Thank you for joining me to celebrate the release of my newest m/m sports romance, Shots on Goal (Stick Side #3), and thank you to Queer Books Unbound for having me!

Today, I’m sharing an exclusive excerpt from the opening chapter. Check it out below!

Recently traded to the newly formed Vermont Trailblazers, professional hockey player Roman Kinsey needs to focus on helping the team win games and filling the stands, not on the blond, bespectacled part-timer who works at the library he volunteers at. He knows all too well that outing himself equals heartache and ridicule…or worse.

Cody Evans, psych major and grad school hopeful, notices everything and thinks too much. But he doesn’t know what to think when he sees Roman reading to kids. The rugged hockey player just doesn’t look like the type. But it stirs something in him, something he’s never felt before.

When the library is threatened with closure, Cody enlists Roman’s help. As they get to know each other better…much, much better…they realize that they have more in common than books. But Roman’s keeping a big part of himself from his team, and giving in to his feelings for Cody might be more than he’s willing to risk.

Series: Stick Side #3
Release Date (Print & Ebook): January 7, 2020
Length (Print & Ebook): 84,600 words | 330 pages
Genre: contemporary/new adult romance
Tropes: opposites attract, made family
Cover artist: Natasha Snow

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You could tell a lot about a person simply by observing them, and after three and a half years as a psychology major, Cody Evans was very good at reading body language.

And although he most likely thought otherwise, Roman Kinsey broadcasted his feelings so loudly they might as well have been written in ink.

He barely glanced up from the book in his lap as he read—uncomfortable.

He sat in the chair, shoulders curled—defensive.

He ran a hand over his shaved head when someone spoke to him—nerves.

He scowled at Cody in response to his friendly smile and wave—disinterest.

Or, more accurately, feigned disinterest. Cody had caught Roman checking him out. Not in an I-wanna-do-you way; more in a who-the-hell-are-you kind of way.

And now, as Roman finished up his conversation with Eileen, keeping his part to short one-sentence answers—“Yes, ma’am.” “Yes, I’m enjoying Vermont so far.” “Yes, the climate’s much different.”—his feet pointed toward the exit and he slowly inched his way out of the children’s section. He looked like he needed about twenty-four people-free hours.

The walls of the children’s section were painted a cheery yellow, and the carpet was a vibrant red. There was a kid-sized table, colorful kid-sized chairs, a rainbow-patterned canopy above foam playmats, and hanging from the ceiling were paper snowflakes the kids had made at the pre-Christmas craft event last month. In the lively space, Roman Kinsey stuck out like a flannel-wearing guest at a black-tie gala.

Cody knew about Roman Kinsey, of course. He had a few friends on Roman’s old NHL team, and whenever they mentioned him by name, it was followed by “Kinsey’s an asshole.” Cody had never met the guy, though, and he was disinclined to believe his friends until he formed his own opinion.

Because Roman might look like an asshole with his shaved head, dark stubble, perpetual frown, tattooed right arm, and defensive posture, but what others saw as doesn’t give a shit about anything, Cody recognized as lonely and mistrustful. He had a best friend who’d hid behind a mask for years; he recognized the signs.

Maybe he was way off the mark, but he was willing to give Roman the benefit of the doubt.

Eileen led Roman over to him. Cody straightened from his slouch against a bookshelf and grinned, an odd little thrill shooting through his bones when Roman’s eyes—a light olive-green color—squinted in challenge.

Giveaway

Winner’s choice of ONE signed paperback from Amy’s backlist!

**The Nature of the Game (Stick Side #2) is on $0.99 sale from January 7-13, 2020!**

Amy’s lived with her head in the clouds since she first picked up a book as a child, and being fluent in two languages means she’s read a lot of books! She first picked up a pen on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class had to stay inside for recess. Tales of treasure hunts with her classmates eventually morphed into love stories between men, and she’s been writing ever since. She writes evenings and weekends—or whenever she isn’t at her full-time day job saving the planet at Canada’s largest environmental non-profit.

An unapologetic introvert, Amy reads too much and socializes too little, with no regrets. She loves connecting with readers. Join her Facebook Group to stay up-to-date on upcoming releases and for access to early teasers, find her on Instagram and Twitter, or sign up for her infrequent newsletter here.

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Blog Tour Genre: Contemporary Genre: Romance Orientation: Asexual (+ace-spec) Orientation: Gay Pairing: M/M Self Published Tag: Celebrity / Famous Person Tag: Food Tag: Found Family Tag: Part of a series Tag: Sports Amy Aislin Shots on Goal Stick Side series