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!
Pro beach volleyball. Hot guys with washboard abs wearing only board shorts and sunglasses. Sun, sand, great music. Yeah baby.
I never grow tired of ice hockey stories. I also love stories where the hero or heroine coaches kids’ sports, like in Bet Met, with the nephew’s baseball team.
I would totally read about curling – the first time I actually saw it, I was mesmerized.
And dodgeball. I love a good dodgeball game.
I am a huge fan of college basketball….love to read, so couple those two passions would be a very interesting outcome for me.
I would love to see a romance written about the rowing team. I’ve started one myself. Love that sport. It can be intense, mild or whatever you want it to be.
LaSteph
It’s not, sadly. I think there’s a fair chance it will be published here but not yet.
I think this book sounds interesting, can’t wait for the book discussion!!!!
I haven’t read a lot of sport romance, but I guess beach volleyball wouldn’t be bad…
Beer pong!
oops.
Now I’ve got to find that old Harlequin (one of my first romance novels!) about the ballet teacher that has to teach a whole squad of football players…
My favorite sports romance novel was Flat Out Sexy by Erin McCarthy. It was about race car driving. Now it is my favorite because it is my only sports related book I read. *blush* However, I’ve always had a thing for baseball players so I’d like to read a really good baseball love story.
I love romances with a football player hero. I think rugby would also work well. I love Jaci Burton’s Play by Play books. I don’t watch hockey but I loved Taking a Shot. I am glad that her next PbP book will go back to football.
I just go Jaci Burton’s ‘The Perfect Play’, following it with a book about curling would be perfect. Reminded me of a movie about curling I saw & enjoyed – ‘Men With Brooms.
That’s what I was thinking about. There’s an old Elizabeth Lowell called Summer Olympics (Silhouette Intimate Moments) that I re-read recently and found pretty good.
When I saw your reply with a different title I dug the book out of my recently-read bag. The original title was—contrary to my original reply to Alex—actually Summer Games and (without having to make allowances for its mid-80s origins) its a good, quick read.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a sports romance. What about one with two people training to run a marathon? Team sports and athletey things have never been a turn-on for me in real life.
Let me put in my vote for Rugby as well.
Ben Cohen, anyone? I think he IS a romance hero.
Or, the NZ All Blacks and the haka! *hot*
Curling! But are there any hot curling players (I refuse to call them “curlers”)? How about wrestlers? No six-pack abs but they are very strong.
Curling?? That would be like watching paint dry I think. How about surfing. Long blond locks, hard tanned bodies – YUM!
How bout Netball – mainly a female sport so it could be a little interesting in geting the hero involved…
Caber Toss! Kilts mandatory!
I’d have to go with swimming. You just don’t see many swimming stories, much less romances out there.
Cross country skiing. Because it’s for the serious endurance athletes.
Cricket. I have always wanted to learn more about cricket and would love to get a little primer in a romance novel.
I’d read a curling romance. That would be fun. As for sports, hmmm, dog sled racing or skijoring (sp?)? Or what’s that winter Xcountry skiing and sharpshooting thing? And I can’t believe no one’s mentioned diving yet- the speedos, the ripped bods, the metaphors… What about big game hunting only in preserves so the animal is sedated for handling/tests/data purposes and not killed? Or competitive carriage racing or chuck wagon races. I’ve always thought those were hair raising.
Curling! That would be one book full of double entendres. Hurry! Hurry hard!
My favourite sports romance (well “romances” really) are any of the Chicago Stars series by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I love a hot football player! 😀
Water polo! There are real hunks in a water polo team.
I love SEP’s Chicago stars football team and Rachel Gibson’s Seatle Chinooks hockey team. But I really love ready about race car drivers.
S.
Has anyone said hili yet? from Wikipedia: “The Basque Government promotes (hili)as “the fastest sport in the world because of the balls…” Balls—at death-defying speeds. And an exotic locale. Dude.
I am always up for a great sports novel romance. I just finished reading a great sports novel, “SportsFan Chronicles” by Kurt Weichert. Although I wouldn’t classify it as a romance, I would definitely classify it as a book that most women will LOVE! It is full of humor, friendship and camaraderie.
http://www.sportsfanchronicles…
I want a figure skating romance, a la The Cutting Edge!
maybeimamazed02(at)gmail(dot)com
I like to read about football probably because of all those men in tight pants. I know I’m to late for the give away but I had to comment.