I enjoyed May's book club pick so much, I wanted to hit people with it so they'd read it. That's effective persuasion, right? Of course it is.
The May Sizzling Book Club pick is: The Long Shot, by Ellen Hartman. Here's the plot summary:
Deacon Fallon has made something of himself. Yeah, it wasn't easy becoming a successful—now retired—pro basketball player, but he did it. In the process, he made his brother's life better. That's always been Deacon's goal.
This latest effort to help, however, may push Deacon too far. He's been roped into coaching the high school girls' team! Worse, there's a little offside action brewing between him and his hot assistant coach, Julia Bradley. Definitely not in his plans, but he can't resist her. And for the first time, Deacon wants something that has nothing to do with his brother and everything to do with Julia!
Girls high school basketball! Coaching! Returning home! Seriously, this book made me start emailing people while I was reading it, telling them to go look it up. It's delicious how much emotion and story Hartman packs into this book. Please, go read and join us to discuss it!
As usual, if you use SBTBARE at checkout, you will get a 50% eBook Bucks Rebate at AllRomance.com, the official sponsor of the Sizzling Book Club. The 50% rebate at AllRomance will be valid from May 1-15, 2012. This book is available in print and digital format, and you can find a print copy at many places including Goodreads, Amazon, BN and HQN. The rebate price at ARe is ridiculously awesome – and please note, this is a rebate, which means Ebook Bucks will be available for your shopping pleasure if you purchase the book there. You can read more about the eBook Bucks at All Romance.
We've also scheduled the book club chat: it will be 30 May at 9:00 pm ET, and Ellen Hartman will join us at 10pm ET for a Q&A. Need a button? Here, have a button: 
PLUS, I have ten digital copies, and ten print copies to give away here! Just leave a comment and tell me the sport you'd most like to read about in a romance – curling! It has to be curling! – or your favorite sports romance, and you're entered to win.
Standard disclaimers apply: I am not being compensated for this giveaway, except that I got to read the book and it is terribly enjoyable. Void where prohibited. Winners must be over 18 and dribbling, either basketballs or diet Coke. Open to international residents, but not those on the space station. Is there anyone on the space station right now? Walk left, stand right. Do not taunt happy fun ball. We assume you have read and understand the disclaimer notice. Please acknowledge by nodding your head at the screen.
The giveaway will be open until 1:00 am ET, Friday 4 May.
I really hope you pick this book up and read it, as it's emotional and funny and smart – and I hope you join us at the book chat on the 30th!
I played varsity field hockey….Hockey Puck Romance??
I’ve got Jaci Burton’s series and Kate Angell’s and Erin MccCarthy’s and about a half a dozen more but I have a ridiculous love for Lorelei James’s rodeo cowboys. Those bad boys are hot.
I love Susan E. Phillips Chicago Stars series and my favourite sport in books is hockey 🙂 thanks for the giveaway, the book sounds very interesting.
I’ve actually enjoyed a surprising number of sport romances, while personally shunning all things athletic (it had to be you is my favorite, and I am incapable of watching a football game, much less participating). For anyone looking for baseball romance, Jill Shalvis is far and away the best I’ve found. Can’t say I think of any sport as being inherently sexy or romantic… I would never in a zillion years read this book of my own accord, but then I liked Ride With Me so much more than I thought possible…
So I’d give whatever sport a chance, but I’ll vote for… oh! I know, volleyball as played by a young Val Kilmer. I was just at a dinner party where half the women ascribed their first sexual thoughts to Val Kilmer movies, so that should be successful.
I think I would like to see a tennis romance or maybe badminton. They can run around after the shuttlecock on the court.
Tennis! Preferably at Wimbledon.
I read SEP’s football books. I would like, as someone else mentioned, to see cricket addressed. Or, to be really crazy, frisbee golf.
Ironically enough I love to read about athletes but personally I hate to sweat and thus rarely do anything remotely athletic. I love football and hockey romances so I’d vote for more of those but all of the above sound like fun. Y’all’s curling comments made me laugh 🙂
Biking? I recently read “Ride With Me” by Ruthie Knox and loved it! It was about a cross country bike race. I thought, “Biking? Really?” but the book was fun and the biking info was interesting. I’d read another book about biking!
Of course, I always love baseball…. and anything with a horse in it. 😉
Dierdre Martin has a hockey series also.
