fbpx

Why You MUST Read This Book

Seven reasons why you must read this book!

  1. FOOTBALL. This book is set against the backdrop of professional football, and Tate is a running back who played in high school, at Carolina and now for Philadelphia. He loves the game . . . he’s committed to being strong and playing hard. After spending his first year in the pros mostly on the sidelines, Tate is eager to do everything he can to make sure he gets playing time now that he’s back with his hometown team. If you want to get a look at just how H O T football players can be, check out my Pinterest board here.

2. GIA. She’s one of the most complicated and tortured characters I’ve ever written, and that is saying something. Gia’s upbringing and family are at direct contrast to Tate’s: she’s the fifth and youngest daughter in

her well-to-do family, but her parents split up when she was young. Sassy and tough, Gia has a take-no-prisoners attitude . . . until she fell for Matt Lampert. He turned her inside out for four years, his self-destructive bent nearly killing her before he took his own life. When Tate finds her again, she’s not sure she wants to be rescued, and she fights him at first. But in this guy–who is a sort of anti-Matt–Gia’s met her match.

 

3. PUMPKIN PIE: There is a scene in this book that will make you look at the traditional Thanksgiving/holiday dessert in an entirely new way. Let’s just say that Tate has a unique way of enjoying his leftovers. So when you’re enjoying your pie and whipped cream today, let this drift through your mind . . . and use your imagination. Tate does.

4. MUSIC: All of my books are influenced by music, but none quite so much as this one. The play list is varied and rich–and it actually could have been longer. The songs on this list got me through some tough parts of the story, and when I wasn’t sure how to go on with it, I’d just play it again . . .

A few highlights: Goodbye to You was for Matt and Gia. It was what Gia was trying to say to Matt when she left him that last time.  Missing You was how Gia’s friends thought about her after Matt’s death. Use Me was Tate’s anthem to Gia after he found her in the grocery store. Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough is Gia talking to Tate at the end of Part One. Head Over Feet is Gia talking to Tate . . . later. And Hearts Don’t Break Around Here and Not Broken Anymore are both the happy ending.

m

5. ROMANCE: Yes, this book gutted me. But it’s also one of the hands-down most romantic stories I’ve ever written, because . . . Tate. This man–he loves Gia with a single-minded devotion, a patience that is beyond anything else and a steadfast hope and trust in the future. He treats her with deference and humor. Nothing else comes ahead of Gia. Not one thing. If Tate’s guilty of anything, it’s of not wanting to see the pain that was still tormenting Gia, even when she wanted to love him.

One of my favorites snippets:

I laughed a little. “You know, dude, if you were any other man, when I asked why you were here, you would’ve just fed me the friends-only line. I might not have bought it, but it would have given us both plausible deniability.”
Tate rested his chin on his hand and smiled serenely at me. “I’m not any other man.”
For a solid moment, I felt electricity crackle between us, and I couldn’t breathe. This was new, this hyper-awareness of another person, and I didn’t know quite what to do with it. I stared at Tate as my brain scrambled to figure out what to say or do next.

 

6. SEXY TIME: Any time you have a love story that involves a super-hot football player and a woman whose sexuality is vital and strong, expect fireworks of the very steamiest type.  What Tate might lack in experience, he makes up for in single-minded devotion and attention to detail. And although Gia isn’t sure at first that she’s ready for another relationship, when she makes her move, it’ll take your breath away.

7. TATE: So . . . yeah. Oh. My. Tate. I’ve written strong and sexy male leads before. Sam Reynolds, Cooper Davis, Rafe Brooks–all of them are insanely hot. So what it is about Tate that made fall totally and completely gaga in love? So. Many. Things. First of all, he’s a talented football player. Then he’s also a devoted grandson who isn’t ashamed of being proud of his Pops. He’s a good and loyal friend to Leo. He is steady and strong. He can cook. (And EAT!!) But mostly, Tate is incredible because once he found Gia, she was it for him. He waited for her, and he did whatever he had to do to win her trust and her heart.

Tate is the kind of guy you might think is too good to be true. But I know for a fact that he’s not. So much of Tate came from my own amazing husband, who has been, for thirty-three years, my biggest fan, my greatest supporter, the one who’s only seen me, no matter what.

When we began dating, I hadn’t gone through anything near what Gia has, but I was slightly jaded, a bit cynical (at the ripe age of 17!) and tired of being treated badly by previous boyfriends. The man who would become my husband wooed me by taking things slow, winning my heart with humor and food and careful attention. Yes, there’s a reason Tate is so special to me.

So now it’s up to you–are you ready for some incredible reading? Are you ready to laugh and cry and swoon? Go grab your own copy of NOT BROKEN ANYMORE . . . and be ready to fall in love.

iBooks

Amazon

Kobo

Google

Nook

Books2Read

 

Read All the Keeping Score Books!

WHEN WE WERE US

Football is everything, but love is the only game that matters.

Leo, Quinn and Nate . . . They’ve been best friends forever, but life is about to take them in different directions. Decisions about love and friendship could change their paths forever.

