GAME OF LOVE Review Tour

Game of Love Review Tour

GAME OF LOVE, by Ara Grigorian

Genre: new-adult, contemporary-romance

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Date of Re-Release­­: May 4, 2015

Cover Artist: Eugene Teplitsky

Find Online: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads

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Description:

Game of Love is set in the high-stakes world of professional tennis where fortune and fame can be decided by a single point.  Gemma Lennon has spent nearly all of her 21 years focused on one thing:  Winning a Grand Slam.  After a disastrous and very public scandal and subsequent loss at the Australian Open, Gemma is now laser-focused on winning the French Open. Nothing and no one will derail her shot at winning – until a heated chance encounter with brilliant and sexy Andre Reyes threatens to throw her off her game.

 

Breaking her own rules, Gemma begins a whirlwind romance with Andre who shows her that love and a life off the court might be the real prize. With him, she learns to trust and love…at precisely the worst time in her career. The pressure from her home country, fans, and even the Prime Minister to be the first British woman to win in nearly four decades weighs heavily. As Wimbledon begins, fabricated and sensationalized news about them spreads, fueling the paparazzi, and hurting her performance. Now, she must reconsider everything, because in the high-stakes game of love, anyone can be the enemy within…even lovers and even friends.

 

In the Game of Love, winner takes all.

 

Review of GAME OF LOVE

I love this story! GAME OF LOVE is a delightful read. Ara Grigorian’s writing style is beautiful and captivating. Grigorian’s smart and witty prose serves up a winning story and a heartfelt romance. You can’t help but cheer for Gemma and Andre! 

Gemma Lennon, Britain’s tennis darling, isn’t about to let anything or anyone get in the way of the one thing that’s eluded her, the one thing she wants more than anything else: to win a Grand Slam.

After a potential career-ending accident four months earlier, Gemma is determined to focus on tennis and nothing else. But, being in the spotlight 24/7 doesn’t make for an easy task. With paparazzi stalking her every move, Gemma’s game is under the utmost scrutiny. To win, she has to be the best on and off the court. For Gemma, there’s no room for failure, and certainly no room for a love life. Tennis is her love. Period.

Enter Andre Reyes, the handsome American, who’s not only a problem solver by trade, but off-the-charts brilliant. After a scorching meet-cute, Andre is captivated by Gemma, drawn in by her hypnotizing eyes. The best part, Andre has no idea she’s a famous athlete; he’s fascinated by her, not the public’s ideal of her.

Gemma is just as fascinated by Andre as he is of her. As their interactions become more frequent, the tension between them builds. Gemma struggles to keep her mind on tennis and the tabloids are speculating whether or not she’s ready for Wimbledon. For Gemma, it will take a lot more than just the love of the game to achieve what her heart desires, because when she finally figures out she wants tennis and Andre, it might be too late.

In the end, both Gemma and Andre learn that when it comes to matters of the heart, it’s best to keep the score love-love, because that’s when the real magic happens!

This is a fantastic book. I’m still in awe of Ara Grigorian’s ability to weave the game of tennis into Gemma and Andre’s whirlwind romance. It’s beautiful. It takes an accomplished wordsmith to write such a layered, smart, and witty story. Well done! I look forward to more books by Ara Grigorian, his stories don’t disappoint!

GAME OF LOVE also received the Reader’s Favorite 5-Star Review Seal!! Congratulations, Ara and GAME OF LOVE!! Well-deserved! To read the Reader’s Favorite Review CLICK HERE!

 

 

Ara-Grigorian-16-of-25-1000-by-1000  About Ara Grigorian:

 

Armenian by heritage, born in Iran, lived in Barcelona, and escaped New York until he found his home in Los Angeles, Ara’s first eleven years were both busy and confusing. The fruit salad of languages would slow down his genetically encoded need to tell stories. Until then, an alter ego would be required…

He received an engineering degree from California State University Northridge and earned his MBA from the University of Southern California. Today, he is a technology executive in the entertainment industry. True to the Hollywood life, Ara wrote for a children’s television pilot that could have made him rich (but didn’t) and nearly sold a video game to a major publisher (who closed shop days later).

But something was amiss until his wife read him the riot act. “Will you stop talking about wanting to be a writer and just do it?” So with her support (and mandate), and their two boys serving as his muse, he wrote stories.

