College students Nate and Olivia are a perfect match on the courts—and in the sheets. Everywhere else, they’re polar opposites and sworn enemies. But as the chemistry builds, a figure from Olivia’s past unexpectedly pops back into her life and the couple realizes they have more in common than they thought. Are these star-crossed lovers doomed to repeat their parents’ mistakes, or can they build a life together once the final set is played?
This book is a standalone, steamy, new adult/college, sports romance, 77k words. Tropes include enemies to lovers, he falls first, and billionaire
Read an Excerpt
“You know, some people like to give others the benefit of the doubt and get to know them before assuming the worst.”
Olivia snatched the cherry from the shake that I’d set on the edge of my plate. “Some of us prefer to avoid disappointment. I’ll keep my assumptions until people prove me wrong.”
At least she was honest, I thought, oddly envious of the cherry stem as she pressed her tongue against it. “Challenge accepted.”
We left the diner, but the drive home was far too short.
“Thank you for the ride,” she said, already clutching her racket and duffel bag before I even slowed to a complete stop in front of her apartment.
“And for the excellent meal, right?” I added.
She stared dryly. “I’ll thank you for the food when you thank me for not pressing charges on the whole kidnapping front.”
I bit back a smile. Even pissed off, Olivia was captivating. “This was fun. Why haven’t we hung out before?”
“Because we have nothing in common.”
“Not true. There’s tennis, lame business majors, and douchebag fathers.”
Olivia gazed back at me and for the briefest of moments, I thought she would say something meaningful, but instead she just shook her head, dismissing whatever idea had crossed her intriguing mind.
“You can’t possibly want to spend more time with me. I’ve been a total bitch to you all afternoon.”
I wasn’t about to deny that last part, so instead I pushed my luck with a bad joke. “We could move into the back seat and you could make it up to me,” I said, wiggling my eyebrows seductively.
I’d hoped for a snarky comeback, but instead she just rolled her eyes and chuckled. “I’ll see you at practice,” she mumbled, climbing out of the car.
“You know, some people like to give others the benefit of the doubt and get to know them before assuming the worst.”
Olivia snatched the cherry from the shake that I’d set on the edge of my plate. “Some of us prefer to avoid disappointment. I’ll keep my assumptions until people prove me wrong.”
At least she was honest, I thought, oddly envious of the cherry stem as she pressed her tongue against it. “Challenge accepted.”
We left the diner, but the drive home was far too short.
“Thank you for the ride,” she said, already clutching her racket and duffel bag before I even slowed to a complete stop in front of her apartment.
“And for the excellent meal, right?” I added.
She stared dryly. “I’ll thank you for the food when you thank me for not pressing charges on the whole kidnapping front.”
I bit back a smile. Even pissed off, Olivia was captivating. “This was fun. Why haven’t we hung out before?”
“Because we have nothing in common.”
“Not true. There’s tennis, lame business majors, and douchebag fathers.”
Olivia gazed back at me and for the briefest of moments, I thought she would say something meaningful, but instead she just shook her head, dismissing whatever idea had crossed her intriguing mind.
“You can’t possibly want to spend more time with me. I’ve been a total bitch to you all afternoon.”
I wasn’t about to deny that last part, so instead I pushed my luck with a bad joke. “We could move into the back seat and you could make it up to me,” I said, wiggling my eyebrows seductively.
I’d hoped for a snarky comeback, but instead she just rolled her eyes and chuckled. “I’ll see you at practice,” she mumbled, climbing out of the car.
Liza Malloy writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She’s a sucker for alpha males, bad boys, dimples, and muscles, and she can’t resist a man in uniform. Liza loves creating worlds where her heroine discovers her own strength and finds her Happily Ever After. When Liza isn’t reading or writing torrid love stories, she’s a practicing attorney. Her other passions include gummy bears, jelly beans, and the occasional marathon. She lives in the Midwest with her four daughters and her own Prince Charming.
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$15 Amazon/BN GC
Thanks for sharing Love All! I'm so excited about this story!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome! Good luck with the success of the book and tour!
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