WINNER CHOSEN and emailed! Giveaway Closed! Congrats Anna Langston!

LONG SHOT releases so soon! Next Thursday, March 22!

Scroll down to read THE ENTIRE First chapter!

GIVEAWAY!

Signed LONG SHOT Paperback + a Special Edition LONG SHOT Candle.

šŸ€ TO ENTER:  Simply comment here why youā€™re looking forward to LONG SHOT šŸ€

ā†’Be notified when Long Shot is LIVE:  bit.ly/LongShotAlert

ā†’Add on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/KennedysLongShot

ā†’Join the LONG SHOT March Madness Party:  http://bit.ly/LongShotParty

********************************************

šŸ€ Synopsis šŸ€

A FORBIDDEN LOVE SET IN THE EXPLOSIVE WORLD OF THE NBAā€¦

Think you know what itā€™s like being a ballerā€™s girl?
You donā€™t.
My fairy tale is upside down.
A happily never after.
I kissed the prince and he turned into a fraud.
I was a fool, and his love ā€“ foolā€™s gold.
Now thereā€™s a new player in the game, August West.
One of the NBAā€™s brightest stars.
Fine. Forbidden.
He wants me. I want him.
But my past, my fraudulent prince, just wonā€™t let me go.

šŸ€  Chapter 1 ā€“ August  šŸ€

Tomorrow is my fatherā€™s birthday.

Or it would have been. He died fifteen years ago when I was six, but in the biggest moments, the ones that count the most, it feels like heā€™s with me. And on the eve of the biggest night of my life, I hope he can see me. I hope heā€™s proud.

Tomorrowā€™s the most monumental game of my life. By all rights, my ass should be safely tucked away in my hotel room, not out killing time at some dive. I toss back a handful of bar nuts and sip my ginger ale. At the table next to me, they just ordered another round of beers. God, what I wouldnā€™t give for something strong enough to unwind these pre-game jitters, but I never drink before a game. And tomorrow isnā€™t just any game.

I glance at my watch.  Fifteen minutes late? Thatā€™s not Coach Kirby. Heā€™s the promptest man I know. His name flashes across my screen just as Iā€™m considering calling him. I push away the bowl of nuts and the niggling feeling that something must be wrong.

ā€œHey, Coach.ā€

ā€œWest, hey.ā€ His voice carries a forced calm that only confirms somethingā€™s off. ā€œI know Iā€™m late. Sorry.ā€

ā€œNo, itā€™s cool. Everything okay?ā€

ā€œItā€™s Delores.ā€ His voice cracks over his wifeā€™s name. Basketball is my high school coachā€™s second love. From the day I met him my freshman year at St. Josephā€™s Prep, I knew Delores was his first.

ā€œShe okay?ā€

ā€œShe . . . well, we were at the hotel, and she started having chest pains and trouble breathing.ā€ Coachā€™s worried sigh comes from the other end. ā€œWeā€™re here at the emergency room. Theyā€™re running all these damn tests, andā€”ā€

ā€œWhich hospital?ā€ Iā€™m already on my feet, digging out my wallet to pay the modest bill. ā€œIā€™m on my way.ā€

ā€œThe hell you are.ā€ The steel that worked all the laziness out of me for four years stiffens his tone. ā€œYouā€™re playing tomorrow night in the National Championship. The last place you need to be is in some hospital waiting room.ā€

ā€œBut, Deloresā€”ā€

ā€œIs my responsibility, and Iā€™m handling it.ā€

ā€œBut, I canā€”ā€

ā€œYour folks get into town yet?ā€ He steamrolls over my protest to close the subject.

ā€œNo, sir.ā€ I pause, checking my exasperation. ā€œMatt had to work today. He and my mom are flying in tomorrow.ā€

ā€œAnd your stepbrother?ā€

ā€œHeā€™s stuck in Germany. Some event for one of his clients.ā€ My stepbrother and I may not share blood, but we share a love for sports. Me, on the court. Him, off, as an agent.

ā€œSorry he wonā€™t be there,ā€ Coach says. ā€œI know how close you two are.ā€

ā€œItā€™s alright.ā€ I play off my disappointment. ā€œIā€™ve got my mom and Matt. And you, of course.ā€

ā€œSorry I canā€™t make it to the bar, though why your ass wanted to go out the night before the big dance in the first place is beyond me.ā€

ā€œI know, Coach. I just needed . . .ā€ What do I need? I know the playbook inside and out and have watched so much film my eyes started crossing.

Iā€™m restless tonight. Years of sacrifice, mine and my familyā€™s, have gotten me here. And I couldnā€™t have done it without the man on the other end of the line. Coach has invested a lot in me over the last eight years, even after I graduated high school and moved on to college. When scouts and analysts urged me to go pro a year early, he convinced me to stay and finish my degree. To shore up my fundamentals and mature before going to the draft. But the man who passed his DNA on to meā€”his wingspan, his big hands, his long, lean body, and I guess even his love for the gameā€”is the one I keep thinking about tonight.

My father.

I wasnā€™t sure who this moment should be shared with, but I knew it wasnā€™t my teammates trolling for girls in some rowdy bar. Even though they can only get so rowdy the night before a game, that didnā€™t appeal to me.

ā€œWhatever you need, get it, and get out of there,ā€ Coach says, snapping me back into the moment. ā€œGet your ass back to the hotel. Mannard will bench you for breaking curfew, even before the National Championship. Donā€™t get too big for your breeches.ā€

ā€œYes, sir. I know.ā€

Between Coachā€™s take-no-shit leadership and my stepfatherā€™s military background, the sirs and maā€™ams come naturally. Discipline and respect were non-negotiable in both their regimes.

ā€œI need to go,ā€ Coach says.  ā€œDoctorā€™s coming.ā€

ā€œKeep me posted.ā€

ā€œI will.ā€ He pauses for a moment before continuing. ā€œYou know Iā€™ll be at the game tomorrow if thereā€™s any way itā€™s humanly possible. I just need to make sure Delores is okay. Sheā€™s the only reason I would miss it. Iā€™m proud of you, West.ā€

ā€œI know. Thanks, Coach.ā€ Emotion scorches my throat, and I struggle to hold my shit together. My dadā€™s birthday, the pressure of tomorrowā€™s game, and now Delores in the hospitalā€”Iā€™m staggering under the cumulative weight of this day, of all these things, but I make sure none of it makes it into my voice when I speak again. Coachā€™s got enough to worry about without thinking Iā€™m not ready for tomorrow. ā€œDo whatever you need to. Delores comes first.ā€

ā€œI hope to see you tomorrow,ā€ he continues gruffly. ā€œYou shoot the damn lights out of that place.ā€

ā€œYes, sir. I plan to. Call me when you know something.ā€

I donā€™t even bother finding the server or asking for the check. Instead, I leave a twenty on the table, more than enough to cover my tepid ginger ale. I have another few hours to kill before curfew, but if Coach isnā€™t coming to ease my nerves, then I may as well head back to the hotel. Iā€™ll try to slip in without running into my teammates.

Iā€™m almost at the door when an outburst from the far end of the bar stops me.

ā€œBullshit!ā€ a husky, feminine voice booms. ā€œYou know good and damn well thatā€™s a shit call.ā€

Just shy of the threshold, I turn to see the woman whoā€™s cussing like a sailor. Curves punctuate her lean, tight body: the indentation of her waist in a fitted T-shirt, the rounded hips poured into her jeans. She jumps from her stool and leans forward, her body taut with outrage, her fists balled on the bar, and her eyes narrowed at the flat screen. She must be a good seven inches over five feet. A guy my height gets used to towering over everyone else, but I like a woman with a little height. Her hair, dark and dense as midnight, is an adventure, roaming wild and untamed around her face in every direction, drifting past her shoulders. She looks pissed, her wide, full mouth tight, and the sleek line of her jaw bunched.

