehensible program.”
“My God!” She snickered. “You sound just like him. It’s so cool to have somebody famous on our team.”
As we approached Griffin Athletic Complex, I heard the throng of reporters a moment before I saw them. “You might not think so in a second.”
“Lucia Ramirez!” a female reporter called as she jogged toward me in heels and awakened the ten or so ambulance chasers behind her.
My chest tightened as I braced myself. I immediately felt the presence of Frank on one side and Allison on the other, hustling me forward and pushing Maddie to the side. “Sorry,” I said, and she nodded.
The breathless reporter neared me. “How do you like Highbanks, Lucia?”
“Dammit, how’d they know we’d be here?” Allison whispered as
her eyes darted right and left.
Frank tapped his left ear—he must have been getting something on his earpiece. “Jansen just told me they were already here for Monroe.”
My knees almost buckled—I’d thought it would be at least a couple of days before I ran into Dane Monroe. Maybe it wasn’t such a great idea to attend Highbanks. “Is the men’s team’s inside?” I cried.
Questions hurled toward me like whizzing volleyballs.
“Why aren’t you at University of Texas?”
“Are you living in the dorms, like normal freshmen?”
“Why’d you choose the same school as Dane Monroe?”
I closed my eyes. Why, indeed? Why attend the same university as the son of the Democratic nominee for president—my dad’s opponent in the election? When my eyes opened, we were almost at the door.
Frank tapped his left ear—he must have been getting something on his earpiece. “Jansen just told me they were already here for Monroe.”
My knees almost buckled—I’d thought it would be at least a couple of days before I ran into Dane Monroe. Maybe it wasn’t such a great idea to attend Highbanks. “Is the men’s team’s inside?” I cried.
Questions hurled toward me like whizzing volleyballs.
“Why aren’t you at University of Texas?”
“Are you living in the dorms, like normal freshmen?”
“Why’d you choose the same school as Dane Monroe?”
I closed my eyes. Why, indeed? Why attend the same university as the son of the Democratic nominee for president—my dad’s opponent in the election? When my eyes opened, we were almost at the door.
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