Although Emory is the US National Figure Skating champion, he’s in-your-face gay, and his audacious persona rubs Nik and his family the wrong way. Raised by supportive and loving parents, Emory is Nik’s polar opposite in every way but one—his desire to succeed. Underneath the fluff and glitter beats the heart of a fierce competitor, and this side of Emory’s personality begins to close the distance between the two athletes.
While the attraction is one-sided in the beginning, Nik finds himself responding to Emory’s flirting. But before the incongruous pair have a chance at any sort of relationship, they must survive the pressures of career, separation, and most importantly, Igor’s ruthless homophobia.
I’d like to thank Diverse
Reader for the opportunity to share an exclusive excerpt of my latest release Enforcing Emory. This novel is set in a new universe—Olympic
figure skating and hockey—so no catching up necessary. There’s an opportunity
to win a free e-copy of the novel or a gift certificate by entering contact
information in the Rafflecopter. Enjoy!
Excerpt
“One of the
requests I just tossed was a charity event the Wolves are having for the
Special Olympics. They want me to drop the puck at the start of a game to draw
a bigger crowd and raise awareness for the cause. What if I took it a step
further and offered to play? We can work it out so that the more goals I score,
the bigger the donations.”
“Have you lost
your damn mind?”
“It’ll be a
challenge, but you know I’m always up for that,” Emory stated.
“That’s the
craziest thing that’s ever come out of your mouth, bar none.”
“Why is it so
unbelievable?” Emory asked with a little more emotion. “I used to play hockey
way back in the day. The basics haven’t changed; I’m just rusty. With a little
bit of practice, I’m sure I can put on a credible show. If it’s a spectacle
people want when they see me, then I’ll give them something to talk about.”
“If you’re craving
attention, go on a talk show.”
Emory shook his
head. “You don’t get it, Dad. Everyone seems to have forgotten the man behind
the makeup. I’m an accomplished skater and have mastered the hardest elements
of my sport, yet I’m continuously referred to as that gay skater from Chicago.
There’s no respect for any of my achievements. If I ditch the diva and play the
hell out of hockey, then I’ll prove there’s more to me than fluff.”
“You’ve got hockey
on your mind because of the Ruskie. Where is he, by the way?”
“Toronto. He’ll be
home tonight.”
“Make sure and
mention this to him the next time you’re over there. He’ll tell you what a bad
idea this is. You’ll get clobbered for one thing, and you can’t risk that kind
of beating if you want to stay competitive in figure skating.”
“What if I don’t
care about figure skating anymore?”
“Don’t be insane.
You’ve invested your entire life in the sport, not to mention most of our
hard-earned cash. It’s time for some payback, kiddo. I’m not going to sit back
and watch you make a fool of yourself because you’re feeling like Rodney
Dangerfield all of a sudden. If you want people to respect you, then reinvent
yourself as a figure skater.
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Review:
I remember last year when the Olympics was in Sochi. The riots, the violence. When figure skater Emory Lowe (openly gay) goes in hopes to win the gold he's faced with more than he bargained. Back home, his neighbor and lover Nikolai faces life as an in the closet Hockey player and an abusive and homophobic father. These two are put together and pulled apart. I always felt like something horrible was going to happen with each passing page. I was totally scared! Igor, Nik's father, is a horrible man. He's the negative side of humanity while Emory's father is the positive side. Emory's love for Nik gives him an amazing courage to face who he is and embrace it. This is a sweet love story. I loved Nik and Emory's dynamic and thoroughly enjoyed the journey to their happy ever after.
Review:
I remember last year when the Olympics was in Sochi. The riots, the violence. When figure skater Emory Lowe (openly gay) goes in hopes to win the gold he's faced with more than he bargained. Back home, his neighbor and lover Nikolai faces life as an in the closet Hockey player and an abusive and homophobic father. These two are put together and pulled apart. I always felt like something horrible was going to happen with each passing page. I was totally scared! Igor, Nik's father, is a horrible man. He's the negative side of humanity while Emory's father is the positive side. Emory's love for Nik gives him an amazing courage to face who he is and embrace it. This is a sweet love story. I loved Nik and Emory's dynamic and thoroughly enjoyed the journey to their happy ever after.
Bio
Mickie
B. Ashling is the alter-ego of a multifaceted
woman raised by a single mother who preferred reading over other forms of
entertainment. She found a kindred spirit in her oldest child and encouraged
her with a steady supply of dog-eared paperbacks. Romance was the preferred
genre, and historical romances topped her favorites list.
By the time Mickie discovered her
own talent for writing, real life had intruded, and the business of earning a
living and raising four sons took priority. With the advent of e-publishing and
the inevitable emptying nest, dreams were resurrected, and the storyteller was
reborn.
She stumbled into the world of men
who love men in 2002 and continues to draw inspiration from their ongoing
struggle to find equality and happiness in this oftentimes skewed and
intolerant world. Her award-winning novels have been called "gut wrenching,
daring, and thought provoking." She admits to being an angst queen and
making her men work damn hard for their happy endings.
Mickie loves to travel and has lived
in the Philippines, Spain, and the Middle East but currently resides in a
suburb outside Chicago.
Connect
with Mickie
Giveaway
Using
Rafflecopter below, enter to win one of these prizes (contest open
internationally): a $20 Dreamspinner gift certificate, one of five ecopies of Enforcing Emory, or an audio copy of Fire Horse. Must be 18 or older to enter.
Tour Schedule
May
25 - The Novel Approach
May
25 - Garrett Leigh
May
26 - Charlie Cochet
May
27 - Emotion in Motion
May
28 - BA Tortuga
May 29 - On Top Down Under Book Reviews
May
31 - Diverse Reader
June
1 - Prism Book Alliance
June
2 - Book Reviews & More by
Kathy
June 2 - Cup o' Porn
June
3 - WoW...from The Scarf
Princess
June
4 - Love Bytes
June
5 - Divine Magazine
Tour and materials
organized by PAS
Promotions
I enjoyed the excerpt and I always wondered how hockey players first learnt to skate did they have special lessons?
ReplyDeleteShirleyAnn(at)speakman40(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk
I loved the excerpt. I always wanted to play hockey after I learned to figure skate, but it was almost impossible for girls to play hockey then. Thanks for another great excerpt.
ReplyDeleteAnother great excerpt! I wonder if Emory will end up playing in the hockey game...
ReplyDeleteThanks also for the review!
Another great excerpt. I love Emory's dad. Can't wait to read this book.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this great review, Meredith, and the opportunity to share a bit of Emory and Nik with your readers. Very much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt. Thank you for the review.
ReplyDeleteGreat review and excerpt.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great excerpt. I'm really looking forward to this one!
ReplyDeleteHuge fan! Looking forward to this read!
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be intense, but I'm ready!
ReplyDeleteTrix, vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com
The excerpts keep getting better and better.
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt! I loved the book!
ReplyDeleteLoving the excerpts on this tour. Can't wait to read the book!
ReplyDelete