The beautiful face paired with all that attitude has me intrigued. Even if Iā€™m not getting laid tonight, I can at least get distracted from the pressure thatā€™s been crushing me all day. Hell, crushing me for the last few weeks, if Iā€™m honest. I want to shake off the melancholy thoughts my fatherā€™s death always wrap around meā€”thoughts of what we missed. What we lost. Seeing her all fired up and cussing at the television, swearing at the refs, lightens some of the load Iā€™ve been carrying. I find myself walking straight toward the one thing that has penetrated the thick wall of tension surrounding me since we advanced to the NCAA championship a few days ago.

ā€œAsshole,ā€ she mutters, settling her denim-clad ass back onto the barstool. ā€œNo way that was a flagrant foul.ā€

I take the empty stool beside her, glancing up at the screen replaying the last sequence. ā€œActually, Iā€™m pretty sure that was a flagrant foul.ā€ I grab a fistful of nuts from the bowl between us.

ā€œYouā€™re either as blind and dumb as the ref,ā€ she says, eyes never leaving the screen, ā€œor youā€™re trying to pick me up. Either way, Iā€™m not impressed.ā€

My handful of nuts freezes halfway to my mouth. I have a shot at college player of the year, have been big man on campus for four years, and was on ESPNā€™s Plays of the Week by tenth grade. No girl has shot me down since middle school, but I never shy away from a challenge.

ā€œJust making conversation.ā€ I shrug and swing my knees around to face her. ā€œThough if you want to be picked up, I might be able to accommodate.ā€

She finally deigns to look at me. Her heart-shaped face is arresting, a contrast of fierce and delicate. She has high cheekbones and dark brows that slash over a button nose and hazel eyes. Hazel is too flat a word to describe all the shades of green and brown and gold. Iā€™ve never seen eyes quite like these. Several colors at once. Several things at once. I wonder if the girl behind them is as multi-dimensional.

ā€œI wouldnā€™t want to wear you out before your big game tomorrow.ā€ The corners of her lips pinch like sheā€™s trying her best not to laugh at me.

That gives me pause. So she knows who I am. That would usually work in my favor, but I have a feeling sheā€™s not your run-of-the-mill ball groupie. ā€œYouā€™re a fan?ā€

Unsurprisingly, one brow crooks, and she rolls her eyes before turning her attention back to the game. The bartender approaches, a bottle of liquor in hand.

ā€œWhatā€™ll ya have?ā€ He sets the Grey Goose on the bar, toggling a speculative glance between me and the woman ignoring me.

ā€œCould I get a ginger ale, please?ā€

He smirks, trading out the Goose for a ginger ale he pulls from the fridge under the bar. Filling a glass with the fizzy drink and setting it in front of me, he angles his head to peer under the brim pulled low over my brow.

ā€œAugust West?ā€ A grin lights his face.

I nod but put my finger to my lips, hoping to quiet him so I can flirt in peace. I donā€™t feel like signing autographs and being pelted with well wishes. Iā€™m not even in the NBA yet, but ever since our team made the Sweet Sixteen, the media has homed in on me for some reason, elevating my profile and making it harder to remain anonymous.

ā€œI get it.ā€ The bartender nods knowingly, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. ā€œAvoiding the crazy, huh?ā€

ā€œSomething like that.ā€ I look back to the super fangirl, whose attention remains riveted on the screen. ā€œWhatā€™s the lady having?ā€

ā€œA beer she can pay for herself.ā€ She slides me a crooked smile and takes a sip of her half-full glass.

ā€œOooooh.ā€ The bartenderā€™s beer belly, an occupational hazard, shakes with a deep chuckle. He gives me a commiserating look before ambling down the length of the bar to his other customers.

ā€œSo, you come here often?ā€ I canā€™t believe that just came out of my mouth.

The face she makes says she canā€™t believe it either.

ā€œNext youā€™ll ask whatā€™s a nice girl like me doing in a place like this.ā€ The humor in her eyes removes some of the sting.

ā€œYou think my game is that weak?ā€

She side-eyes me, extending both brows as high as theyā€™ll go. ā€œWe talking on the court or off?ā€

ā€œOuch.ā€ I wince and tilt my head to consider her. ā€œAnd here I thought youā€™d be a sweet distraction until curfew.ā€

ā€œIā€™m not anyoneā€™s distraction,ā€ she says. ā€œEspecially not some player looking to let off testosterone.ā€

ā€œAssumptions and judgments.ā€ I shake my head in mock disappointment. ā€œDidnā€™t they tell you not to judge a book by its cover? You canā€™t possibly knowā€”ā€

ā€œAugust West, six-foot-six, Piermont College starting point guard, deadly from behind the arc, off-the-charts basketball IQ, and Naismith finalist. Six-foot-ten-inch wingspan and forty-inch vertical.ā€ Her sharp eyes slice over me from the brim of my cap all the way down to the Nikes on my feet, before returning to the game onscreen.

ā€œYour hops may be Jordan-esque, but your D could use some work.ā€ A laugh slips past her lips. ā€œAnd thatā€™s not an assumption. I know that for a fact.ā€

I have to laugh because Coach Mannard has been after me all seasonā€”for the last four years, actuallyā€”to improve on defense. My three-pointers make the highlight reel, but heā€™s just as concerned with the fundamentals that will make me a better all-around player. Apparently, so is she.

ā€œSo they keep telling me.ā€ I turn my back to the bar, propping my elbows on its edge, and consider her with new respect. ā€œHow do you know so much about basketball?ā€

ā€œYou mean because Iā€™m a girl and should be watching cheering matches?ā€ Her glare is all indignation.

ā€œUm . . . you mean tournaments? Even I know theyā€™re called cheer tournaments, not matches.ā€

ā€œWell look at that.ā€ She spreads a thick layer of sarcasm over the words. ā€œYou know girl stuff and I know boy stuff. Is it opposite day?ā€

She turns her attention back to the screen like she couldnā€™t care less that she just impressed the hell out of me. Guys, we talk shit, and never more so than when itā€™s about sports. A woman who can talk sports and talk trash? A fucking sparkling unicorn. She gives as good as she gets, this one. Hell, she may give better than she gets. Thereā€™s a spark to her, a confidence I want to see more of.

A lot of girls just reflect. They figure out what you like so they can get in with a baller. This one has her own views, stands her own ground and doesnā€™t give a damn if I like it.

I like it.

ā€œSince you know so much about me,ā€ I say, ā€œitā€™s only fair I learn something about you.ā€

She turns her head by slow centimeters, eyes still locked to the screen as if itā€™s killing her to look away from the game. Her expression, those changeable eyes, warm and soften just a little. ā€œWhat exactly would you like to know?ā€

ā€œYour name would be a good start.ā€

Her lips twist into a grin. ā€œMy family calls me Gumbo.ā€

ā€œGumbo?ā€ I almost choke on my ginger ale. ā€œBecause you have big ears?ā€

I risk touching her, pushing back a clump of wild curls. The whorl of her ear is downright fragile, and strands of dark hair cling to the curve of her neck.

ā€œNot Dumbo.ā€ She laughs and pulls away so her hair slips through my fingers. ā€œGumbo, like the soup.ā€

ā€œI knew that.ā€ I really did, but I had to get inventive if I was going to steal a touch without drawing back a stump. ā€œSo why Gumbo?ā€

She hesitates, and for a moment it seems I wasnā€™t breaking through like I thought. She finally gives a ā€œwhat the hellā€ shrug and goes on.

ā€œYou may not hear the accent now, because itā€™s been years since I lived there, but Iā€™m originally from New Orleans.ā€

Now that she says it, I do detect something reminiscent of that city in her voice. A drawn-out drawl spiced with music and mystery.

ā€œMy family moved to Atlanta after Katrina.ā€ She gives a puff of air disguised as a laugh. ā€œBut Iā€™m NOLA, through and through. I come from good Creole stock. As if Creole wasnā€™t already mixed up enough, my fatherā€™s German and Irish.ā€

I think the ambiguity of her beauty is part of her appeal. Something elusive and indefinable. I would never have guessed the ethnicities that coalesced to make a face like hersā€”the wide, full lips, copper skin and striking bone structure. I donā€™t think Iā€™ve ever seen anyone like her. Hers is not a face you would soon forget. Maybe never.

