Spotlight: Rules of the Game by Sandy James

Rules of the Game


Sandy James


Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Date of Publication: April 2, 2012
Number of pages: 205
Word Count: 76,000

Available at the following retailers:
Amazon     BN     Kobo     ARe     eBooks

Just 99¢ at most retailers 
till December 2nd.

Kathryn West has it all – she’s a confident, bestselling author living it up in New York City. Too bad she doesn’t actually exist, and is only timid Maddie Sawyer’s pseudonym. Determined to attend her high school reunion with a man right out of one of her racy romance novels, she plots to find a sexy bad boy who’s up to Kathryn’s standards.

She finds Mr. Perfect shooting pool in a biker bar. He’s a blue-collar hunk who just happens to look great in leather. But the mysterious Scott Brady has some rules of his own: he won’t agree to her deal unless she poses as his girlfriend in front of his family and friends first.

As the reunion nears, Maddie tries to maintain her carefree façade, knowing she’ll soon face some old ghosts. She’s torn between her growing attraction to Scott and the nagging feeling that he’s hiding something important. Will she still want him when she finds out his secret? What about when he discovers hers?

2013 HOLT Medallion Winner
2013 Heart of Excellence Readers' Choice Awards Finalist ~ Best Mainstream Romance
2013 Aspen Gold Readers' Choice Winner ~ Best Contemporary Romance
2013 Golden Quill Finalist ~ Best Single Title Romance

Excerpt: 

The reunion reminder card glared at me from the refrigerator door. The magnet holding it in place had a picture of Times Square lit up at night to remind me that I was a real person in New York. I wasn’t awkward Madalyn Sawyer from Indiana anymore—the one with braces and a hick twang who couldn’t walk a straight line without tripping over her own feet.

Here in the Big Apple, I was Kathryn West. That’s how I signed all my books, the name I dropped at parties my publisher liked to throw, and how I introduced myself at book conventions where I met people who loved me even though they didn’t know who I really was.

My stories were gritty. Rough. Raw. As Kathryn, I wrote of heroines who’d seen the very worst life had to offer and survived. Thrived, even. And happily ever after with the hero was secondary to the heroine coming out of the trial a better woman.

I didn’t believe in happily ever afters anyway.

Kathryn West would be welcome at that reunion. She would have so many funny and raunchy stories to share, everyone there would adore her. Kathryn wouldn’t be dragging all that baggage behind her or trying to keep all her skeletons stuffed deep in her closet.

But what about Maddie Sawyer?

She would be a proverbial wallflower. She would wear an outfit from Target and shoes from Payless. She would laugh at other people’s lame stories, and no one would even remember she’d been there. Once a geek, always a geek.

I’d wished I was Kathryn West more times than I could count.

Then it dawned on me like a smack upside the head. Why in the hell couldn’t I be Kathryn West? I’d invented that persona, after all.

She’d ride up on an extraordinarily loud Harley Davidson with some dangerous guy who had biceps the size of her thigh, a face with a couple of intriguing scars, and an ass every woman in the room would want to put her hands all over. She would drag him by his black leather jacket out on the dance floor and not be embarrassed at using a few grinding moves. She’d drink just enough to be funny. Kathryn West would be the life of the party and the person everyone at the reunion envied. All the women would want to be her, and all the men would want to have her.

All I needed was that guy.

If you are new to my blog, you may not be aware of how much I adore Sandy James writing. I have reviewed a few of her books and adore her writing. If you haven't tried her, you really should.

I can understand jumping into the middle of a series can be daunting.

Which is why this book is such a great deal. It's a stand alone at a great price. Just the thing to get to try out this fantastic author.

I promise you won't be disappointed. Go grab this quick. I already did.

Need more convincing?  Check out my review of some of her other works:

Alliance of the Amazon Series:
The Reluctant Amazon
The Impetuous Amazon
The Brazen Amazon
The Volatile Amazon

Ladies Who Lunch Series:
The Bottom Line
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Sealing the Deal

Safe Havens:
Saving Grace

Author Bio:

Sandy lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis with her husband of thirty years and is a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband own a small stable of harness racehorses and enjoy spending time at the two Indiana racetracks.

She is published through Forever Yours, Carina Press, and BookStrand, as well as self-published. She has been an Amazon Bestseller many times and has won numerous awards, including two HOLT Medallions.

To connect with the author online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads