Phew! This book took a loooooong time. In fact, this was the first book I imagined when I began writing the Vancouver Vice series, but I wanted to set up the series with a player first, and then set the building blocks for improvement.
However everything comes in time, and Second Round is here now.
Second Round is the story of Jackie Wagner. She's a single mom with two kids, and she's at a crossroads. Her home is being sold out from under her and she needs a job. Then she gets a chance to furnish the home of the new coach of the Vancouver Vice.
Leo Gauthier is a rising star in the coaching world. Being the head coach of the AHL's Vancouver Vice is not only a promotion for him, but the perfect stepping stone to becoming an NHL head coach. He's made personal sacrifices for his career, but it's all paying off.
When these two meet—with Leo clad only in a towel—sparks really fly. Their attraction is off the charts even though their personalities are so opposite. But with so many differences, how can it all work?
Second Round is probably the most personal book I've written. For starters, both are older characters and out of the new adult range. So many things about Jackie, her personality, her love of art, and need to create a real home are very much like me. And that each time I tried to put myself in Jackie's head when her husband left unexpectedly, I began crying. To imagine a marriage that was safe and loving suddenly exploding was very tough for me. Hopefully all this emoting on my part has resulted in a more sensitive romance for you.
Not to say that it's all emotional. One of my beta readers loved the wisecracking friendship between Jackie and her bff, Sharon Zennaro. Throw in parenting and a couple of cats (as always) and Second Round is probably the funniest book I've written.
Here's the preorder link. If you need any more motivation, I'll leave you with a line of dialogue from Sharon that my copy editor, Amy J. Duli, described as, "This is my favorite line. Ever. In the history of words."
“If you can handle a vibrator, you can handle a power tool."