ā€œIā€™m a mix of everything the bayou could come up with,ā€ she continues, taking a sip of her drink. ā€œSo my cousin says I had more ingredients thanā€”ā€

ā€œGumbo,ā€ I finish with her. We share a smile, and she nods. ā€œSo youā€™re a mutt like me.ā€

ā€œI wasnā€™t gonna say anything.ā€ Her eyes run over my face and hair, my looks almost as ambiguous as hers. ā€œBut now that you mention it . . .ā€

ā€œLemme show you something.ā€ I pull out my phone, flipping through the photos until I land on a picture of my family from a camping trip a few years ago. ā€œHere.ā€

She takes the phone, her smile fading at the corners. I know what she sees. My mother smiles into the camera, her auburn hair a fiery halo around her pale face in the winter sun. My stepfather and stepbrother stand at her shoulder, both tall blondes.

And then thereā€™s me.

My hair cut close to tame the dark curls that can never decide which way to grow. My skin is the color of aged dark honey, and my eyes are gray as slate. I couldnā€™t look less like a part of the family if I tried.

ā€œOne of these things is not like the others.ā€ I grin over the rim of my glass, sipping my ginger ale. ā€œI guess Iā€™m gumbo, too.ā€

She returns my smile and my phone, but the humor slowly fades from her expression. Curiosity clouds her eyes when she looks back at me, but whatever that question is, sheā€™s not voicing it.

ā€œWhat?ā€ I finally ask.

ā€œWhat do you mean what?ā€

ā€œJust seemed like you wanted to say something.ā€

For a second, her face shutters, and I think she wonā€™t tell me, but she glances up, a smile settling on her lips after a few seconds.

ā€œDid you ever feel like you didnā€™t quite fit anywhere?ā€ Her words come so softly, competing with the revelry in the bar. I lean in to hear until our heads almost touch. ā€œI mean, like you were always kind of in between?ā€

Her question echoes something I havenā€™t articulated to many people but often felt. I sometimes felt displaced in my motherā€™s new family. I may not look a lot like my Africanā€“American father, but I look nothing like anyone in the family I have left. Most kids were one thing or the other and clumped together based on that. It left me sometimes feeling adrift. Basketballā€”that rim, that rockā€”became the thing I clung to.

ā€œI think I know what you mean.ā€ I clear my throat before going on. ā€œMy father died when I was really young, and my mom remarried not too long after. It took me a while to adjust to everything, especially being different when all I wanted was to fit in.ā€

ā€œI get that,ā€ she says.

I shrug and turn down the corners of my mouth.

ā€œThanks to basketball, I started worrying less about fitting in and more about standing out.ā€ I roll the glass between my palms. ā€œBut even then, yeah, I sometimes felt . . . I donā€™t know. Displaced.ā€

ā€œMe, too. My skin was lighter than just about everyoneā€™s in my neighborhood. My hair was different.ā€ She shakes her head, the movement stirring the air around us with the scent of her shampoo, some mix of citrus and sweet. ā€œMost girls there assumed I thought I was better than they were, when I would have given anything to look like everyone else. To fit in. I had my cousin Lo for a few years, but besides her, I kind of just had myself.ā€

What was that like for her? A beautiful anomaly in the Ninth Ward. Maybe I donā€™t have to wonder. Maybe I know firsthand.

ā€œIt got kinda lonely, huh?ā€ I ask.

ā€œYeah, it did.ā€ She circles the rim of her glass with an index finger. Her lashes lower like that might hide her memories from me, hide her pain, but itā€™s in her voice. I recognize it.

ā€œSometimes, even when we had a full house,ā€ I say, dropping my voice for just our ears, ā€œIā€™d end up in the backyard shooting hoops by myself until it got dark.ā€

Like thereā€™s some magnetic center, our bodies have turned in toward each other. Our confidences enshroud us, blocking out the ribald conversation, the impromptu karaoke across the room, the wild response to the games on the flat screens. Itā€™s just us two misfits. A few minutes with a complete stranger, and I suddenly feel understood in a way thatā€™s always been hard to find.

ā€œYou get used to being alone,ā€ she finally says.

ā€œWhat about your mom? You guys close?ā€

ā€œClose?ā€ She squints one eye and tips her head back. ā€œNot really. Sheā€™s made a lot of sacrifices for me, and itā€™s never been easy. Sheā€™s strong, a survivor, and I respect that, but I havenā€™t always agreed with her choices. I canā€™t remember my mother ever holding down a job for more than a few weeks.ā€

ā€œHowā€™d you guys get by?ā€

ā€œSheā€™s a beautiful woman.ā€ She raises cautious eyes, like she expects me to judge. ā€œShe used to say thereā€™s always some man willing to take care of a beautiful woman.ā€

I donā€™t know what to say to that. My mom is a beautiful woman, too, but I canā€™t imagine her living that wayā€”relying on just the physicalā€”because she started teaching when my dad died and has worked hard ever since.

ā€œYouā€™re a beautiful woman.ā€ I nudge her knee lightly with mine. ā€œAnd I bet you can take care of yourself.ā€

A smile starts in her eyes and eventually spreads to her lips. ā€œThank you.ā€

I donā€™t have to ask which compliment sheā€™s thanking me for.

ā€œMy aunt is older than my mom by two years,ā€ she continues. ā€œItā€™s what my mom saw her do. Itā€™s what they saw their mother do. They used what they had to get what they needed.ā€

She sighs before sipping her drink and going on. ā€œMy aunt relocated with us to Atlanta after Katrina, and they might have changed zip codes, but they didnā€™t change tactics. Apparently, men all over will take care of beautiful women.ā€

ā€œBesides your cousin, were you close to anyone else in your family?ā€

ā€œJust Lotus.ā€ A frown shadows her expression. ā€œShe went to live with my great-grandmother south of the city and I stayed in New Orleans, but when she moved to Atlanta for college a few years ago, we got close again.ā€

She shakes her head like sheā€™s dislodging thoughts, memories. ā€œEnough about my family dysfunction. What about you? Perry West was your dad, right?ā€

ā€œYou know about my dad?ā€ I ask.

ā€œYeah, sure.ā€ Sympathy fills her eyes when they meet mine over our drinks. ā€œLosing him that wayā€”it had to be tough.ā€

ā€œYeah.ā€ I shrug, a casual rise and fall of my shoulders that doesnā€™t hint at how tough it was. ā€œHe was a great player.ā€

ā€œHe had an incredible long-range shot.ā€ She smiles ruefully. ā€œHow long was he in the league?ā€

ā€œThe car crash happened in the middle of his second season.ā€ I was young, but I still remember his funeral. His teammates were all there, tall as skyscrapers to my six-year-old eyes. ā€œTomorrowā€™s his birthday.ā€

ā€œNo way.ā€ Her eyes go wide. ā€œYouā€™re playing in the freaking National Championship on your dadā€™s birthday?ā€

I nod, allowing myself to smile for the first time over this monumental twist of fate. Itā€™s a long time since my mom was married to my dad, but she probably remembers that tomorrowā€™s his birthday. We havenā€™t talked about it, though. It feels like Iā€™m the only one who knows it, and now this beautiful gumbo girl knows, too.

ā€œIs tomorrow for him?ā€ Her eyes never leave my face, her intent focus drawing me into her.

ā€œIt feels like it. You know? Like what are the odds? I keep wondering if he knows how far Iā€™ve come. If he can see.ā€ I let out a soft laugh, watching her face for signs that she thinks Iā€™m an idiot. ā€œDoes that sound stupid?ā€

ā€œNot at all. I donā€™t know what happens after weā€™re gone, but I hope he can see. Heā€™d be proud of you, no matter how the game goes tomorrow.ā€

ā€œI hope so.ā€ I lean in a little closer, giving her the same attention she afforded me. ā€œWhat about your father? The German and Irish in your gumbo?ā€

She smiles, but itā€™s a tight curve of her lips.

