Summer is the perfect time to fall in love with a baseball player Β π
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Called Out
Calling It #3
by Jen Doyle
Releasing May 29, 2017
Carina Press
Blurb:
Jack “Ox” Oxford is used to being alone. Granted, when you screw over your friends, being alone isn’t always a choice. Playing for the Chicago Watchmen is a last-ditch effort to save his careerβ¦and right some of his past wrongs. He’s not expecting a warm reception, but he’s also not expecting a flat tire to change everything.
Recovering control freak, single mom and semiprofessional chaos wrangler Lola Deacon McIntire doesn’t need an arrogant ballplayer to swoop in and save her from anything, much less her flat tire. And she definitely doesn’t need her body to betray her and decide this is the guy to wake up her rusty libido. She isn’t about to upset her sons’ lives for any manβmuch less one who so clearly doesn’t think he’s dad material.
Jack never thought he’d find someone who wanted to build a life with him, but the more time he spends with Lola and her boys, the more it starts to feel permanent. Even tough-as-nails Lola concedes there just might be a future hereβthe big, beautiful, messy future neither of them was looking forβbut only if Jack will accept he deserves it.
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34372440-called-out
Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/183668-calling-it
Buy Links:Β Β AMAZONΒ |Β B & NΒ |Β GOOGLEΒ |Β ITUNESΒ |Β KOBO
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Excerpt:
The only person who didnβt seem to notice was Jack. She didnβt particularly expect any special treatment, and it was clear he wasnβt interested in a long, happy life together any more than she was. But when he pushed his plate aside and started to say his goodbyes, she did have to turn her back to make sure her face didnβt betray her disappointment.
When he did finally come up behind her to say goodbye, it was without leaning in and whispering in her ear, and he kept his hands far away from her. It was clear that whatever had happened between him and Dekeβand Lola could read a room enough to know that something had happenedβmeant things were about to come to an end.
Lola was okay with that. She hadnβt really expected anything after the other morning anyway. Still, it was an effort to plaster a smile on her face, especially when he nodded his head toward the hallway. βCan I talk to you for a minute?β
Lola sighed. βCover me?β she said to Mary. And then she turned to move past him and walked straight ahead.
βSo,β she said when they got to the back hallway. She didnβt think it counted as breaking up when they werenβt together, but sheβd never actually been broken up with before so she wasnβt sure. And although she wasnβt willing to make it easier for him, she wasnβt about to make it hard.
βSo,β he said. He was nervous. This was going to be worse than Lola had thought.
Well, it wasnβt going to be worse than having Tuck show up in his police uniform the night of the accident, or spending all those long lonely nights when Dave was deployed wondering whether he was still alive.
βObviously,β Jack said, βwe have two very different lives.β
Yep. Lola nodded for him to go on.
βAnd we both know I am not by any means a catch.β
It kind of depended on how you defined it, but this wasnβt the time to agree or disagree. She clasped her hands behind her back.
βThis is probably a really, really bad idea.β He ran his hands through his hair and Lola tried not to think about how cute he was. How cute it was, to have the big, bad Iceman be so nervous because of her. Even if it was because he was about to tell her that he never wanted to see her again.
βBut how would you feel about seeing me tonight after you get off?β
βIβm sorry?β That was not what sheβd expected him to say.
He closed his eyes and shook his head. βNot get off. That innuendo was not intentional. I meant after youβre done with your shift.β
Wow. He wasnβt even making double entendre jokes. This was seriously strange. And not how sheβd expected this to go.
He started pacing.
βI, uhβ¦β He cleared his throat. βJules mentioned the babysitter puts your kids to bed and stays over on the nights you work late.β
βShe did?β Jules was so much more of a troublemaker than she led anyone to believe.
Jack nodded. βI was thinking maybe I could pick you up and take you to dinner somewhere.β
And now Lola was irritated. Never mind that ten oβclock was too late to have dinner. βSeriously? Weβre doing the dating thing?β She may have had her breakdown earlier, but it didnβt change her overall goal. βWhat part of βfuck me against the wallβ did you not understand?β Lola was fairly certain sheβd been clear on that.
Jack tensed before straightening up to his full height. Then the Jack she knew was back and in front of herβcrowding right up against her, pinning her between him and the wall. This time his grin was natural and easy and entirely carnalβjust the way she liked it. βI never said fucking against the wall was off the table. I just thought maybe youβd like to grab a bite first.β
Resisting the impulse to say that she would, actually, like to take a bite out of something first, she set her lips in a grim line. Was this truly what he wanted? Or was it just what he thought she wanted, despite what sheβd said? Trying to keep the frustration out of her voice, she said, βI donβt want to go on dates, Jack. I donβt want a boyfriend. I donβt want another thing to add to the list.β She wasnβt pulling punches. Not today.
Although he winced and said, βOuch, babe. That was harsh,β he didnβt seem overly upset. Especially not as he slid his thigh between her legs, looking entirely as if he were going to eat her up. βI donβt want to go on dates, Lola.β He brought his hand up between them. βAnd I really donβt want a girlfriend.β Though he seemed utterly calm, she could feel his heart beating as rapidly as hers was. βBut I do have a list, and it includes fucking you repeatedly, and not just against the wall.β Then his hand closed over her breast, and he pinched the increasingly sensitive tip, and to her annoyance, she couldnβt hold back her gasp. Right here in the hallway of her familyβs restaurant.
βI do, however,β he said, βhave higher standards than an unheated, unfinished farmhouse.β Her breath hitched as he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, twisting just enough for a moan to make its way out of her throat.
βHey,β she managed to say. βThatβs my unheated, unfinished farmhouse youβre talking about. Be careful what you say.β
He smiled but didnβt reply. Unless you counted taking her earlobe between his teeth and giving enough of a tug for her to feel it shoot down to her core.
βOkay.β She needed to work at not being quite so easy. βI suppose that could be added to my list, too.β
βGreat.β His voice low and raspy, he didnβt pull back. βSo what do you say?β
She let her head fall back against the wall as she closed her eyes. Dorie was right. The date itself didnβt matter. She had no illusions about Jack and she wasnβt looking for a replacement for Dave. But she was a thirty-six-year-old woman who had a whole lot of living left to do. She took a deep breath as she opened her eyes, βOkay.β
In a startlingly gentle way, he brushed her cheek with his thumb as he smiled. βIβll be back at ten to pick you up.β
Keeping the wall at her back, she nodded. βItβs not a date.β
βNot a date,β he repeated, bending down and touching his lips to hers, giving the slightest of reminders as to what his mouth was truly capable of. Then he backed away, keeping his eyes on her until he disappeared from sight.
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Review:
I read the first book, Calling It, and fell in love with Doyleβs writing.Β (Donβt ask me how I managed to miss her others.)Β She delivers down to earth, regular people who are engaging and interesting but not too full of drama.Β Their problems seem normal and relatable, and you finish the book feeling like you just made friends.Β In Called Out she once again givers her readers characters that they can fall for and a story that captivates.
If you read Calling It you remember Jack because he was Nateβs best friend β¦ until Jack slept with Nateβs fiancΓ© β¦ and got her pregnant.Β If you havenβt read it, donβt worry β Doyle makes sure you know all about it Β π Β But what we didnβt get before were a lot of details and no we get Jackβs side of the story!
And I feel so bad for the guy.Β His childhood, while privileged, was awful.Β His parents were (and still are) emotionally abusive, so Jack has a hard time truly valuing his worth off the baseball field.Β Heβs never really let himself get involved, with anyone.Β Until Nate. Β And he screwed it up, publicly and big time.Β Now heβs going to do what he can to at least salvage his career because he doesnβt feel like he can really expect anything more.
Lola is struggling to raise four boys on her own but she has a great support system of friends and family.Β And that includes Nate.Β So being attracted to the man who treated him so terribly is definitely not something she wants.Β But as she spends time with Jack it gets harder and harder to resist him.Β Especially when she finds out there is more to the man that the cold demeanor heβs shown the world.
Mouthy, flirty, sexy Jack is so much fun.Β And he just loves getting under Lolaβs skin, which is such a hoot.Β Sheβs not afraid to give back, though, which is fun as well.Β But it’s when Jackβs secrets and fears start coming out that we truly start to understand the man.Β Thatβs when he steals our hearts.
Emotionally-driven but humorous and fun, Doyle delivers a powerhouse romance that’s the perfect summer read.
*****
Author Info:
A big believer in happily ever afters,Β Jen DoyleΒ decided it was high time she started creating some. She has an M.S. in Library and Information Science and, in addition to her work as a librarian, has worked as a conference and events planner as well as a Communications and Enrollment administrator in both preschool and higher education environments (although some might say that there is very little difference between the two; Jen has no comment regarding whether she is one of the βsomeβ).
Author Links:Β Β WEBSITEΒ |Β FACEBOOKΒ |Β TWITTERΒ |Β GOODREADS
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Giveaway:
$25 Amazon Gift Card
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81305/
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