Fascinated by the human species, Ara writes about choices, relationships, and second chances. Always a sucker for a hopeful ending, he writes contemporary romance stories. He is an alumnus of both the Santa Barbara Writers Conference and Southern California Writers’ Conference (where he also serves as a workshop leader). Ara is an active member of the Romance Writers of America and its Los Angeles chapter.

 

Ara is represented by Stacey Donaghy.

Find Ara Grigorian Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Curiosity Quills Press (CQ) is a small hybrid publishing company specializing in genre fiction of the highest quality. With 150+ titles in our catalog already and approximately 6 new books coming out each month, there’s never a dull moment at CQ. We work with major retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Audible to ensure that you, the reader, can find whatever you are looking for at your convenience.

Founded in 2011 by Eugene Teplitsky and Lisa Gus, CQ was initially a resource portal for writing and publishing, created in an effort to help writers, like themselves, survive the publishing industry. After rapid success, CQ morphed into publishing press that over time has solidified its share in the market. Now we spend our days searching for the next great escape!

 

 

New Adult Scavenger Hunt: Jennifer Lane

NEW ADULT SCAVENGER HUNT NOW CLOSED! 

 

***MEET JENNIFER LANE, AUTHOR OF BLOCKED***


Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she witnesses growth in her psychotherapy clients, and by night she wrangles misbehaving fictional characters as she writes sports romance and romantic suspense with a psychological twist. She can’t decide which is more fun.


A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen wove some of her own experiences into Streamline — a military mystery about swimmers. Readers can dip their toes into Jen’s world of swimming romance by sampling her free New Adult novella Swim Recruit.

College volleyball romance Blocked is Jen’s newest release. Peek inside big-time college sports and even bigger national politics when the offspring of two presidential candidates find out whether opposites really do attract, or their match is blocked from the start.

Stories of redemption interest Jen the most, especially the healing power of love. She is also the author of The CONduct Series, a complete romantic suspense trilogy that includes With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, and On Best Behavior. Two parolees find love in a hopeless place.

Ultimately, whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry. In her spare time she enjoys exercising, attending book club, and visiting her sisters and their families in Chicago and Hilton Head.

Find Jen on Social Media:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

 

***BLOCKED***
 

College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player. ¡Híjole! Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her.

Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President.

When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?

AMAZON

***EXCLUSIVE CONTENT***

 

Jennifer Lane is sharing her dream cast for her college volleyball romance series, BLOCKED.
 
First up, at 6’2″, freshman Lucia Ramirez!
 
 
Lucia has a major crush on 6’8″ Dane Monroe:
 
 

Launching in late 2015 is ACED (Blocked #2), featuring Lucia’s teammate Maddie Brooks and Lucia’s older brother Alejandro Ramirez.



6’1″ College Senior Maddie Brooks:




6’5″ Medical School Student Alejandro Ramirez:


 

~*~

Do you prefer an All-American boy or a Latin lover? Don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win NINE (which is way better than 5, right?) signed books by Jennifer, me, and more!

Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on Team Blue and you’ll have the secret code to enter for the grand prize!


***CONTINUE THE HUNT***

To keep going on the hunt, check out Annika Sharma’s site HERE!

New Adult Scavenger Hunt

NewASH Banner 3

Hello Everyone! I am super excited to be participating in the first ever, New Adult Scavenger Hunt!! My contemporary romance, Across the Distance, is part of Team Blue, along with some other outstanding New Adult awesomeness!

The scavenger hunt begins on April 23rd and continues through April 26th. During that time, you have the opportunity to win signed copies of the books listed below. All you have to do is hop from blog to blog, collect the secret number, and add them up for your chance to win. In addition, each author will have posted exclusive content, teasers, bonus material, etc…, about their featured book. In other words, REALLY COOL STUFF! Not to mention, some authors may be hosting other giveaways on their sites, so be sure to visit everyone on each team!

Hope you are excited as I am, because we have less than two weeks until the first ever New Adult Scavenger Hunt begins!

Here are the NewASH teams:

TEAM RED

Team Red

TEAM BLUE

Team Blue

I hope you all are as excited as I am! The New Adult Scavenger Hunt begins at Noon Eastern Time on Thursday, April 23rd and runs through Sunday, April 26th.

Leave a comment below to tell me which team you are the most interested in checking out!