ā€œHe was German and Irish. Thatā€™s about all I know.ā€ Her harsh laugh ripples through the pool of quiet weā€™ve made here in our corner of the bar. ā€œWell, I also know he had a wife and kids. My mother was just . . . a side chick, I guess. He paid her rent while they were together, but right after I was born he moved on. So did she. He never came around asking about me. She never offered much explanation for his absence.ā€

ā€œAnd now? Nothing?ā€

ā€œWe left everything in the Ninth when we moved to Atlanta.ā€ Her shoulders lift and fall with a carelessness I donā€™t buy. ā€œHe could still be in New Orleans. He may have died when the levees broke. Who knows? Itā€™s never made me much difference.ā€

She flashes me another tight smile, signaling that sheā€™s done with the topic.

ā€œHowā€™d we get into all that stuff?ā€ She points her finger at me in mock accusation. ā€œYou, sir, are a good listener. Sneaky way to distract a girl from the fact that her teamā€™s losing.ā€

I glance up at the game, grabbing her segue out of deeper waters like a lifeline. ā€œYou a Lakers fan?ā€

ā€œDie hard purple and gold.ā€ She folds her arms on the bar and leans forward, her eyes back on the screen. ā€œNew Orleans didnā€™t have a team when I was growing up.ā€

ā€œWell theyā€™re getting crushed tonight,ā€ I offer unnecessarily, hoping to get a rise out of her. Of course, it works, and she goes on a diatribe defending the storied Lakers legacy, though itā€™s taken such a beating lately.

Through halftime and the last two quarters, we squeeze in a lot of conversation between plays.  She wants to work in sports marketing and has several internship opportunities that might pan out after graduation. It seems like most of her stories eventually circle back to her cousin Lotus, the ambitious badass fashion student who always has her back. For my part, I avoid rehashing all the things she already knows about me: the numbers on stat sheets and the stories that have been looping on all the sports shows. Instead, I tell her about my mom, about Coach, about the philosophy class thatā€™s kicking my ass. We cover everything from minutiae to monumental in the time it takes the Lakers to get blown out.

ā€œWhat did get you so into basketball?ā€ I ask her during a fourth-quarter commercial break.

ā€œI dunno.ā€ She studies her beer, probably long gone flat. ā€œOne of my momā€™s guys, Telly, lived with us for a while when I was around ten.ā€ She leans one elbow on the bar, giving me a frank look. ā€œHe was one of the few good ones who stuck around for a little bit. He loved basketball. Loved the Lakers and weā€™d watch the games together.ā€ She chuckles, making track marks with her fingertips in the condensation coating her glass. ā€œOn game nights, weā€™d order pineapple pepperoni pizza and drink root beer floats.ā€

ā€œWhat happened?ā€ I sip on my third ginger ale. ā€œTo Telly, I mean?ā€

She answers first with a little shake of her head. ā€œHe outstayed his welcome, I guess.ā€ Her eyes drift to the screen, maybe an excuse to look away. Or maybe the game really has grabbed her attention. Lakers have the ball. ā€œSomeone else came along with more money. Mom traded up.ā€

ā€œYou ever see him, talk to him again?ā€

Her eyes abandon the screen, and for a few quiet moments, she studies the bar top. ā€œNo.ā€

The word comes low and husky. After a moment she looks back up, flashing me a half-teasing grin. ā€œBut I still like pizza and root beer when I watch the Lakers.ā€

ā€œNo pizza on the menu here?ā€ I mumble around a handful of nuts.

ā€œBeggars canā€™t be choosers.ā€ The smile she shares with me morphs into a scowl when the final score displays onscreen. ā€œAnother one for the ā€˜Lā€™ column. Shit calls all night, ref.ā€

ā€œReally? Shit calls?ā€ I glance from the game back to her face with skepticism. ā€œNothing to do with the fact that the team is aging and plagued by injuries the last few seasons? End of an era, if you ask me.ā€

ā€œBite your tongue,ā€ she snaps, but thereā€™s a playful glint in her eyes. ā€œYou could end up going to the Lakers. Have you thought of that?ā€

ā€œWho knows where Iā€™ll end up?ā€ I slant my smile at her. ā€œIā€™m hoping for the Stingers.ā€

ā€œBaltimore?ā€ A frown crinkles her eyebrows before clearing. ā€œOh! Your hometown, huh?ā€

ā€œI mean, it happened for LeBron in Cleveland. He played where he grew up, for the Cavs.ā€

ā€œTrue. Why do you want to stay close to home? You a mamaā€™s boy?ā€

My laugh booms over the TV commentators analyzing the Lakersā€™ loss in the background. ā€œMy momā€™s pretty awesome, but that wouldnā€™t keep me close to home.ā€ I stare into my ginger ale instead of at her, a little uncomfortable to express my reasons. ā€œI just want to do something for the place that did so much for me. I was in the Boys and Girls Club. I had amazing teachers, especially in middle school when a lot of my friends started going off the rails. The community centerā€™s where I fell in love with basketball.ā€

Self-consciousness burns my face, and I shrug. ā€œMy whole childhood was there, and that community made it a good one.ā€

In the beat of silence after I finish, I glance up to find a slight smile on her face and warm eyes that meet mine easily.

ā€œThatā€™s cool,ā€ she offers simply, and Iā€™m glad she doesnā€™t make it a big deal even though it must be obvious itā€™s important to me. ā€œSo, you ready for the draft?ā€

I appreciate the shift of subject. Itā€™s not likely Iā€™ll go to Baltimore, and I donā€™t let many people know how much it would mean to me. ā€œI am, but itā€™s all happening so fast.ā€ A dry chuckle rattles in my throat. ā€œThe NBA was some distant fantasy when I was in the eighth grade. Now itā€™s right here, and unless something goes really wrong, itā€™s actually happening. I just hope . . .ā€

My words trail off, but my uncertainty remains. Itā€™s not even about my ability to play at the next level. I know Iā€™m prepared for that. Itā€™s all that comes with it that Iā€™m not sure Iā€™m ready for.

ā€œYouā€™ll do great.ā€ Her slim fingers close over my hand, gripping the glass. ā€œYouā€™ll be an amazing player.ā€

Just that light pressure, just seeing her hand with mine, feels good. Something about the sight levels the unevenness Iā€™ve felt all day and unlocks words I havenā€™t said to anyone.

ā€œI want to be more than just a player. I want to use my degree. I want a business. I want a family.ā€ It feels like a confession. ā€œTo be a good husband. A good father. This world Iā€™m entering in a few months, Iā€™ve seen it devour guys. We work toward this all our lives, and an injury, age, a bad trade, whateverā€”can end it overnight. If the game has eaten up your priorities, turned you into someone you never wanted to be, whatā€™s the point?ā€ I laugh self-consciously. ā€œI probably soundā€”ā€

ā€œYou sound too good to be true,ā€ she interrupts, her hand still resting on mine. ā€œGuys in your position, the night before the big game, right on the edge of the draftā€”these arenā€™t things most of them are thinking about.ā€

She props her chin in the palm of her free hand, a slow smile working its way to her mouth. ā€œYouā€™re special.ā€ She bites her lip, lifting her hand away from my fingers, dropping her eyes to the bar top scarred by a million glasses and a million moments before ours. ā€œIā€™m glad I met you.ā€

That sounds suspiciously like the beginning of goodbye. Like sheā€™s ready to close the door on this surreal chapter.

I canā€™t let that happen. A night like this, a connection like thisā€”itā€™s singular. After tomorrowā€™s game, my future will literally be a little ball bouncing around in the NBA Draft Lottery. I may end up playing for a team I donā€™t like, living in a place I wonā€™t get to choose.

