Book Title: Remedy (A Tulip Farm Romance)
Author: Alex Hall
Publisher: Madison Place Press
Cover Artist: Rebecca Slather
Release Date: September 2, 2021
Genre: Contemporary M/Nonbinary romance
Tropes: Sports romance (equestrian), friends to lovers
Themes: Acceptance of change in circumstances, rehab to recovery
Length: 90 000 words/ 240 pages
It is a standalone story and also book one of a series. It does not end on a cliffhanger.
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Reed helps Peter realize that there is life and love after a life and career-changing accident.
Blurb
At just 28, Peter is one of the youngest athletes ever to secure a spot on Team USA’s Show Jumping roster for the Paris Summer Olympics. With the support a large, equestrian-centric family behind him Peter’s a shoo-in to win individual gold—
—until a freak on-course accident badly injures Peter and the talented mare he’d been riding. Dreams of success in Paris quickly coming apart, he holes up at the family complex, Tulip Farm, to rehab and re-assess. His parents and three siblings try to keep his spirits up, but it’s hard to focus on the future when by night he’s plagued by reoccurring headaches and by day he can barely walk without pain.
Reed Androku has recently chosen to follow their passion: holistic equine rehabilitation. Tulip Farm – an immaculate facility run by the famous McAuley-Griffin clan – seems the perfect place to chase that dream, and when the family unexpectedly opens up Barn A to boarders, Reed jumps at the opportunity. They’ll happily take advantage of roomy stalls, heated arena, and state-of-the-art footing even if it means putting up with Peter Griffin, the family’s youngest son and ex-Olympic hopeful.
Peter needs healing, and a reason to hope. Reed’s got a knack for rehab and a soft-heart for hard cases, but they also have a dangerous secret. Fate throws Peter and Reed together, sparking a passion that could turn into something deeper, but first they must weather Peter’s recovery, the McAuley-Griffin family’s obsessive need to meddle, and Reed’s violent past.
“It’s not wrapped.” Kate squinted out over her coffee cup at the front drive. “I can’t believe Da canceled the van wrap. I thought it was only Mum who can get him to change his mind.”
“He’s feeling guilty and doesn’t know what to do about it,” Peter hazarded. “Or maybe it’s just old-fashioned pity.”
“Nice. Next time I need his approval on my stud list, I’ll let you and your leg do the talking.”
They were sitting together on the front porch, watching Thursday’s sunrise outline Tulip Farm in shades of white and gray. Kate was spread out across the porch swing, dirty boots on their mum’s pretty white pillows, taking her first infusion of coffee in gulps. Peter preferred his coffee extra hot, savored one sip at a time. He cradled the warm mug in both hands as he slouched in his wheelchair, studying the rented van parked in the drive.
His right shoulder ached beneath the figure-eight brace that held his healing collarbone in place, and his left leg throbbed angrily in time with the painful drumbeat in his head. He’d skipped his morning pain pills because he wanted to be clearheaded for the meeting with Androku, but now he was wondering if that had been a mistake.
“It’s nice, for a rental,” Kate said in approval. “Looks roomy. Can I take it to Walmart? Crap always blows around in the bed of my truck.”
“Take Mac’s car.” As far as Peter was concerned, Mac’s silver Mercedes, parked a few yards down from the van, was an affront to the eyes. At least the van—for all that he could barely stand the sight of it—was a Dodge. “I bet it’s never seen a Walmart parking lot before.”
Kate snorted. Peter took a slow sip of coffee and closed his eyes in pleasure. Hospital coffee was shit. Aine had a coffee addiction that she’d passed on to all four of her children, which meant the farm was always stocked with the highest quality beans. If Peter could figure out a way to inject the stuff directly into his veins, he would. Especially as he hadn’t slept a wink the night before, and he suspected the new physical therapist Senior had hired wouldn’t take “my horse colicked last night and I couldn’t even get down to the barn to see her on my own” as an excuse to slack off.
“Oh, hey, what do you know?” Kate drawled, sounding much too pleased with herself. “Here comes your five thirty. I told you they’d show. And early, even.”
Peter opened his eyes before grimacing. Truth was, he’d been pretty sure Androku would show as well, if only to make a point. Still, there was nothing wrong with hoping they’d been pissed off enough to give their dawn appointment a pass. Or, even better, pack their bags and beeline back to their last post in Kentucky.
Because Peter suspected he owed Androku an apology, especially as he’d spent most of his sleepless night reading the Russian’s references, first in Kate’s file and then on Google. Every review he could find was stellar. Apparently Androku was both a miracle worker and a champion of lost causes.
Peter didn’t do apologies. The few times in his life he’d tried, he’d only made things worse. He liked to think it was because Senior had never modeled the skill, but that was probably giving himself a pass he didn’t deserve. The honest truth of it was apologizing felt too much like a defeat, and Peter had never in his life accepted defeat.
Peter doesn’t ask for help.
“The times,” he murmured sourly into his coffee, “they are a-changing.”
“Dylan? You think?” Kate considered Androku as they skirted Aine’s rain-choked flower beds and started up the drive. “Wouldn’t have pegged them as a classics sort of person.”
“Pink Jones,” Peter said, remembering Androku’s hoodie and joggers the night before. At least this morning they were dressed for business, in breeches and tall boots and a polo. Even the gauzy pink-and-yellow scarf wrapped casually around Androku’s throat managed to look cheerful and charming against their olive skin.
“Good morning!” Kate called as Androku skirted around the van. “Look at you, all fresh and lovely. Peter and I are feeling a bit like something one of Mum’s cats puked up. You’d think we’d be used to early mornings by now.”
“Comes of being farm stock.” Androku smiled at Kate with a real warmth that made Peter want to roll his eyes as he added “genuinely friendly” to the mental list he’d worked up overnight, right under “knows their stuff” and “probably not a con artist.”
“Annie’s doing well,” Androku continued, shifting their smile from Kate to Peter. “Back on her feed and acting her usual self. But I suppose you know that. John says you were down to the barn again very early this morning. I would have sent word if there was more trouble.”
That last sentence sounded vaguely accusatory, but Androku’s cheerful expression didn’t falter so Peter decided to let it go.
Sarah Remy/Alex Hall is a nonbinary, animal-loving, proud gamer Geek. Their work can be found in a variety of cool places, including HarperVoyager, EDGE and NineStar Press.
Author Links
Blog/Website | Twitter: @sarahremywrites
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Very nice cover and the story sounds good.
Good luck with the release!