Under Pressure
(Love and Football, Book 1)
by Lauren Ashley
Series: Love and Football
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date (Print & Ebook): October 8, 2019
Length (Print & Ebook): 50,000 approx.
Subgenre: Contemporary Romance; LGBT romance, sports romance
Warnings: Brief mentions of religious upbringing/unsupportive parents, past sibling death from a car accident.
Book links:
Amazon US | Universal Link | Goodreads
Synopsis:
Rookie quarterback, Drew Carmichael, is under pressure like never before.
When Drew abruptly and unexpectedly comes out of the closet, his life is upended. The media is hounding him. Fans and haters are scrutinizing him nonstop. Worst of all, team management is wary of him, unsure if he’s worth all the hassle.
He’ll do anything to stay on his homestate’s NFL team, including pretending to be in a serious and committed relationship. The only problem is his fake boyfriend is Scott Hunter-the irresistible pop-country music star and his secret teenage crush.
Scott Hunter is used to being under pressure. He’s dealt with it his whole life, handling it all with grace and an unwavering smile on his face.
When his manager presents him with the long-awaited opportunity to come out of the closet, he jumps on it, no questions asked. Pretending to be Drew Carmichael’s boyfriend should be easy. Simple. Fun.
He never expected or wanted to start caring about the golden boy of football. That’s definitely not part of the plan. Neither is fooling around with him on a football field…
Touchdown.
Scott’s P.O.V.
“So what’s the big deal?” I question. “If anything, what I did only helped us. I mean fans have already given us a couple-name and we’ve been trending on social media all day.”
I feel a smile tug on the sides of my lips as I think about our couple name. Our fans have dubbed us Screw. It’s amusing as hell, has endless pun possibilities, and is pretty damn fitting–I want to screw Drew into the mattress, wall, counter of the kitchen island, hood of my car, basically on any and every surface.
Grier suddenly stalks over to her desk, drawing my eyes and thoughts back to her. She picks up her cell phone, moves her fingers swiftly across the screen, and then stalks back over to me.
“This,” she says as she turns the cell phone around and shows it to me, bringing it only mere inches from my face. “This is the big deal.”
On her phone is a photo of Drew and me from yesterday. It’s one that I hadn’t previously seen. Unlike the other, more popular and widely shared photos, this one captures the moment after our kiss. His forehead is resting against mine, we’re still pressed together against the tree, and the soft glow of golden hour makes the photo look like a scene out of a rom-com movie.
“It’s a good photo.” An understatement if there ever was one.
“It is,” Grier concedes. “It’s painfully obvious to anyone with half a brain and two working eyes that this is an intimate, raw, real moment.”
Her emphasis on the word real clues me into the issue at hand, but still I ask, “Isn’t that the goal? To convince people that we’re the real deal? To normalize it so that people in Drew’s profession get over their homophobic selves and so that I can enjoy a nice publicity boost?”
Even as I say the words, they feel wrong.
Mini Spotlight with Lauren Ashley:
How long have you been writing?
LA: I’ve been writing and brainstorming story ideas since elementary school!
How do you handle writer’s block?
LA: Writer’s block is something that I still struggle with. I try not to let it discourage me and remind myself that even the best, most successful authors get writer’s block.
What are the tools of the trade?
LA: WiFi/Internet, Vellum (lifesaver!), pen and paper, iPhone notes section
What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?
LA: Under Pressure is the first book in a trilogy. While the second book will feature a different couple, Drew and Scott will definitely make appearances!
If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
LA: Drew – Tyler Hoechlin, Scott – Garrett Hedlund
How many plot ideas are just waiting to be written? Can you tell us about one?
LA: Way too many to count! I don’t have much of a plot worked out yet, but it involves bodyguards and politicians.
What is your favorite book when you were a kid?
LA: Harry Potter! It’s still my favorite book now as an adult.
Five fun facts about you.
LA:
- I still have two baby teeth
- I used to be trilingual when I was a kid,
- I collect Harry Potter books (I have 9 different copies of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone),
- I went abroad for the first time when I was 26 years old,
- When I was a kid I collected all six of the Gold-Plated Cards from Burger King (I still have them!)
What is your social media poison of choice?
LA: Without a doubt Instagram! Such a great source of inspiration for pretty much all things (writing, photography, fashion, travel, etc.)
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About Lauren Ashley:
Lauren Ashley discovered her love for books at an early age. She is a hopeless romantic at heart and believes that everyone deserves their happily ever after. An East Coast native hailing from the Tri-State area, Lauren hates the cold weather, but loves her chunky sweaters and cups of coffee. When she’s not writing, she can be found traveling, binge-watching TV, spending time with loved ones, and obsessing over all things Harry Potter.