But tonight, I have control. I have choices, and I choose her. To get to know her. To woo her. To earn her trust. All I need is time.

But time seems to be the one thing we donā€™t have.

ā€œClosing.ā€ The bartender drags our empty glasses toward him and wipes down the surface in front of us. ā€œYou ainā€™t gotta go home, but you gotta get out of here.ā€

I hadnā€™t noticed the bar emptying around us, but weā€™re nearly the last ones left.

ā€œGood luck tomorrow, West,ā€ the bartender says, sliding two checks across the freshly-wiped bar.

ā€œThanks.ā€ I stand and snatch both of them before she can even look at hers.

ā€œGive me that.ā€ She lunges toward me, but I hold the check over my head, completely out of her reach.

She stumbles into me, her soft breasts pressing against my chest. I want to wrap my arms around the stretch of sensuous lines and curves that make up her body. With her check still suspended over my head, I slide my other hand down her back, investigating her shape beneath the clingy cotton. I palm the dip at her waist, drawing her a few inches closer until her warmth, her clean scent, surrounds me.

She blinks up at me, bright eyes darkening and widening, the green and gold lost in sable. Desire starbursts her irises. Weā€™ve barely acknowledged the current humming between our bodies, the electricity running under the surface of our easy conversation, until just now. Until I lured her into me with a little slip of paper.

ā€œLet me buy your drinks.ā€ I canā€™t remember ever wanting a woman the way I want her. I donā€™t just want to bury my hands in all that dark hair, or to discover for myself how sweet her lips taste, or to explore her body. I want more of her memories, her secretsā€”to accept an invitation she hasnā€™t extended to anyone else.

Her lashes lower, shielding her eyes from mine, but she canā€™t hide her bodyā€™s responseā€”the way all the places sheā€™s soft seem to seek out the places Iā€™m hard and unyielding. How her breath stutters over her lips in little pants.

ā€œUm, okay.ā€ She steps back until weā€™re no longer touching, clearing some of the huskiness from her voice before going on. ā€œThanks. I could have . . . well, thanks.ā€

Neither of us speaks on our way to the door. I find myself slowing to match her shorter stride. We watch each other from the corners of our eyes, the silence between us pulsing with possibility. Once outside, weā€™re tucked away under an awning with the still-bustling city just beyond our patch of sidewalk. Inside, surrounded by people and noise and the action of the game, the conversation came so effortlessly. The confessions and admissions Iā€™d never made to anyone else flowed right out of me. And now, itā€™s just us and Iā€™m not sure what to say to keep her here, but I know what Iā€™ve been feeling, what weā€™ve been doing, canā€™t end tonight.

Thereā€™s this part in Spanglish, one of Adam Sandlerā€™s chick flicks. He and his kidsā€™ nanny share dinner at his restaurant. Itā€™s just one meal, a few hours. The narrator, the nannyā€™s daughter, says, ā€œMy mother has often referred to that evening at the restaurant as the conversation of her life.ā€ Iā€™m pretty sure I rolled my eyes when I heard it and said, ā€˜That was some conversation.ā€™

But now, with her, standing at the edge of goodbye, all I can think is . . . that was some conversation.

The streetlight and the moon illuminate things the dimness of the bar hidā€”the amber in her hair I thought was just black, the length of her lashes casting shadows on her cheeks while she studies the ground. We both seem to be searching for words. Itā€™s as if weā€™ve crammed so much into the last few hours that there are no words leftā€”none left for me, anyway. All I have is feeling. Need. I need to touch her, to kiss herā€”I need something physical to reassure me this encounter really happened. That this isnā€™t the end.

When youā€™re a foot taller than a girl, itā€™s hard to smoothly go in for a kiss, so I donā€™t try for smooth. Iā€™m careful, though. I lift her chin with one finger, persuading her eyes up to meet mine. I cup her cheek and lower my head until Iā€™m hovering over those lips that look so soft I have to hold myself back from devouring them; I have to control my need to taste her right away. My body revs, demands. My heart slams into my rib cage. My dick is hard. Want sizzles through every cell of my body.

ā€œAugust.ā€ She pulls her chin away and presses her hand to my chest, but not to explore. To gently push me back. I hold my breath, waiting to see what this means, this small space sheā€™s put between us.

Her head drops forward until the dark cloud of hair eclipses her face, hides her expression. ā€œIā€™m sorry.ā€ She steps back, running a hand through her hair. ā€œI-I canā€™t.ā€

I want to bring her close again. ā€œItā€™s okay. I get it, of course. We just met.ā€

I link our fingers. Even that brief contact stirs my senses. I check the roar of my body, hoping my erection doesnā€™t betray me.

ā€œWe can just talk. We can go to your place, if youā€™re not far.ā€ I lift her chin so I can see her eyes. So she can see that I mean it. Despite the absolute inferno raging under my skin, itā€™s enough. ā€œWe can do whatever you want.ā€ 

As little, as muchā€”letā€™s just keep doing something. Letā€™s just not stop.

ā€œI-I canā€™t. We canā€™t.ā€ With a vigorous shake of her head, she takes another step back, dropping my hand, inserting space between us again. ā€œI have a boyfriend, August.ā€

Shit.

I shouldnā€™t be surprised that sheā€™s taken. A girl this gorgeous, this funny and smart and authenticā€”sheā€™s all the adjectives I would use to describe the perfect girl for me. Sheā€™s even the things I didnā€™t know I wanted. But now I know, and I canā€™t have her.

A hole gapes open inside of me wider and deeper than it should be considering how little I know about her, but itā€™s there. And by the second, it fills with disappointment and lost possibilities.

ā€œSo . . . is it serious?ā€ I wince internally. If thereā€™s anything more douchey than trying to kiss another guyā€™s girl, it would be asking, in so many words, if sheā€™s sure she wants to stay faithful to him.

ā€œYeah.ā€ She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip. ā€œWeā€™ve been dating about a year.ā€

She finally looks up at me, and at least the battle in her expression, the struggle reflected back to me from her eyes, assures me Iā€™m not imagining the pull between us.

ā€œI should have told you, but that would have been weird.ā€ She smiles ruefully. ā€œI would have sounded like I was assuming you wanted more than . . .ā€

We stare at each another in a silence rich with things I shouldnā€™t say.

ā€œI do want more than.ā€ I manage a smile, though Iā€™m frustrated and not just sexually. Iā€™m downright devastated that some other guy got here before I did.

ā€œIā€™m sorry.ā€ She stuffs her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. ā€œI was enjoying our conversation so much. I didnā€™t want to . . . I hope I didnā€™t mislead you.ā€

ā€œYou didnā€™t.ā€ I stuff my hands in my pockets, too, to keep from touching her again. ā€œAt least I made a new friend.ā€

Friend.

It sounds hollow compared to what I thought we could be, but I canā€™t demand more. I canā€™t make her give me more. Iā€™m on the eve of something most men only dream of, and this bright-eyed girl has made me feel helpless.

ā€œYeah.ā€ Her face relaxes a little into a smile. ā€œA friend.ā€

ā€œAnd you helped take my mind off tomorrowā€™s game.ā€

As soon as I say it, both of our eyes go wide. I check my watch, dreading the time.

Fuck.

Curfew.

Was I so absorbed by this girl that I forgot curfew before the biggest game of my life?

Yeah, I was.

ā€œOh my God.ā€ Her eyes are anxious, worried. ā€œThe game. Youā€™ve missed curfew.ā€

The hunger, the heat, the rightness between us had made me shove every other thought aside, but they all intrude now. Curfew. The rest of the team, asleep and accounted for at the hotel. Tomorrowā€™s game.

ā€œWill you get in trouble?ā€ she asks, frowning.

ā€œIt wonā€™t be the first time Iā€™ve had to sneak in,ā€ I tell her with more confidence than I actually feel. The biggest game of my life, and I lost track of time with a girl in a bar.

But what a girl.

