Relay (Changing Lanes #1) by Layla Reyne

 

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A last chance at swimming gold, a second chance at lasting love.

Team captain.
Olympic medalist.
Devoted son and brother.
Alex has it all, and all the demands that go with being the best.
The last thing he needs on his crowded plate—and on his team—is his closeted ex.

Dane is swimming’s biggest star.
Carefully crafted from crib to pool, his fame feeds his celebrity parents’ empire.
He dropped the act once—the summer he fell in love with Alex.
Ten years later, the performance is crushing his soul.
So is resisting the man he still loves.

As the team struggles to gel, Alex and Dane clash in and out of the pool.
Forgive and forget is easier said than done.
But something has to give, if Alex and Dane want a shot at gold.
And a second chance at love.

Team captain and team celebrity square off in this enemies to lovers, second chance MM sports romance between two elite swimmers fighting against their hearts and fighting for Olympic gold.

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Relay is an enjoyable second chance romance by Layla Reyne. I always enjoy a good romance involving athletes, and especially Olympians. Alex's a closeted swimmer on the Olympic swim team. Suddenly, his ex-lover, the press favorite, Dane, is on his team. Their reunion is not a fun time for either, as Alex is far from welcoming to his new teammate. Dane's spent his life as his parent's puppet. He does and says what he's told. He's closeted, as his religious parents would never allow their darling son to be gay. Dane's tired of pretending, living his life according to his parents' plans. Their story includes some scandal, betrayal and jealousy. People start meddling and careers are threatened. Relay's a wonderful reminder that living your truth can help you find real happiness.

Dine with Me by Layla Reyne

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Blurb

Life never tasted so good.

Miller Sykes’s meteoric rise to award-winning chef is the stuff of culinary dreams, but it’s all crashing down around him. He’s been given a diagnosis that could cost him something even more precious than his life: his sense of taste. Rather than risk the very thing that defines him, Miller embarks on a last tour of his favorite meals while he still can.

But there’s a catch: he needs a financial backer to make it happen, and he doesn’t want anyone to know he’s sick.

Dr. Clancy Rhodes has two weeks to come to terms with putting aside oncology to work at his father’s thriving plastic surgery practice. When the opportunity to travel with a Michelin-starred chef presents itself, the foodie in him can’t believe it. It doesn’t hurt that Miller’s rugged good looks are exactly Clancy’s cup of joe.

As Clancy and Miller travel from coast to coast and indulge in everything from dive bars to the most decadent of culinary experiences, they’re suddenly sharing a lot more than delicious meals. Sparks fly as they bond over their love of flavors and the pressures of great expectations. But when Miller’s health takes a turn for the worse, Clancy must convince him he’s more—so much more—than just his taste buds. And that together, they can win a battle that once seemed hopeless.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise : all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

This book is approximately 69,000 words

Review 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Layne Reyne's Dine With Me took a hold of my heart early on and wouldn't let go.

Miller's life is changing, as he's a famous chef who's closing his restaurant. Of course, he has a secret, which he's guarding closely. While he can, he goes off on a food tour with Clancy. They're two strangers who end up getting close while traveling together.

I love the romance, the intrigue, but I don't care much for all the food descriptions. It just isn't my thing and I would have preferred less of the food details.

With Miller's sense of taste at the heart of his situation, it's an interesting aspect which is a new to me read. I'm not schooled in the diagnosis or it's treatment, but I definitely found it interesting.

The character growth in both men is wonderful in this story of choosing to fight, choosing love, and choosing family. It's an amazing tale of not giving up, not giving into negative thoughts.

Dine With Me is truly beautiful in the end. Miller is a fighter and with Clancy, their love can inspire anyone.

Relay (Changing Lanes #1) by Layla Reyne

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

Blurb

Captain is not a title Alejandro “Alex” Cantu takes lightly. Elected by his teammates to helm the US Men’s Swim Team, he proudly accepts the role, despite juggling endless training, team administrative work, and helping out on the family farm. And despite his ex-lover, Dane Ellis—swimming’s biggest star—also making the Olympic Team.

Dane has been a pawn in his celebrity parents’ empire from crib to pool, flashing his camera-ready smile on demand and staying deeply in the closet. Only once did he drop the act—the summer he fell in love with Alex. Ten years later, Dane longs to cut his parents’ strings, drop his too-bright smile, and beg Alex for another chance.

Alex, though, isn’t ready to forgive and forget, and Dane is a distraction he doesn’t need on his team, until an injury forces Alex to accept Dane as his medley relay anchor. Working together, their passion reignites. When Dane’s parents threaten reprisal and Alex is accused of doping, the two must risk everything to prove Alex’s innocence, to love one another, and to win back their spots on the team, together.

Review 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Relay is an enjoyable second chance romance by Layla Reyne.

I always enjoy a good romance involving athletes, and especially Olympians. Alex's a closeted swimmer on the Olympic swim team. Suddenly, his ex-lover, the press favorite, Dane, is on his team. 

Their reunion is not a fun time for either, as Alex is far from welcoming to his new teammate.

Dane's spent his life as his parent's puppet. He does and says what he's told. He's closeted, as his religious parents would never allow their darling son to be gay. Dane's tired of pretending, living his life according to his parents' plans.

Their story includes some scandal, betrayal and jealousy. People start meddling and careers are threatened. 

Relay's a wonderful reminder that living your truth can help you find real happiness.