Thrown releases December 16
Book links:
Amazon
Synopsis:
THROWN is a lighthearted yet steamy contemporary romance by Golden Heart finalist Colette Auclair, featuring a young woman who must choose between capturing a gold medal and the man who’s captured her heart.
In THROWN, professional trainer Amanda Vogel dreams of riding jumpers in the Olympics, but after seeing her best friend die in a riding accident, she’s so traumatized she can’t show. Broke and desperate, she takes a summer job in Aspen teaching some big-shot widowed movie star’s spoiled daughters to ride—even though she hates teaching kids. She braces herself for three miserable months. But by Labor Day, she has to choose between capturing a gold medal…and the man who has captured her heart.
THROWN was a 2012 Golden Heart finalist in the single-title contemporary romance category. It also won the 2011 Winter Rose Contest (Yellow Rose Romance Writers) and finaled in the 2011 Cleveland Rocks Romance Contest (North East Ohio Romance Writers Association)
My review:
Thrown is the first work from debut author Colette Auclair and was truly enjoyable from start to finish.
Trying to pick up the pieces after seeing her best friend killed in a riding accident, Amanda Vogel finds herself the personal trainer to one of the biggest movies stars in Hollywood’s two little girls. More like two little spawns of Satan, if she’s being honest. Seems like Amanda really can’t catch a break. She’s had to sell her beloved horse, she lost her best friend, can’t even think about jumping anymore without going into a panic attack and now she has to train these little brats. There was one up side though…getting to see the girls’ gorgeous movie star father, Grady. A girl could get used to seeing his sexy self every day. Grady’s personal assistant already warned Amanda that she was to keep things professional and that trying to get into Grady’s bed was not part of her job. Well, Amanda didn’t have time for a relationship anyway, so no worries there. Plus, the last break up still stung. Looks like the only thing left to do was focus on her work, get these girls trained and hopefully move on once the summer and this job was over. Except fate seems to have a different plan in store for Amanda and this job may be exactly what she needs to put the bad memories behind and find a chance at life, and love, once again.
Thrown is one of those books that leaves you feeling happy and smiling from ear to ear when you finish reading. Amanda’s story was pretty damn sad when we first meet her. Her dreams of being an Olympic jumper and all but crushed when her best friend dies tragically and the accident Amanda emotionally scarred and unable to jump. But she’s got a strong will and is trying her very best to pick up the pieces and move on. I truly admired her strength…which she sure needed in dealing with Grady’s two little girls. Ugh, those two were rotten in the beginning of the book! Amanda had her work cut out for her, but she managed to build an amazing relationship with those two little girls who were in need of a mother figure in their lives. Speaking of relationships, what Amanda and Grady build throughout the story is one of those “dreamy sigh” kinds of relationships. The attraction between them was there from the start and builds slowly and beautifully. There were more than a few starts and stops and a lot of emotional ups and downs between them and I really wasn’t sure of they could get past all of it and make things work between them, but it ended exactly how I wanted it to. Oh, and Grady’s best friend and house chef, Harris, is someone I want to hang out with! He is quite a character and the voice of reason on more than one occasion for both Amanda and Grady. Love that man!
Overall, Thrown is a beautifully written love story with a whole lot of heart. I will be looking forward to see what comes in the next book, Jumped, due out in June. Thank you, Ms. Auclair, for a fabulous read!
Four Loves
About the author:
I write lighthearted, sexy romances that often include horses and a Portuguese water dog or two. My debut novel, Thrown, will be available as an e-book in Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Star line on December 16th (you can order it now). Stay tuned for the next book in the series, Jumped, in June 2014.
My agent is the lovely and talented Emily Sylvan Kim of Prospect Agency.
I live in Colorado and—not surprisingly—have a Thoroughbred mare and a Portuguese water dog. Both are smart, sweet and gorgeous. I’m originally from Pittsburgh and am still fiercely loyal to all of its pro sports teams. I studied theatre and advertising at Northwestern University (go Cats!) and have been a copywriter for more than twenty years. If you ever meet me, beware—anything you do or say could end up in a book and I make no apologies.
Personal Interests: Horses are right up there, as well as dogs, food (cooking and eating), wine, chocolate, gardening, Mad Men, hiking, Italy, gazing at the Rocky Mountains, reading, and making my husband laugh hard enough to cause whatever he’s drinking to exit through his nose.
If you want to talk books, writing, horses, food, wine or just about anything else, email me at colettea@gmail.com.