Baseball is my favorite sport, so I love to read books with baseball in them.
Sports romance is my favorite sub-genre, but there are almost NO basketball heroes. Considering that it’s one of the biggest sports worldwide, I think that’s strange. Other than Jill Shalvis’ Seduce Me, this is the first I remember, so I’m definitely participating in this chat.
I’m not really into playing sports, watching sports, or reading sports romances, but given your enthusiasm I’d give this one a try. My preference is for noncompetitive athletic activities, like rock climbing. (I wouldn’t call that a sport, but some of the activities listed above as “sports” are a stretch too!)
My first thought was HOCKEY! Partly because it’s basically the only sport I understand (as far as pro sports go, anyway). But I just read a mystery with rowing (which I used to do) and I loved the parts that had to do with that, so I would have to add rowing.
There’s an old Elizabeth Lowell Silhouette Intimate Moments from the 80’s “Summer Moments” rereleased as “Remember Summer” that should fill your bill. I’d offer to unearth it from under the bed for you, but there are spiders down there.
Dressage riding! I’m starting dressage lessons next week, so maybe I’ll write the book myself in a few years.
I like reading about hockey player. Jill Shalvis’ latest Blaze was good.
I’d really like to read a romance about a roller derby girl. The sport is such a hoot to watch and roller girls usually have an eccentric, but awesome personality. I think it would be a perfect sport to showcase as part of a romance novel!
I used to collect Ice skating romances, probably my favorite though is a mystery: “Death Spiral: Murder at the Winter Olympics.” There was also one that I loved from the library that is way out of print, “Winners: A Love Story” (which, even 25 years after reading it, was about a pair team, and their coach thinking that of course they needed to date each other, because they were two of the most unpleasant people in the world to be around, and it would be unfair to inflict them on anyone else).
And, though its a movie, not a book, if you want curling romance, rent “Men with Brooms.” Besides curling, Paul Gross is in it. Paul Gross! Curling? How can you lose?
Aside from wanting to read more ice skating romances, I would like to read one about Olympic equestrian competitors.
I’d have to say dancing.
I’d love a curling romance-my husband curls & we had our wedding reception at our club..
I think I *would* actually like curling. Norwegian curling. With those crazy pants.
Rowing!
Quiddich, of course.
My favorite sports romance is Lady Be Good by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Who knew golfers could be so much fun?
I am a huge fan of Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Chicago Stars books, so I guess it’s football for me. But I think soccer players are thoverall looking overall, so I would totally read a soccer romance novel.
Argh, meant to say “the best looking overall.” stupid touchscreen.
I have never read a book that includes rowing. That or archery might be really cool.
Rugby. I know that there are some out there, but I haven’t managed to get my hands on them yet. Happened to live in a hotel/apartment building while one of the Irish teams that visited the US stayed there and been hooked on rugby (players, that is) ever since.
Hockey romances are my favorite!
Does salsa dancing count? It’s my sport!
I’m not a fan of NASCAR, but enjoyed one of Helen Brenna’s NASCAR romances. I think it was From the Outside. Is race car driving a sport?
I think my favourite sports romance is Tigers and Devils by Sean Kennedy – m/m romance where one of the guys is a talented AFL footballer. Excellent book.
If I win could I get a digital copy please? thx 🙂
Curling is a great choice but I am going to pick archery. Of course, if it was a historical then it wouldn’t be a sport but instead would be a weapon.
For me the sport of choice is baseball or hockey. Jaci Burton’s new series is a good one and Deidre Martin’s NY Blades hockey series is one of the best.
For an unknow sport, I would pick competitive skiing
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I love hockey romance!! I don’t ever watch hockey or know the rules (except for what is explained in romance books) but I can’t get enough hockey on my kindle!!
My favorite sports romance is Jill Shalvis’s TIME OUT – where, again, the hero ends up coaching a teenage girls’ sports team!
Lacrosse!
If you are OK with reading this as an ebook, you can buy it direct from Harlequin. I am Australian, and lots of things are not available due to geographical restrictions, but buying direct from publisher is easy and works well for me.
(I really like Kate Angell’s Richmond Rogues baseball series and I know almost nothing about that game.)
I’d like to see a sports romance about Australian Rules Football because those guys come across as anything other than romantic. It would take a talented writer to pull it off!