The Rearranged Life Cover Reveal and Giveaway!!

THE REARRANGED LIFE

by Annika Sharma

I’ve had a lot of cover reveals lately, but that’s because there is sooooo many amazing New Adult books coming out soon. May is going to epic!

Today’s reveal is for Annika Sharma’s THE REARRANGED LIFE. I’m super excited to host Annika Sharma’s cover reveal! I’m not going to lie, this story sounds amazing and I cannot wait to read it! 

 

About The Rearranged Life:

Nithya, a vivacious, intelligent and driven college senior has always known what she’s wanted: a successful career in medicine and the love of her family. She’s even come to terms with the idea of an arranged marriage, a tradition her conservative Indian family has held up for thousands of years.

When a night of partying puts her on a collision course with danger, Nithya’s entire life changes. Enter James St. Clair, the smart, challenging and heartbreakingly handsome American. As Nithya and James fall in love, she questions the future she and her parents have always planned. To make matters worse, Nishanth, the son of newly reunited family friends is the perfect match for her in the eyes of her loved ones.

Now, Nithya has a choice to make: become a doctor and a good Indian bride, or step away from her family and centuries of culture to forge her own path. The decision she comes to takes her on a journey that transforms how she sees her future, her relationships with loved ones, and how she learns to put herself back together when even her best-laid plans fall apart.

 

Sounds intriguing, right? So, what about that cover… Are you ready to see it? Alright, since you asked so nicely! I give you, THE REARRANGED LIFE…

 

 

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Gorgeous!!! 

You can pre-order it here: Amazon

And because I love you all so much, I have an excerpt from THE REARRANGED LIFE to share with you! 

Exclusive Excerpt

There it is again. That electric charge. It’s as if the air between us has solidified into a molten mass, white-hot and pulling us together like magnets. My heart pounds so hard, I’m afraid it’ll break the stone we are sitting on. His eyes stare into mine, and I am engulfed by their vibrant green sheen. James crosses his legs and straightens his back from the way he was leaning. He’s closer to me now. I can see the shade of stubble on his chin and exactly where his jaw flexes. There’s a scar on his forehead near his eyebrow, and I wonder distractedly where he got it.

“You can really see the stars out tonight.” He tilts his head. I turn around, taken aback by the change of subject. The shadows of the mountains in the distance are huge waves of dark blue on the horizon. The green grass in the fields behind the pavilion appears teal in the night. There are no lights there, while the other side of the arboretum is lit by campus streetlights. The stars are brilliant, glittering specks against a dark background. Suddenly, one jets across the sky, trailing faint white light behind it. It travels so quickly, my eyes can hardly keep up.

“Hey!” James and I cry out, pointing to the shooting star. The second it disappears into the universe, I close my eyes.

“What’re you doing?” James whispers. I hold up a finger to make a wish, willing it to happen with all of my heart and soul. I wish this night would never end.

“I had to make my wish.” I whisper back. I’m not sure why, but after the fleeting glimpse of the meteor, it feels appropriate.

“What did you wish for?” He has shifted his weight again, his position mirroring mine perfectly.

“I can’t tell or it won’t come true. Did you wish for anything?”

He shakes his head, smiling.

“It’s not too late. You still have time. Give it a shot.”

He closes his eyes, and the vision of him with his eyes serenely closed, cross-legged on the stone floor inches away from me, is seared into my mind. He looks so peaceful, like a child. A wistful smile lingers on his lips—until his eyes flutter open, and his smile turns playful.

“Are you going to tell me what you wished for?” I repeat his question.

“It won’t come true.” He echoes my response.

We are inches from each other. Our faces tilt toward one another, our images reflecting in each other’s eyes.

“I really want to kiss you right now,” he whispers.

“I really want you to,” I reply, breathlessly.

He moves in closer, taking his time. The world has stopped. There are no passing cars, no breezes blowing through the trees, no ties binding us to anyone but each other. When his lips finally touch mine, it is as if a fire bursts to roaring, glorious life inside me—it is flaming, reaching for any way to free itself from my body. Though I’ve never done this before, I have no worries. I am a lost soul, and he is my lifeline.

“You taste like chocolate,” he whispers to me, grinning.

“Is that a racial reference?” I ask him, smiling.

He laughs softly, his forehead pressed against mine, his hand still grazing my cheek, fingers entwined in my hair. “I guess I got what I wished for.”

