Release Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway:
Coaching the Nerd
By Eli Easton & Tara Lain
Nerds Vs Jocks, Book 2
Super-bod meets super-brain
What happens when marshmallow-bodied supernerd Sean volunteers to be on the jocks’ flag-football team? It screws Bubba’s fraternity’s chances at the coveted flag football title, that’s what.
Bubba is drafted to be Sean’s personal trainer. He has to whip Sean into shape and make sure he doesn’t F up their team.
Sean may be a supernerd, but to Bubba he’s funny, and wise, and kinda cute. He’s also the one person on campus who doesn’t see Bubba as a big, stupid jock.
One BIG problem. Sean’s motivation for getting into shape is to lose his virginity — and Bubba isn’t happy when guys start sniffing around.
But Bubba’s straight. Isn’t he?
Can a big, dumb jock from Nowhere, Wisconsin change his whole life for a genius who just wants to get laid?
COACHING THE NERD is a total makeover, opposites attract, My Fair Lady trope, bi awakening, campus romance – that grabs your flag.
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Excerpt – Expectations
I nodded. “I should probably leave you to study on your own.” I put the textbook back in my backpack and zipped it.
“Wait, Sean.”
I looked up at him. Bubba was biting his lip. “Um, I meant to tell you. There was a guy at the Mad Tech flag game who wanted me to give you his number. His name is Phil.” He opened a drawer in his desk and took out a little piece of paper. He handed it to me but didn’t want to let it go at first. I had to tug on it before he released it.
“Which one was Phil?” I asked, confused. All I remembered of the Mad Tech flag team was a bunch of random guys, none of whom paid any attention to me. Not that kind of attention, anyway.
“He wasn’t playing. He was watching the game. He goes to Mad Tech.”
“Oh.” I recalled seeing a few dozen people watching the games in the bleachers but hadn’t noticed anyone specific. I’d been too busy trying to keep up with the other players and hoping not to make a fool out of myself—again. And then I’d caught a ball. That had been rather glorious.
But when I looked down again at the number, the memory of that glorious moment faded. My chest hurt kind of little like I’d been stabbed through my ribs. Bubba was so very much not interested in me that he was trying to pawn me off on someone else.
I forced a smile. “Excellent. Thank you.” I put the number in my jeans pocket.
“You don’t have to call him,” Bubba said hurriedly. “I just thought I ought to give it to you, you know, since he gave it to me. You can toss it. Now that I think about it, you should probably toss it. Stranger danger and all that.” He looked uncomfortable again.
“Why would I do that?” I said brightly. “Phil actually wants to be with me.” I grabbed my backpack and headed for the door. But Bubba stopped me by grabbing my arm.
“Sean, wait.”
I stood still, not looking at him.
“The thing is…I’m not gay,” he said awkwardly. “I mean…I really like you. And I really liked kissing you. So, I must be bi. But I’ve only ever been with girls, and I don’t know how to do…the other thing. Or be that guy. I mean, it’s okay for Rand. But that’s not me. That’s not big ol’ Bubba Merkofsky, you know?”
I nodded sharply. “I understand. People put performative expectations on us. And it’s easier to fall in line with those expectations than it is to break free of them. That’s human nature. We’re social creatures, after all. It’s in our genetic makeup to care what others think of us. Survival and all of that. So you have nothing to feel guilty about.”
I was babbling, but I realized that I meant it. And that I really could understand—and forgive. In fact, I felt a little sorry for him. For us both. I turned and offered him a smile. “I’d just like to be your friend.”
He looked at me as if he’d never seen me before. “I knew you were smart. But how’d you get to be so smart about, like, people stuff?”
I shrugged. “Oh, I know all about expectations. My parents expect me to be a genius and only focus on my work. And everyone else expects me to be a nerd and not have any love life. That’s why I decided, over New Year’s, to get fit. Because I was tired of letting everyone else draw the borders of my life. It wasn’t getting me what I wanted, so—” I spread out my hands. “—it was time to change.” Yes. It definitely was. And maybe I would even call Phil. “Good night, Bubba. I hope your weekend back home is a good one.”
“Thanks, Sean,” Bubba said quietly. “Good night.”
To celebrate the release of Schooling the Jock, Eli & Tara are giving away a $20 Amazon Voucher.
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!
About Eli:
Coming from a background in computer game design, Eli has written over 35 books in m/m romance since 2013. The Mating of Michael (2014) and A Second Harvest (2016) both won The William Neale Award for Best Gay Contemporary Romance, and Eli’s books have won many awards from the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s Reader’s Choice Awards. She is best known for her Christmas romances, the Howl at the Moon series of rom coms featuring dog shifters, and her Sex in Seattle series, which revolves around a sex clinic in Seattle.
Connect with Eli:
www.elieaston.com
Facebook: Eli Easton
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/164054884188096
Twitter: @elieaston
About the Author:
Tara Lain believes in happy ever afters – and magic. Same thing. In fact, she says, she doesn’t believe, she knows. Tara shares this passion in her stories that star her unique, charismatic heroes and adventurous heroines. Quarterbacks and cops, werewolves and witches, blue collar or billionaires, Tara’s characters, readers say, love deeply, resolve seemingly insurmountable differences, and ultimately live their lives authentically. After many years living in southern California, Tara, her soulmate honey and her soulmate dog decided they wanted less cars and more trees, prompting a move to Ashland, Oregon where Tara’s creating new stories and loving living in a small town with big culture. Tara loves animals of all kinds (even snakes), diversity, open minds, coconut crunch ice cream from Zoeys, and her readers.
She has around 57 books published or scheduled for publication.
Connect with Tara:
Website: https://taralain.com/
Facebook Reader’s Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/255111391312743
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taralain/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/taralain
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taralainauthor/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tara-lain
