Relay (Changing Lanes, #1)by Layla Reyne
Published by Riptide Publishing
eARC
LGBT, contemporary, sports, romance
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.
Relay is intense and captivating story, that left me yearning for more; I need the sequel.
The whole medley relay team is hungry for the coveted Olympic gold, since four years ago they went home with silver, because Dane was injured and had to miss it, and Bas's some personal drama. They are hungry for victory and everything is intense because of the high adrenaline - and it doesn't help that one member of the medley relay team, Mo, gets injured in practice and Dane replaces him, which Alex doesn't like at all because he's still hurt from a decade ago when Dane broke his heart. Still, they have to learn to let it go and work as a team if they want to win the Olympics.
Relay is a journey of growth, forgiving and forgetting, for Alex and Dane. To reach unity withing the US Olympic swim team, Alex has to forgive Dane for breaking his heart ten years ago, when after an intense summer of romance, Dane decided to stay in closet and left Alex. And Dane has to stand up against his controlling parents, who disturb the swim team with constant publicity stunts. I loved the tension and feelings, and I rallied for Alex, who has always taken so much as his responsibility - the captaincy of the men's swim team, as representative of both Hispanic and LGBT communities, and providing for his family, especially since his mother's cancer has come back. I also loved the romance and how Alex and Dane respected each other, even when their feelings were hurt and when they 'hated' each other.
Relay is character driven story, and it had the perfect cast for it. I loved Alex and Dane, both together and separate, and the other team members, especially Bas and Jacob (and I can't wait for their story in Medley!) The only people I couldn't stand were Dane's controlling and bigoted parents, Reverend Ellis and Mrs Ellis. Relay is also complicated and taking sides is extremely hard, which is why it was such captivating and perfect story.
I highly recommend Relay, because of how captivating and intense it is. There's drama and there's competitive swimming and character growth. It's simply a book, that I couldn't put down.
The whole medley relay team is hungry for the coveted Olympic gold, since four years ago they went home with silver, because Dane was injured and had to miss it, and Bas's some personal drama. They are hungry for victory and everything is intense because of the high adrenaline - and it doesn't help that one member of the medley relay team, Mo, gets injured in practice and Dane replaces him, which Alex doesn't like at all because he's still hurt from a decade ago when Dane broke his heart. Still, they have to learn to let it go and work as a team if they want to win the Olympics.
Relay is a journey of growth, forgiving and forgetting, for Alex and Dane. To reach unity withing the US Olympic swim team, Alex has to forgive Dane for breaking his heart ten years ago, when after an intense summer of romance, Dane decided to stay in closet and left Alex. And Dane has to stand up against his controlling parents, who disturb the swim team with constant publicity stunts. I loved the tension and feelings, and I rallied for Alex, who has always taken so much as his responsibility - the captaincy of the men's swim team, as representative of both Hispanic and LGBT communities, and providing for his family, especially since his mother's cancer has come back. I also loved the romance and how Alex and Dane respected each other, even when their feelings were hurt and when they 'hated' each other.
Relay is character driven story, and it had the perfect cast for it. I loved Alex and Dane, both together and separate, and the other team members, especially Bas and Jacob (and I can't wait for their story in Medley!) The only people I couldn't stand were Dane's controlling and bigoted parents, Reverend Ellis and Mrs Ellis. Relay is also complicated and taking sides is extremely hard, which is why it was such captivating and perfect story.
I highly recommend Relay, because of how captivating and intense it is. There's drama and there's competitive swimming and character growth. It's simply a book, that I couldn't put down.
4 of 5 stars.
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Thank you, Riptide Publishing, for giving me a chance to read and review Relay!
(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)
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