Looking at her, replaying every moment, every joke, every memory we shared over the last few hours, I canā€™t regret it.

ā€œLet me at least walk you home.ā€ Curfew or not, thereā€™s no way Iā€™m letting her go alone.

ā€œNo. Iā€™m really close.ā€

This part of the city is completely commercial as far as I can tell, not residential. ā€œYour apartment is nearby? Or are you staying at a hotel?ā€

Does she live here? Is she visiting? A student? Is she in town for the game? Will she be there tomorrow? Does she want tickets to come see me play? All the things we did talk about are suddenly less important than all the things we never said. I donā€™t even know her damn name. ā€œGumboā€ wonā€™t get me very far after tonight. Panic tightens my body into a drawn bow. Even if itā€™s never more than what we had tonightā€”the honesty, humor, ease, empathyā€” I want to continue with her. Iā€™ll even settle for the dreaded wordā€”friendship.

ā€œIā€™ll walk you home,ā€ I insist.

ā€œIā€™ll be fine.ā€ She looks down at the ground and then back at me. The end is in her eyes. I see goodbye, and I want to stop it before it reaches her lips, but I donā€™t.

ā€œGoodbye, August. Good luck tomorrow.ā€ She turns and starts up the sidewalk.

I want to chase her. To follow and find out where she lives or where sheā€™s staying. Even knowing some lucky bastard found her first, I canā€™t imagine having no idea how to find her again.

ā€œHey, wait,ā€ I call after her, forcing my feet not to follow. ā€œYou should at least tell me your name. Do you really want me to think of you as Gumbo forever?ā€

She faces me but keeps walking backward, steadily putting more space between us. Between this night and the rest of our lives. Mischief lights her eyes, and the sly smile playing around her lips makes me think for a terrible moment that she wonā€™t tell me.

ā€œItā€™s Iris,ā€ she calls back to me. ā€œMy name is Iris.ā€

I stay still, absorbing the sound of her name, absorbing the look on her face as she walks out of my life with as little fanfare as she entered it. Her smile dies off, and sheā€™s staring at me like she wants to remember my faceā€”like she wonā€™t forget tonight either. Like maybe, unreasonably, undeniably, this night meant as much to her as it did to me. If she felt it, too, this connection, she canā€™t be walking away, but she is. Iā€™ve only known her a few hours. Itā€™s unreasonable that desperation bands my chest and panic shortens my breath, like Iā€™m sprinting.

Except Iā€™m standing still. And sheā€™s still walking.

Walking and turning the corner, out of my sight.

She takes my hope for more with her when she goes.

 

#SighSwoonSwoosh

ā†’Be emailed when Long Shot is LIVE:  bit.ly/LongShotAlert

ā†’Add on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/KennedysLongShot

ā†’Join the LONG SHOT March Madness Party:  http://bit.ly/LongShotParty

150 Responses

  1. I canā€™t wait to read this cause I still havenā€™t read a book involving basketball, and I love Kennedyā€™s writing so much! Need to read more by her, and catch up on all her other books! šŸ˜

  2. OMG!!! I already was excited about Long Shot, but after this first chapter!šŸ˜±šŸ˜šŸ˜ I need more!gimme gimmešŸ¤—

  3. Why iā€™m excited for Long Shot? Cause its from Kennedy!
    Super excited for all the feels i know Kennedy would bring with every book she write

  4. OMG it is hard to stop after 1 chapter! I canā€™t wait to read more! I love forbidden romance and you always take me on an exhilarating journey that will leaves me raw, breathless and totally satisfied. So excited!

  5. Itā€™s a Kennedy book and I donā€™t have any of your physical books. Thanks for the chance!

  6. Im looking forward to Long Shot because Kennedy is Queen and I know Iā€™ll love August like I loved Grip and Rhyson and Iā€™m ready for this new book boyfriend

  7. Because I love basketball and there arenā€™t many romance books that feature it so Iā€™m excited about that and also the fact that itā€™s written by someone who loves the game as well! Thank you so much for the chance!

  8. Iā€™m kinda pissed that I have to wait to finish this story now lol. What a fantastic start. I canā€™t wait to see how it all works out for these two.

  9. I need more pronto!!! Iā€™ve loved your work forever and I canā€™t wait to read it all. So excited!!!

  10. Why am I excited to read Long Shot!?! First of all, FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME! Secondly, I know Long Shot will be a sports romance with substance, because of who is writing it. Thirdlyā€¦.AUGUST!!! That man is F-I-N-E!!!! Honestly, there are so many reasons Iā€™m excited, but mainly because I know Kennedy will have a buzzer beater with Long Shot!

  11. Iā€™m excited because Kennedy has never done me wrong! And also, I love sports romance.

  12. Oh my!! It sounds awesome!! August sounds almost too good to be true!!! Sigh!! Cannot wait!! Seems like there is going to be some serious drama for August to get what he wants!!

  13. Hell I was looking forward to this book just by the looks of the cover! #CoverWhore And I love basketball, so a sport romanceā€¦YES, please and THANK YOU!

  14. I am looking forward to Long Shot because the blurb sounds AMAZING, and this chapter has me even more excited!

  15. Wow! I so dam giddy right now! Their connection is so capturing! I love her sassiness and I love that he didnā€™t give up. Oh boy I canā€™t wait for this book!

  16. Omg!! I didnā€™t want to stop reading!! Kennedy your words are life! I canā€™t wait to read this book. Ah! The connection they have already in just the first chapter! Amazing!!

  17. Oh wow. I just love Kennedyā€™s words and this taste has me craving so much more!
    Many thanks <3

    1. AND I loved Full Court Press so to say I am desperate for more of your sexy ballers is an understatement.

  18. Iā€™m a masochist. Reading only one chapter is a sure way to drive me crazy with wanting and desperation to have Long Shot in my arms already. Counting the days Kennedy.

  19. Why do I want to read Long Shotā€¦.the cover is absolutely gorgeous, the blurb grabbed my attention instantly, the 1st chapter already has me hooked, and I love basketball especially my Kentucky Wildcats #BBN #GOBIGBLUE!!! Thanks for the chance!!

  20. I want to read Long Shot because it sounds amazing from what Iā€™ve read. Iā€™ve never read anything like that before and I actually love it already.

  21. If the chapter reveal didnā€™t make me want to read this book, then that smoking HOT cover certainly would have pulled me in!! Canā€™t wait to check this one out!!

  22. iā€™m excited for long shot bc everything kennedy writes is gold and August will be no different!

  23. Looks like a great read!& Iā€™m a romance reader on a budget so I truly appreciate authors giving us a chance to check out new material & hopefully find new favs!! šŸ˜ŠšŸ’™

  24. After read 1 chapter I need to know more about Gumbo šŸ™‚. OMG this girl is so cool and August seems like a good guy. I canā€™t wait to read this. Thanks for the chance

  25. Sports romances are my favourite and after one chapter I can already tell that Kennedy Ryan has knocked this one out of the park!! August has a lot going on! On the eve of the biggest night of his life, he is plagued with memories of his father and worried about his coachā€™s wife!! Suddenly he hears a woman shouting at the tv in the bar and canā€™t resist going to her!! There he finds an instant connection with Iris, but all too soon the night ends!! How will their story end? Sigh!!! I canā€™t wait to read the rest of this book and see what happens!!!! Plus the cover is absolutely stunning!!! I donā€™t own any of Kennedyā€™s books in paperback, I only have her books on kindle and this is one book I would definitely love to have in paperback!!!!

  26. Iā€™m excited to read Long Shot because Iā€™ve read the first chapter and it looks amazing!!!!ā™„ļøšŸ˜šŸ˜

  27. I LOVE THE Chapter!!! OMG!! This is definitely a best selling (I SAID IT FIRST)
    šŸ’ŖšŸ’ŖI love strong women who fucking curse. Its frowned upon but she doesnā€™t give a shit about what anybody thinks.
    šŸ‘ŠšŸ‘ŠI love stories that highlights how women stand up against odds.
    šŸ˜ŗšŸ˜ŗI always wanted to have a conversation with a stranger like this.
    CANT WAIT FOR THISSSSS!!!