“You wasted a wish. I would have kissed you anyway.” I tell him, playfully.

“I didn’t want to take any chances,” he murmurs and kisses me again.

I am in heaven, and there is nowhere I would rather be.

 

Ugh!! Swoon! Is it May 15th yet? *pouts*

Did you catch the title of this reveal? I mentioned something about a GIVEAWAY! That’s right, Annika is offering up a $25.00 Amazon gift card! Click on the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to enter!

 Rafflecopter Giveaway

 

Annika  About Annika:

Annika Sharma was born in India and moved to the United States (Pennsylvania!) when she was a baby. Annika was a daydreamer from day one, always coming up with stories and games of pretend that seemed real. She was a serious journal-writer from fifth grade to college and wrote dramatic scenes for stories often, inspired by soap operas she watched in summers off from school.

Eventually, when the time for college came around, Annika’s parents encouraged her to pursue journalism. Convinced she couldn’t make a living from writing, Annika disagreed. After five years, two degrees, two minors, working with children, being a dancer teacher, and creating a two-and-a-half page resume in college that had interests so all-over-the-place that even she couldn’t make sense of it, Annika finally decided her parents were right. Writing was where her heart was, all along.

In the month before graduate school, the idea Annika had in my mind for years finally poured out in the form of the novel, The Rearranged Life. Annika began editing in earnest after she finished her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education, landing Stacey Donaghy of Donaghy Literary Group as an agent. Three months later, she had a book deal with Curiosity Quills.

In her spare time, Annika loves spending time with her family and friends, often indulging in the three S’s: Starbucks, shopping and superhero movies. As a chocolate lover and general all-around vegetarian foodie, Annika also adores cooking.

Also, be sure you follow Annika on social media: 

Facebook // Twitter // YouTube // Goodreads // Website

 

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GAME OF LOVE Cover Reveal!!!

Game of Love

by Ara Grigorian

 

I thrilled to host the cover reveal for Game of Love, a new sports romance from Ara Grigorian! I’m so excited to read this book! Check out all the fun details about this sexy romance and enter his fantastic giveaway!!

Yeah, you heard that right, you get to see the brand new cover for Game of Love AND a Giveaway!!! Keep reading for more details!

 

Title: Game of Love

Author: Ara Grigorian

Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance

Release Day: May 4TH

GOL Cover

 Isn’t this cover gorgeous?! I love it!

About Game of Love:

Game of Love is set in the high-stakes world of professional tennis where fortune and fame can be decided by a single point. Gemma Lennon has spent nearly all of her 21 years focused on one thing: Winning a Grand Slam.

After a disastrous and very public scandal and subsequent loss at the Australian Open, Gemma is now laser-focused on winning the French Open. Nothing and no one will derail her shot at winning – until a heated chance encounter with brilliant and sexy Andre Reyes threatens to throw her off her game.

Breaking her own rules, Gemma begins a whirlwind romance with Andre who shows her that love and a life off the court might be the real prize. With him, she learns to trust and love… at precisely the worst time in her career. The pressure from her home country, fans, and even the Prime Minister to be the first British woman to win in nearly four decades weighs heavily.

As Wimbledon begins, fabricated and sensationalized news about them spreads, fueling the paparazzi, and hurting her performance. Now, she must reconsider everything, because in the high-stakes game of love, anyone can be the enemy within… even lovers and even friends. In the Game of Love, winner takes all.

Preorder Game of Love Here

Exclusive Excerpt:
GOL teaser 2
“We are made strong by the difficulties we face, not by those we evade.”

~Author Unknown

Gemma’s security flanked her, their grip tight on her arms. Bedric, her coach, rushed ahead, slamming open the hotel’s glass doors to the roar of the French paparazzi―a cacophony of questions, comments, and insults.

Gemma moderated her breathing, prepared for another three-second spurt of chaos.

Three…

“―What happened in your hotel room?”

They knew. Dozens of cameras from all directions chirped and flashed. She kept her eyes trained on her goal: the awaiting car.

Two…

“―Mademoiselle! Gemma! One smile.”

The paparazzi bore in from her right. Only a few more steps. A knee rammed into her thigh. That one would leave a mark. A bruise that the papers would dissect and analyze gratuitously.

One…

“―Why were you hiding for four months? Were you going to quit tennis?”

