Monday 11 September 2017

FRATERNIZE Blog Tour: Review, Player Card + Giveaway


Some of you may already know this, but just in case you don't, I wanted to share--I actually work for a book distributor (Thomas Allen & Son, in fact). I may be biased, but I happen to think that we distribute some truly amazing books in Canada. ;) 

One of the books that I've been most excited for this season is FRATERNIZE by Rachel Van Dyken! Not only is it written by one of my favourite romance authors (Rachel is seriously AMAZING!!!), but it's also a sports romance...and by now, you should probably know that I love me some sports romances! 

Since I love Rachel so much and have been so ridiculously excited for FRATERNIZE, I actually put together a blog tour at work for it...and today, today I get to start it off, and I'm so beyond excited to share all things FRATERNIZE with you all! 

I was excited for this book before I even read it...and now that I've read it, I can 100% tell you that it was worth it. So, so, so worth it...but I'm going to stop there because I have a review to share later on in this post. ;)



FRATERNIZE

(Players Game #1) 
by Rachel Van Dyken

Pub date: September 12, 2017

Publisher: Skyscape

Available in Canada through Thomas Allen & Son




Description:

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken kicks off a brand-new series in which romance is a game and love is a touchdown.

Emerson just made her dream come true as a professional cheerleader for her favorite pro football team. But even though the plus-size athlete is breaking down boundaries, she still has to contend with the massive rulebook. Carbs? Nope. Chocolate? Definitely not. Still, Emerson loves her curves, and she’ll rock the hell out of this job even if it kills her. Except for one mandate that is easier read than done…

No fraternizing with the players.

Problem one is Miller Quinton: Emerson’s first love, first sex, and the guy who still ignites her daydreams and R-rated fantasies. Thrown back together, Miller and Emerson feel the undeniable pull of passion again, even if the conflict that tore them apart seems insurmountable. Then there’s way-too-sexy Grant Sanchez. He has a serious reputation with the ladies, and when it comes to winning someone he wants, he doesn’t let anyone stand in his way.

Now Emerson is breaking every rule in the manual. But what she doesn’t know is that she’s part of a wicked little game—one that could steal both her dream and her heart.

* Get Your Copy Today! *

RACHEL VAN DYKEN is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!


REVIEW

I've been waiting for FRATERNIZE since I first heard about it months ago...I love, love, love sports romances and Rachel Van Dyken is one of my favourite authors so I knew that I had to read this book...and sure enough, I LOVED IT!

There are so many things about Rachel's romances that I love. Her writing has a certain flow that quickly pulls me into the story, and I always think that her characters are fantastic! They're dynamic and jump right off the page, and FRATERNIZE was no exception!

The one part of FRATERNIZE that had me unsure was the love triangle that the description and cover tease about. I'm not a big fan of love triangles, so I was a bit worried, but I trusted that Rachel Van Dyken wouldn't get my feelings too mixed up, and she didn't steer me wrong! I'm so glad I didn't let the fear of a love triangle keep me from reading FRATERNIZE because I've never experienced a love triangle like this before. I don't want to give away any spoilers, so I'm going to be a bit vague, but right from the start it's pretty clear that the romance is never really going to unfold as a triangle. There are feelings going all around, shared histories, budding relationships, and all that, but not once is there ever any kind of cheating nor is Emerson ever dating both of them at the same time, and I really, really loved that fact!

FRATERNIZE features multiple POVs. It's mostly told from Emerson and Miller's POVs, but there are a couple of chapters for Grant (or Sanchez as he's referred to in a large chunk of the book), which was really interesting! I loved seeing the thoughts of all three characters, and I really loved seeing the dynamics between them! FRATERNIZE also features flashbacks from when Emerson and Miller went to school together, which worked well to show the reader their history! I loved all three main characters, but I have to admit it, Grant is definitely my favourite! ;)

Emerson is sarcastic, a bit vulnerable (she's been through some tough times), but most of all, she's strong. She fights to accomplish her dreams, and she's fiercely independent. I really admired that she did her best to stay true to herself, and when she was self-conscious and insecure, she listened and accepted the pep talks from her friends that she needed. Miller was a bit broodier than I expected--especially since he's pretty laid back and silly in flashbacks, but I loved seeing him open up to his teammates! And Grant...wowzers! When Grant showed up, I was immediately smitten. He started off as a bit of a bad boy, but this bad boy has a heart of gold! He was also super duper swoony and said some of the most wonderful lines...seriously, he had me blushing and smiling like crazy while I was reading on the subway. He was definitely sexy, but I absolutely loved his personality. He's thoughtful, a bit of a joker, and has lots of heart and integrity. I also really loved Kinsey (the head cheerleader on Emerson's team), and Jax (the Bellevue Bucks starting quarterback)...I can't wait to see more of Kinsey in the sequel, INFRACTION!

Since I've gushed about how Grant had me swooning, I'm sure it's not surprising that the romance was my favourite part, but the friendships in FRATERNIZE were also wonderful! And I also really enjoyed the story itself. It was pretty dramatic and a bit heavy at times, but I thought it worked really well for the characters, and anytime I had to put the book down, I really didn't want to! I also always love how Rachel sneaks popular culture into her books, and FRATERNIZE had some great ones!

Overall, I loved FRATERNIZE! I loved the story, the romance, the friendships...every single thing! Rachel Van Dyken has done it again—she's wowed me! This was such a wonderful book and it was everything that I could hope for it to be and more!!! If you're a fan of her books already, or if you love sports romances like I do, then I think you'll love this one, too! Now we just have to wait until January for the next book, INFRACTION! ;)


PLAYER CARD #1:

MILLER QUINTON

I've raved about loving sports romances more than once on my blog, so it should come as no shock that the sports romance aspect is what I what was most excited for when it came to FRATERNIZE, and boy, oh boy did it ever deliver!

Not only was Fraternize packing one hot athletic hunk...it was packing two! And today, I have a little player card to introduce one of those studly leading men to you, Miller Quinton! ;)

So, here's your intro to Miller:

(If you'd like to see it larger, click on the image!)


GIVEAWAY

The winner will receive 1 copy of Fraternize by Rachel Van Dyken!


Giveaway Details:
- Canada Only (full rules found in the T&C on Rafflecopter)
- Giveaway ends on September 28th at 11:59 am EST
- Winner will be drawn randomly through Rafflecopter, contacted via email & will have 48 hours to claim their prize

TO ENTER FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW:

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Don't worry, my blog may have been the start of the Fraternize tour, but the fun is only beginning! You can follow the rest of the tour with this handy schedule!

Fraternize Blog Tour Schedule: 


I'm not sure if it's possible for anyone to have been as excited for Fraternize as I was, but hopefully I've gotten you at least a little excited for it!

What do you think?
Did you like the intro you got to Miller with the Player Card? 
And has my rambling review (and excessive raving) gotten you excited for Fraternize yet?

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments are like smiles. Free to give, but precious to receive. Thank you for stopping by my blog and taking the time to comment. I treasure every one. Also, check back! You'll probably find a reply. :D