Title: Across the Pond
Authors: RJ Scott & VL Locey
Series: Arizona Raptors #2
Genre: M/M Romance, Hockey Romance
Release Blitz: November 10, 2019
Cover Design: Meredith Russell
The greatest journey isn’t from England to the States, it’s the one that two men take on the way to find each other.
Sebastian Brown is on a mission to rescue the Arizona Raptors and a vow he made to a friend in college. Either that or he’s on vacation. He’s not entirely sure that he’s made up his mind yet. Either way, traveling from England, to the arid desert of Arizona isn’t exactly a picnic, particularly with the doubts and worries he takes with him. He’s turned even the worst of companies around, but faced with the challenge of improving the reputation of a hockey team that everyone seems to hate, he knows his work is cut out for him.
Focus is key, but that is easier said than done when Seb is sent into a tailspin by the intriguing Alejandro. Seb’s entire marketing plan hinges on making Alex a poster boy for equality and fair play. But with Alex’s utter dedication to the game, and his dark secretive eyes, the gorgeous Alex is stubborn, opinionated, doesn’t want any part of being the team focus, and worst of all, doesn't appear to like Seb at all. It takes everything that Seb has to keep his hands off of Alex, but things get out of hand and Seb’s life might never be the same again.
Alejandro Garcia has had to work hard to get where he’s at. Born to Mexican immigrants, his siblings and himself have never had it easy in this new country their parents dreamed of calling home. A native son of Arizona, Alex has always been the odd man out on the ice but he’s not going to let a stupid thing like his heritage get in the way of his dreams. He’s now a Raptor and he plans to put all that training and collegiate hockey experience to good use. Working hard comes naturally to him. It’s something his parents have instilled in him from the time he was a toddler. Being one of a handful of Latino hockey players makes him strive for success with even more determination. His first pro season has had some ups but a lot more downs, but Alex is one stubborn young man and failure is not an option.
As the Raptors struggle to rebuild not only their team but their core values, Alex finds himself drawn to one of the owner’s friends, a tall, lanky Brit with the face of an angel and an accent and attitude that bewitches and befuddles him. Sebastian is everything he thought he would never be attracted to but he can’t push the sexy, older, fun-loving man out of his thoughts. If ever there were a man he would not be able to take home to his parents - not that he can bring a man home since he is deeply closeted - it’s Sebastian, but desire knows no socioeconomic, age, or international borders. The heart wants what the heart wants and Alejandro’s wants Sebastian.
I don't know just what Sebastian Brown's official occupation title is(perhaps I just missed it😉), social media expert extraordinaire, PR, image consultant, whatever the official wordage is, the Raptors are in desperate need of his services. Personally, I'm still in complete awe of Scott & Locey being able to showcase a team that came from such horrible history in their Harrisburg Railers series and make them the "heroes" of their own series, for me that is just another example of not only their individual talents but also their storytelling chemistry.
Alejandro Garcia, Alex, is a man twisted inside over who he lets his family see, who he lets his teammates see, who he lets the Raptors fans see, and who he really is. The fight to keep them separate and all in their place is beginning to take its toll on him and his playing. Meeting Seb only stirs the inner pot but maybe he's actually the right ingredient that's been missing to make it all come together? For that you have to read for yourself and trust me you won't be disappointed.
One thing I loved and it is a minor point, only a few scenes really but they stood out for me and that is the connection between Seb and Jason, co-owner of the team who brought Seb in to work his magic. We learn that Jason went to school for a time in England and that is how they met and it is the scenes that show Jason using British English and slang from his time there. Now I have never been to the UK but it is near the top of my bucket list but I have been watching British television shows and movies pretty much my whole life, first on the local PBS stations when I was little and then with the explosion of digital and streaming services, it's safe to say that 75% of what I watch is from across the pond(see what I did there😉😉). Even though I have never been there I often use British terminology so those Jason/Seb moments were an added bonus for me.
As for Alex's family, well a couple of them are complete and total gems that I just want to give them a huge Mama Bear hug and then there a few who I really just want to whack sense into them(and by "whack" I mean that quite literally) and then never speak to again. I really don't know how Seb can be so civil to them but that is probably more down to his occupation than anything else. I wish I could be more like Seb but my Irish/German/Dutch temper is more on the line of Alex so I have very little patience for people like those in his family I wanted to whack sense into.
On paper, Seb and Alex shouldn't work but once you get to know them there is no doubts whatsoever that they are a perfect fit. By "perfect" I don't mean all unicorns and roses. When I think of perfect fit in relationships I think of fighting and making up, arguing and hugging, or what I have recently come to label: snark and cuddle. Not to throw around cliche's but they really do complete each other. This isn't spoiling anything because Across the Pond isn't a question of HEA, the joys and sorrows, the ups and downs, the meat and potatoes of the story is in the journey getting from page one to the last.
One last note: if you are wondering about reading order I highly suggest reading Coast to Coast first. For the main purpose as to see how the friendships between Alex, Ryker, and Henri formed but also to see just what happened to Henri. For me, the Arizona Raptors(all of Scott & Locey's hockey series: Harrisburg Railers & Owatonna U) are all part of an ongoing saga where each entry is just that much better having known the previous ones. This is just my opinion because you won't be lost if you don't read in order of publication, the authors "recap" just enough to keep the reader "up to date".
RATING:
Saturday's Series Spotlight: Harrisburg Railers
USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.
RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.
The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.
She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below.
USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.
V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Torchwood and Dr. Who, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a pair of geese, far too many chickens, and two steers.
When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in one hand and a steamy romance novel in the other.
RJ Scott
BOOKBUB / KOBO / SMASHWORDS
EMAIL: rj@rjscott.co.uk
VL Locey
Across the Pond #2
Coast to Coast #1
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