Don’t react. Say nothing. Bedric forced the car door open, giving Gemma the opening she needed to squeeze in. He followed.

Zero.

The door slammed behind them, and the sounds of commotion lowered to a gentle hush. Black tinted windows offered a veil of privacy. Bodies, camera lenses, and faces smashed against the glass. Only inches separated her from the paparazzi. There had been a time when she used to move to the center of the car, creating as much separation as possible. But now she knew better. Distance was a mere illusion of safety.

The locks engaged, and the car accelerated away.

She didn’t like surprises―particularly on game day―but in this case, her security lead’s demand to move her to another hotel had been spot- on. It was one thing for the paparazzi to gather outside. It was quite another when one found his way into her hotel suite… while she slept. The French paparazzi were setting a new standard.

“This is not good,” Bedric said in stoic English.

She eyed her superstitious coach, who was always concerned with deviations from routine. But the concern etched on his face wasn’t about superstition. He didn’t want a repeat performance of the Australian Open months earlier.

“You have not rested,” he continued, “and you have yet to get breakfast.”

“We’ll be fine. We are fine,” she said, nearly believing it herself. “As for breakfast, we’ll grab something at the new hotel.”

The car swerved as the driver made a temporary effort to lose their tail. Memories of another car chase months earlier inched its way into her throat.

“There will be people. You don’t need more distractions.”

“More distractions?” She had woken to the sound of an intruder in her suite, and now she was rushing from one hotel to another on the morning of her quarterfinal match. How much worse could it get? “We’ll be discreet. Run in, eat, and we’ll be off.”

The car’s tires screeched as the driver took another quick turn. It was happening again. Another chase just before a critical match. Only this time, the driver wasn’t drunk.

From her bag, Gemma removed a tennis ball and twirled it in her hand. One point at a time. She focused on the soft texture. Familiar. Calming. Poking out from inside her bag, the newspaper article from the day before mocked her. Inch-tall letters above her picture: The Great HypeFive Years and Still Waiting. She squeezed the tennis ball over and over again until her fingers went numb.

She dropped the ball back inside the bag, then closed her eyes, hoping to salvage some sleep. She crossed her arms and tried to control her shivering. No, she wasn’t cold. She just wanted five minutes alone with the bastard who had violated her space. Gemma almost wished the coward hadn’t bolted when she charged him, tennis racquet in hand.

 

About Ara Grigorian:

34019c_ecb294aa4a244d158202952d64580733.jpg_srz_p_165_150_75_22_0.50_1.20_0Armenian by heritage, born in Iran, lived in Barcelona, and escaped New York until he found his home in Los Angeles, Ara’s first eleven years were both busy and confusing. The fruit salad of languages would slow down his genetically encoded need to tell stories. Until then, an alter ego would be required…

He received an engineering degree from California State University Northridge and earned his MBA from the University of Southern California. Today, he is a technology executive in the entertainment industry. True to the Hollywood life, Ara wrote for a children’s television pilot that could have made him rich (but didn’t) and nearly sold a video game to a major publisher (who closed shop days later).

But something was amiss until his wife read him the riot act. “Will you stop talking about wanting to be a writer and just do it?” So with her support (and mandate), and their two boys serving as his muse, he wrote stories.

Fascinated by the human species, Ara writes about choices, relationships, and second chances. Always a sucker for a hopeful ending, he writes contemporary romance stories. He is an alumnus of both the Santa Barbara Writers Conference and Southern California Writers’ Conference (where he also serves as a workshop leader). Ara is an active member of the Romance Writers of America and its Los Angeles chapter.

Ara is represented by Stacey Donaghy.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads

 

Enter Ara’s Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Across the Distance Cover Reveal

Across the Distance

by Marie Meyer

 

I’m so excited to finally reveal the cover for ACROSS THE DISTANCE!! I’ve done many cover reveals on my blog, but this one is especially exciting because…IT’S MY COVER!!!

So, without further ado, here is ACROSS THE DISTANCE….

 

Across the Distance

Isn’t it beautiful?! Jillian has a face!!! I can’t wait for you to read it!

ACROSS THE DISTANCE is coming from Grand Central Forever Yours on May 5, 2015, but you can pre-order it today!

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Oh, and don’t forget to add ACROSS THE DISTANCE to your Goodreads To-Be-Read List! 

Goodreads