Nate: He’s been in love with Quinn since junior high. She’s always been his fierce protector, the one person who looks beyond his physical challenges to see who he really is. But Nate knows the hard truth. Leo holds Quinn’s heart. He’s the one she loves.

Quinn: She’s tired of waiting for Leo to realize that he loves her. But when he finally admits his feelings for her, can they be together without destroying their friendship–and each other?

Leo: He’s the football star, the guy all the girls in school want. But the one girl he secretly needs–Quinn–is the one he’s afraid to want. He knows she’s too good for him, but he can’t seem to resist loving her anyway. 

Amid the joys and heartache of first love, crushing loss and unthinkable decisions, Leo, Quinn and Nate struggle to find their way forward without losing each other.

HANGING BY A MOMENT

Football is everything, but love is the only game that matters.

Leo Taylor, the most promising–and maybe the hottest–tight-end in college football today, is my boyfriend.

Sounds perfect, doesn’t? Dating a football star at one of the nation’s top colleges is living the dream. But our long-distance relationship isn’t easy, and I find myself wondering if the timing is ever going to be right for Leo and me. It’s not always easy to play second-fiddle to football.

One thing I do know is that my friend Nate puts me first all the time. There’s no doubt in my mind that he loves me. I just can’t feel the same way.

These four years were supposed to be the most exciting time of my life. Instead, they turn into a rollercoaster of uncertainty, complete with breathtaking highs and lows that threaten to break my heart.

Faced with a decision that means either denying one friend his last wish or losing the only man I’ll ever love, I realize that in this game, for me, winning isn’t an option.

DAYS OF YOU AND ME

Football is everything, but love is the only game that matters.

Once upon a time, not that long ago, I had just about everything I ever wanted. I was a star football player at one of the best colleges in the country, and I had the girl I’d always loved by my side. The promise of a future most guys can only dream about was close enough to touch.

But if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that life is unpredictable. One twist can change it all, and suddenly, I’m alone. Even football, the one constant in all the insanity, somehow isn’t enough anymore, because without her, everything else is empty. Meaningless.

I’ve got one shot left. One more chance to win her heart. We’re not kids now, and I know that being good enough for Quinn isn’t some game I can fake my way through. She’s more than the prize; she’s my reason for living. The world only makes sense when we’re together.

And this time, I’m going to do whatever it takes to give us our happy ending.

And this, my friends, is not a cliffhanger. This is the happily after forever you’ve wanted.

Read All Three Books Here

Plus One Bonus Short!

For a limited time, get the entire Keeping Score Box Set for a special price.

Buy it here!

 

 

 

 

 

Tawdra Kandle writes romance, in just about all its forms. She loves unlikely pairings, strong women, sexy guys, hot love scenes and just enough conflict to make it interesting. Her books include young adult and new adult paranormal romance, new adult and adult contemporary romance and adult paramystery romance. She lives in central Florida with a husband, kids, sweet pup and too many cats. And yeah, she rocks purple hair.

You can follow Tawdra on Amazon to receive updates on her releases. You can also visit her website for more information, and subscribe to her newsletter  for sales announcement, special exclusive content and promotions!

If you enjoy Tawdra’s books, join the Naughty Temptresses!

Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest/Spotify/

BookBub/Books2Read

 

 

 

 

 

Not Broken Anymore–the next Keeping Score book!

Football is everything, but love is the only game that matters.
Tate Durham, the newest Philadelphia football hottie, has been in love with Gia Capri since the moment he laid eyes on her back in college. Unfortunately, that happened the same night her destructive and doomed relationship with the troubled Matt Lampert began. Tate didn’t stand a chance.

In the year since Matt took his own life, Gia’s been sleep-walking through her days and just barely surviving her nights. She’s not sure that she’s capable of anything else . . . until Tate finds her sitting on the floor of a grocery store, crying over potato chips.

Tate’s patience and honesty begins to heal what’s broken in Gia’s soul. Still, no matter how hard he tries—or how much he loves her—making her whole again might take more than he can give.

But love never gives up. And neither will Tate.

Preorder now

Releasing November 28th

Start to SCORE–for Free!

Thanks to a Featured Deal from the awesome BookBub, WHEN WE WERE US is FREE right now for a very limited time.

If you haven’t begun this friends-to-lovers, love-triangle, coming-of-age football romance yet, now is the perfect time to grab it up.

Football is everything, but love is the only game that matters.

Leo, Quinn and Nate . . . They’ve been best friends forever, but life is about to take them in different directions. Decisions about love and friendship could change their paths forever.

Nate: He’s been in love with Quinn since junior high. She’s always been his fierce protector, the one person who looks beyond his physical challenges to see who he really is. But Nate knows the hard truth. Leo holds Quinn’s heart. He’s the one she loves.

Quinn: She’s tired of waiting for Leo to realize that he loves her. But when he finally admits his feelings for her, can they be together without destroying their friendship–and each other?

Leo: He’s the football star, the guy all the girls in school want. But the one girl he secretly needs–Quinn–is the one he’s afraid to want. He knows she’s too good for him, but he can’t seem to resist loving her anyway. 