  28. Ever since Full Court Press I knew I was going to love Long Shot and I have been really looking forward to it. Reading this chapter confirms that LS is going to be another favourite of mine. Iā€™m so excited to know more about August and Iris, see what happens next, watch them fall in love, and curious about the issues that will be brought up. There is always at least one important message in any of KRā€™s books.

  29. Why Iā€™m looking forward to Long Shot?!! The cover. The cover model. Heck the title. And that synopsis -.- This whole book premise has me D E A D ! But most of all, because there isnā€™t enough diversity in the book community. So when I find a book where the characters are diverse and different and canā€™t be put into a box I lose my mind. I lose all my common sense and get all googly eyed. I eat it up like cupcakes and chocolate. And if you need another reason because of this ā€œI donā€™t just want to bury my hands in all that dark hair, or to discover for myself how sweet her lips taste, or to explore her body. I want more of her memories, her secretsā€”to accept an invitation she hasnā€™t extended to anyone else.ā€ The way you deliver your unique and poetic style of writing! The rawness.
    ā€”
    Good luck everyone! Thank you for the chance and for this amazing giveaway!!

    ā€“ xoxo

  30. Kennedy has been sharing teasers, snippets, her inspiration and the gorgeous cover and I have been salivating for this book. I know Iā€™m going to get so much more than a romance. Iā€™m going to get heart, emotion, a new way to look at life and the world around us. Those are just a few of the things that make Kennedyā€™s stories stand out.

    From the first chapter alone Iā€™m smitten and Iā€™m sure Iā€™ll be in love by the end.

  31. Iā€™m excited because I just read Grip and loved it and now want to devour all of Kennedyā€™s books. I also love sports romances and donā€™t think Iā€™ve ever read a basketball/NBA one. Canā€™t wait

  32. I fell in love with Kennedy Ryanā€™s writing through Grip so Iā€™m excited to read all her words.

  33. I love love love sports romance and Kennedyā€¦canā€™t get any better than that!

  34. Why Iā€™m excited for long shot. I canā€™t wait to find out what happens between August and Iris!! Even after one chapter I am rooting for them so hard itā€™s crazy haha!! #sighswoonswoosh

  35. There are not enough words to describe how I feel about this book. I can NOT wait for this, Iā€™m connected with this story in so many ways, and Hello!!!! The cover,,, hello AUGUST!!

  36. At first I was looking forward when a read the synopsis. Than I was looking forward again when I saw that AMAZING cover. And now Iā€™m that Iā€™ve read the first chapter I JUST CANā€™T WANT TO READ ALL OF IT! Release this amazing book to the world ASAP, girl!

  37. I was looking forward when Iā€™ve read the synopsis. Then I was looking forward again when I saw this stunning cover. And now that Iā€™ve read the first chapter I JUST CANā€™T READ TO READ IT ALL!
    RELEASE THIS AMAZING BOOK THE WORLD ASAP, GIRL!

  38. Hi Kennedy,
    Iā€™m looking forward to long shot because I loved every single book or Schortstory I have read thatā€™s written by youšŸ˜šŸ˜ā¤ļø I like sports romances a lot too.

  39. I am so excited for this book I need a new keep me reading book to take with me to Vegas

  40. Because Hello sports romance and that cover, gah! #coverlove Thanks so muchšŸ’œ

  41. Forbidden. It just never gets old. It might make me weird, but Iā€™m excited for the angst. šŸ˜€

  42. The number one reason Iā€™m looking forward to LONG SHOT is because you wrote it. Also, because I love sports romance and havenā€™t read too many (or really any) in the world of basketball. Please and thank you!!!

    1. It is not amazing how good your words are with every book you write. You are an amazingly gifted author. Love you girlšŸ’œšŸ’œ

  43. OK, I am already thinking major motion picture! This chapter was so sexy! #SighSwoonSwoosh Indeed!!

  44. Well first of all, youā€™re one of my fave authors! And love me some sports romance. Oh and that cover is gorgeous!!!

  45. My entire comment disappeared from earlier so here I am again šŸ˜© Why Iā€™m looking forward to Long Shot?!! The cover. The cover model. Heck the title. And that synopsis -.- This whole book has made me D E A D ! But most of all, because there isnā€™t enough diversity in the book communityā€¦ So when I find a book where the characters are diverse and different and canā€™t be put into a box I lose my mind. I lose all my common sense and get all googly eyed. I eat it up like cupcakes and chocolate. And if you need another reason because of this ā€œI donā€™t just want to bury my hands in all that dark hair, or to discover for myself how sweet her lips taste, or to explore her body. I want more of her memories, her secretsā€”to accept an invitation she hasnā€™t extended to anyone else.ā€ The way you deliver your unique and poetic style of writing! THANK YOU for the chance! Good luck everyone xx

  46. I donā€™t have to read the first chapter to know that Iā€™m going to love this book. Kennedy Ryan wrote it. Thatā€™s all I need to know that itā€™s going to be one of my favorites.

  47. Wow! This is great and Iā€™m excited to get more very soon. I love Kennedyā€™s writing and I love basketball, so Long Shot is for me.

  48. How could I not be interested in this book its about basketballā€¦. i love a good sports romance!!!

  49. I so canā€™t wait to read this! I am caughtā€¦ Hook, line and sinker! Kennedy, I love you and your words! Keep in being you! šŸ’œ

  50. Excited for long shot? Read the 1st chapter and so far it has held my interest which is hard to do lately,so yes Iā€™m looking forward to reading it.

  51. LOVE LOVE LOVE this chapter šŸ’š I am elated for Long Shot to be released šŸ˜ƒ To be honest I am not a big sports fan, but my Grammy loved basketball, it was her favorite. So, it adds to my excitement, because it will be like spending time with her šŸ’œ

  52. This sounds so good. Iā€™m loving this. So far. Canā€™t wait for release! šŸ˜˜ā¤šŸ’‹

  53. Well, the cover is amazing, the blurb is awesome and first chapter made me want to read more!

  54. Iā€™m excited for Long Shot because I love Sports Romance, and Iā€™ve never read one that was basketball-inspired! Thanks for the chance!

  55. Iā€™ve read plenty of sport romances. Focused on boxing, hockey, football, formula one, figure skating, tennis, but never one about basketball. And Iā€™m intrigued by your upcoming book. I really want to find out what a basketball player gets and all his skills ;))

  56. I spent a lot of good times watching my college boyfriend on a basketball court. I canā€™t wait to read this story. Thanks

  57. It is going to be awesome and this chapter really has me wanting to read it more now

  58. Oh yeaā€¦ I want more! I want it ALL!!!! Canā€™t WAIT to read the rest!

  59. Honestly, I am ready for a story that I can identify with, even in the tiniest way. I know that Kennedy did her homework and I can feel it in my bones, that I will connect to this story on many levels. Letā€™s be honest ā€“ I LOVE a good romance ā€“ I LOVE that she makes her couples work for it, but as with all of her stories so far, I LOVE that for some reason, I feel that her words are here for me to find and connect with when it comes to something I have gone through ā€“ every story- Kai, Grip, and now Iris ā€“ I carry parts of their story with me and now I am excited to read this, but honestly scared too. Sorry to be sappy!

  60. well. except the AMAZING writing and the fact that Kennedy Ryan is one of my 3 favourrit authors- Iā€™m really looking forward to reading this one ASAP, cause Iā€™m going through a rough patch these days, and constantly looking for something that will occupy my mind from thinkinā€™ about the things Iā€™m bothered withā€¦
    really need a good book to escape for a little one so iā€™m counting the days

  61. I love basketball! This book sounds so good that i probably wonā€™t put it down till iā€™m done reading it!

  62. I CAN NOT wait for Long Shot!! I love sports romance and that little teaserā€¦. That 1st chapter has got me wishing today was March 22nd and I could go 1-click right now!!

