Ellesea Loves Reading: 08/06/16

Saturday, 6 August 2016

New Release Spotlight & Review: Blind Landing by Carrie Aarons

Fear stops dreams in their tracks before they even have a chance. Then again, so do injuries.
Natalia Grekov was born to win Olympic gold. As the USA’s top gymnast, she’s calm, confident and ready to make her country proud in just two short months. And her elite athlete lifestyle includes no time for distractions—especially men. When a disastrous fall in practice puts her dreams at risk, it seems the only person who can help her is the one person she wants nothing from.
Spencer Russell is gymnastics’ bad boy. A cocky, laid-back charmer with abs of steel and a witty mouth, he waltzes around the U.S. Gymnastics Training Camp like he owns the place—even though he doesn't anymore. After an injury sidelined his career and any chance at Olympic glory, he’s now just a coach, helping other gymnasts reach their goals. Serious is not a word in Spencer’s vocabulary. But when Natalia tumbles into his life, he's suddenly sincerely interested in helping the blonde beauty in any way he can.
Can they vault over the obstacles standing in their way? Or will Spencer be the distraction that causes Natalia's chance at gold to crash and burn?

AmazonUS Amazon UK

With the 2016 Summer Olympics imminent, I loved my this romance based in the world of Gymnastics – a favourite sport I love to watch!

Born to Polish immigrant parents living in California, Natalia Grekov's young life has been devoted to gymnastics and now she's only a handful of months away from realising her dream; to win a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She's in South Jersey attending a training camp with other elite gymnasts, all vying for a coveted place in Team USA. Whilst in training, a poor landing after a dismount from the beam results in an injury that threats to ruin her dream.

Spencer Russell has women falling at his feet with his good looks, charm, and incredible body, honed to perfection during the hours of training to become a world-class gymnast. Unfortunately, his Olympics dreams were shattered when an injury forced him to retire from the sport that's his life. Four years later, he's a trainer and working with male gymnasts as they prepare for their Olympic dream, only it is one of the female competitors that catches his eye.

The nemesis is Novak Filipek, a Polish trainer with questionable techniques, although that's rumours...right? His regime is not for the faint-hearted as he bullies the weak athletes and openly despises those popular and well-respected by their peers.

"Some gymnasts have the ability to feel the fear and do it anyway. I wouldn't know. I've never been afraid of anything in the sport.
Until now."
I liked Spencer and Natalia together. They are very much alike in attitude when it comes to their competitive natures, but it's during their illicit training sessions when an empathic Spencer is helping Natalia to overcome her fear, I feel the connection between them. At other times, it is the gymnastics that takes priority rather than their relationship, but that's okay because the plot more than kept me entertained as I turned the pages.

This my first Carrie Aaron's novel and I definitely want to read more in this series. The secondary characters we're introduced to are fun and likeable so I'm more than happy to read their stories too.

***arc generously received courtesy of the author via Ink Slinger PR***

Author of romance novels such as Red Card and the Captive Heart Duet, Carrie Aarons writes sexy, swoony and sarcastic characters who won't get out of her head until she puts them down on a page.
Carrie has wanted to be an author since the first time she opened a book. She loves spinning tales that include dapper men, women with attitude, and the occasional hunky athlete.
When she isn't in what her husband calls a "writing coma", Carrie is freeing up her jam-packed DVR, starting her latest DIY project, or planning her next travel adventure. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, who is more than happy to watch sports while his wife plots love stories.