Amid the joys and heartache of first love, crushing loss and unthinkable decisions, Leo, Quinn and Nate struggle to find their way forward without losing each other.

All three books are now available everywhere,

singly or in a beautiful box set with an exclusive short!

Buy It Here!
Buy It Here!
Buy It Here!

 

 

 

At the beach with Leo and Quinn

Every year, as part of the build-up to Coastal Magic, I participate in a blog series on Literary Escapism called At the Beach. I write a short scene set (where else?) at the beach, featuring two or more of my existing characters. 

I asked the Temptresses for input about who should have the starring roles this year. The response was varied . . . but I did choose one couple. I’ll share that when the post goes live on Literary Escapism. 

But there was so much interest in some of the others . . . and because this year I have time for this kind of writing . . . so I decided to share some other At the Beach posts here, featuring different couples. 

Today it’s Leo and Quinn, from the Keeping Score series. Enjoy! 

PS: The photo above was taken at the beach where I’m writing this, during a family vacation. 🙂 Talk about the perfect inspiration! 

***~~~***

“How many weekends out of the year are not in football season?”

On the blanket next to me, Leo turned his head and blinked. “What?”

I pushed to sit up, wrapping my arms around my bent legs. “How many weekends are you not playing football, or on a bye week, or in pre-season or post-season?”

My husband—and didn’t it still give me a thrill to think of Leo as my husband, a year after our wedding—sat up, too, sliding his dark sunglasses into place over those gray eyes that could make me melt or smolder at any given moment. “Uhhhh . . . I don’t know that number off the top of my head, babe.”

I lifted my shoulder. “Take a guess.”

“Okay. Four weeks of preseason, seventeen weeks of regular games . . . then you’ve got wild card, divisional

My husband and kids playing football in the surf

round if you’re lucky, conference championship if you’re really lucky . . . Pro Bowl if your team isn’t playing in the big game . . . and then the big one. The super one. I guess that’s . . . what, about 25 weeks if your team is having the kind of year we all want it to have?” He reached over to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Why do you ask? Are you thinking of renegotiating our contract?”

Leo’s voice was light, but I felt the undercurrent of worry beneath his words. In our past, football and the demands of the game had taken a toll on our relationship. But not now.

“Of course not.” I rose onto my knees, framed his face with my hands and kissed his lips. Instantly, his arms were around my waist, pulling me hard against his body, and I felt my pulse skitter into overdrive.

But now wasn’t the time—or more importantly, the place. This Florida beach was mostly private, but there were still more than a few curious onlookers, and I knew from experience that it would be all too easy for someone to capture a few frames of Leo Taylor, rising star of the Richmond Rebels, and his wife getting busy on the beach. We didn’t want or need those kinds of headlines.

So with great reluctance, I dropped back to our blanket, lacing my fingers through Leo’s as I did. “I was just thinking. We have potentially twenty-five weeks out of the year when you’ll be committed to football. Add in organized team activities, mini-camp and training camp, and we’re talking another ten weeks. More than half of our year.”

“Uh huh.” Leo nodded. “That’s true.”

“It seems to me, then, that the other weekends out of the year should be spent on the beach. I think it’s only fair.”

It took Leo a minute to process what I’d said. “Oh, really? That’s what you think? Hate to break it to you, babe, but some of those weekends could be pretty damn frigid. A good part of my off-season is in February, March and April . . . not exactly peak season for beach weather.”

“It doesn’t have to be this beach.” I grinned at him. “There are plenty of others we can explore. Think . . . Hawaii. Think the Caribbean. The Mediterranean. Go big, baby.”

“Hmmmm.” He frowned, but I knew that he was just playing with me. “Let’s think about this. If I agree to spend all my non-football time on a beach with you, does that mean you’ll wear sexy little bathing suits like this one all the time?” One of his talented fingers skimmed the edge of my bikini top, making my nipples pucker. Leo noticed that, of course, and one eyebrow quirked with interest.

“I think that can be arranged,” I whispered, linking my hands together behind his neck and pressing myself into his solid warmth. “Just imagine the savings in my clothing budget, if I only have to worry about beachwear during the off-season.”

“I’m thinking about it right now.” His lips were next to my ear. “I’m also thinking about that project we’ve been talking about starting . . . project Taylor, the next generation? How do you feel about telling our daughter or son that she or he was conceived on the beach?”

I giggled. “I believe having a story that embarrasses your offspring is a requirement for parents. Our parents have that one down, for sure.”

“True.” Leo’s hands inched lower until they covered my ass, griping me tight. “Mia? All this talk about the offseason has made me . . . uhhh, intrigued. Let’s go inside and talk about it some more. You know . . . in private?”

I kissed my husband’s neck. “I’m all over that plan, baby. Let’s go inside and . . . explore all the possibilities . . . deeply. Again and again and again . . .”

Leo groaned. “Killing me, babe.”

“But you love me.” I didn’t have any doubts on that front.

“Even more every single day.” His kiss was full of promise, full of the future. “Let me show you how much.”

And he did.

You can read all of Leo and Quinn’s story right here in the Keeping Score series, available at all retailers.