  63. I really bad to make excuses for something but I really know this book will gonna be awesome.
    And when I read the first chapter I told myself ā€œahhh you trying to torture me, I want to read it so badā€

  64. All of the teasers and this chapter have me so excited. I CANā€™T WAIT TO READ IT!

  65. This book sounds so freaking good! I love sports romance and I havenā€™t read many basketball stories! Kennedy is an amazing author and can write the hell out of characters and a story! Canā€™t wait!!!

  66. I am looking forward to reading Long Shot because I love all books Iā€™ve read by Kennedy Ryan! I donā€™t even need to read the first chapter to know I will love Long Shot šŸ™‚ I cannot wait for release day to read the entire book.
    Thank you for the chance at this giveaway <3

  67. Spicy and sexy with an alpha male who wonā€™t let go? Yes please !! Iā€™m all in.

  68. Sportsāœ”
    Forbidden Loveāœ”
    Total Hotnessāœ”
    Need I say more! Canā€™t wait!!

  69. EXCITED because finally a book about BASKETBALLā€¦ and because Cheri(kindlecrack) said get on this !

  70. Wow so looking forward to this story it sounds amazing and now I need to find out what is going to happens with August, will he play in the game the next day and will he see Iris again?

  71. Besides the hot guy on the cover that inspired the story?? Because there isnā€™t enough basketball stories and I really want to read it. Lol!
    Thanks so much for the chance! ā¤ļø

  72. Iā€™m so excited to be able to read Long Shot. Kennedyā€™s writing just flows so beautifully!

  73. Looking forward for Long Shot because Kennedy Ryan is one of my fave authors and Iā€™ve been waiting for a story like this from her šŸ˜ā¤ļø

  74. I would love reading it because I did not like Flow then I read Grip andā€¦ I got it! So I wantto see what you have up your sleeve now šŸ˜‰

  75. I love sports romances! I trust Kennedy to deliver a steamy, emotional love story that will stay with me long after I turn the last page. Also this will be my first basketball romance. Canā€™t wait to read!

  76. Eekk! Im excited because its Kennedy and also because I love books like this ā¤ I canā€™t wait to read!! Thank you for opportunity and what a great first chapter!!

  77. Reading the first chapter really got my attention. Plus youā€™re a new to me author, I love finding new authors for me to love. Thank you!

  78. This book sounded great from just the blurb but this first chapter hooks you. Canā€™t wait

  79. This is soooo good! I need to read the rest, not just want to I NEED too!! Love Kennedys books and this one wont be any different cant wait!!

  80. Why am I looking forward to the book? Because the book sounds really really good!!

  81. I love sports romance books! Havenā€™t read many basketball ones. Sounds awesome. Your killing me with the teasers. Love the cover.

  82. Reading the blurb has made me want to read more! Sounds like a good book so far. Thank you for the chance!

  83. Iā€™m excited and intrigued at how real ā€œGumboā€ was. As a New Orleans native who also relocated after Katrina I know her struggle first hand. Itā€™s hard leaving you home behind starting from scratch with nothing. I can wait to finish this book!

  84. Iā€™ve heard so many good things about Kennedy and her books and this one looks like something I would enjoy.
    Sexy player ā€“ check
    NA sports romance ā€“ check
    Amazing cover & blurb ā€“ check!

  85. I love you Kennedy! Anything you write, I read. Grip and Bristol still got me feeling some type of way and I finished their story weeks ago. You just have this thing that can really make readers feel eveerything!

  86. I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this book and it completely blew me away. Iā€™m excited for it to release so others can get lost in August and Irisā€™s story!

  87. So completely engaging, I got lost reading that chapter, but it ended so quickly and I need to know what happens! I canā€™t believe I missed the sign up, but itā€™ll be the first book I read when itā€™s released!

  88. I love Kennedyā€™s writing and I love basketball.
    Sounds amazing
    Thanks ā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤
    Me encanto

  89. KR, you sure know how to keep all of us on that roller coaster of emotion! Your writing is damn brilliant! Grip is an all-time favorite of mine and Iā€™m looking forward to see if Long Shot can beat it. Never stop writing, never ever!

  90. I cannot wait for Long Shot! The cover is absolutely stunning!! I love sport romances and basketball romances are rarely done! Also, soo intrigued after reading the first chapter!! Thanks for the chance!

  91. Iā€™m very excited to read Long Shot because basketball is my favourite sport and Iā€™ve never read or heard of a basketball romance so I canā€™t wait to read about this baller! This cover caught my eyes before I even saw the authorā€™s name so Iā€™ve got triple anticipation with the cover,Kennedyā€™s words and a baller romance! I CANNOT wait!!!

  92. I canā€™t wait to read this book. The cover is gorgeous. I need to know more about August. I enjoy reading books, but especially ones written by Kennedy Ryan.šŸ’œ

  93. The book cover makes you go hmmmā€¦ maybe I want to read this. The first chapter lets you know this is a book I am going to love!!!!!
    Thanks for this

  94. I didnā€™t read the chapter because I know Iā€™m going to want more after. So, Iā€™ll just wait..
    Iā€™m looking forward to reading another amazing book written by you! Canā€™t wait!! Thanks for the chance!

  95. I canā€™t wait to read this because I needed more after one chapter! And August, swoon over him, I was sucked in after the first few lines. Iā€™m excited to read this!!!

  96. The first chapter has me hooked canā€™t wait to see what happens I havenā€™t read any basketball romance and this sounds like a winner . Love the cover

  97. I canā€™t wait to read this because all of your books just make me feel so many emotions. They are all thought provoking and IMPORTANT! I canā€™t wait to start this today.

  98. Fortunately I was able to read the ARC for Long Shot. Absolutely amazing read and such an important one too. Iā€™m a forever fan!

  99. I just started this! Iā€™m excited for it because there are many sports romance novels out there but this is the 1st NBA one Iā€™ve seen and Iā€™m excited to see how you blend that with your writing style!

  100. Read the first 3 chapters and Iā€™m just dying to read the rest but I need a paper copy, ebooks are hard on my eyes. I also play šŸ€ and love basketball romance !
    Thank you for the chance !!

  101. This girl needs some August West in her life like ASAP! He is also already slated as my next book boyfriend. If Kennedy wrote it, its gold!! Oh this girl is the best!

  102. I am excited to read Long Shot because from the first chapter it had me wanting to read more! Not to mention the cover is hot! This will be the first book I have read by Kennedy Ryan and first basketball romance I have read! #Iaintskeered #Takingtheshot

  103. Iā€™m looking forward to Long Shot because it sounds really interesting and after reading the first chapter here I need more!

  104. I love your writing, and Iā€™m excited for you to take me on another journey I know will stay with me long after Iā€™ve closed the bookā€¦ <3

  105. Why do I want to read ā€œLong Shotā€? Because I am a basketball girl! I love basketball, and would love to read a romance with it tied in. Plus itā€™s Kennedy Ryan! Thanks so much for the chance. Crossing fingers ā™„

    mmalavec(at)med(dot)umich(dot)edu

  106. Iā€™m excited to read this because 1 I read anything and everything by Kennedy. 2. Have you seen the cover?????? 3. It sounds really good

  107. Havenā€™t read a good sports romance in a while so looking forward to this! šŸ™‚

  108. The book sounds so good! Love sports romances! I need to get this now. Thanks for the chance!!

  109. I LOVE sports romances, there is just something about athletes that gets me all hot and bothered! Thanks for the chance, canā€™t wait to read it!

  110. Basketball is one of my favorite sports to play! I canā€™t wait to read this book.

  111. Holy cow!! Iā€™m hooked after the 1st chapter canā€™t say Iā€™ve read ANY basketball romances but YES YES AND YES I want to read this!!! šŸ˜

  112. Oh myā€¦I feel as though Iā€™ve been left hanging on the edge of a cliff. I have to read this book!

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop