Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Far from Home
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): Porter, Katie
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://loreliebrown.com/
CITY: Chicago
STATE: IL
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Children: three sons.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
MIILITARY:U.S. Army; served in South Korea and Italy.
WRITINGS
Work represented in anthologies, including O Come All Ye Kinky, edited by Sarah Frantz, Riptide Publishing, 2012.
Under name Lorelie Brown: work represented in the anthology 90s Playlist, Pink Kayak Press, 2015.
SIDELIGHTS
Lorelie Brown experienced “a semi-nomadic childhood throughout California,” she wrote at her home page, ending in Orange County, where she attended high school. She then enlisted in the U.S. Army and experienced the world at large, including stops in South Korea and Italy. Brown’s civilian life took her to the Chicago area, where she settled down to raise her three sons. She also pursued a writing career that has resulted in a diverse portfolio of romance fiction.
Riding the Wave and Ahead in the Heat
Brown retains a special fondness for the surfing scene of the Pacific Coast. Riding the Wave is set amid the excitement leading up to the professional surfing world championship. Former champion Tanner Wright has returned to his hometown of San Sebastian for the first time in ten years, and photographer Avalon Knox is following his every move. She was a teenage family friend when he suddenly disappeared, but she is no teenager now, and Tanner cannot ignore his instant attraction to her. Avalon, for her part, cannot ignore the clues that point toward a Wright family secret so heartbreaking that Tanner felt compelled to leave home lest he accidentally reveal the details to his loved ones. The secret is safe with Tanner until the unexpected appearance of a half-brother, who exposes his late father’s hidden life with another family on the other side of the world.
“Hot summer waves and deep inner turmoil mark this sexy contemporary romance,” reported a contributor to Publishers Weekly. A Harlequin Junkie contributor noted, however, that “the main focus of Riding the Wave was Tanner, his secret and his family. The romance … while hot, was more of a strong secondary story.” A commentator at Delighted Reader was less favorably impressed, but she “enjoyed all the scenes at the beach, the descriptions of the town, and [the memories] of growing up there.” She also hinted at “some good potential here for a series.”
The series revolves around that setting. In Ahead in the Heat, Sean Westin is desperate to recover from a serious surfing injury to compete in the upcoming world championship. He can afford the best physical therapist on the surfing scene. Annie Baxter is unquestionably the best, but she tends to avoid the temperamental stars of the surf in order to focus on her outreach work with underprivileged youth. Sean offers an irresistible opportunity to fund her efforts and, along the way, revives a depth of passion that Annie has not experienced for years.
Far from Home and Take Me Home
Belladonna Ink is a fictional California tattoo salon that caters to the entire spectrum of female gender identities. It offers a background for Brown’s stories of lesbian romance. Far from Home introduces Rachel Fizel, an aspiring film producer mired in student debt. Sex of any kind is the last thing on her mind. Pari Sadashiv is an Indian national who wants to quit her job without losing her legal green-card status. Rachel suggests a marriage of convenience in exchange for the luxury of a well-appointed roof over her head. When Pari’s mother moves into the spare bedroom to help plan a Hindu wedding event, Rachel is forced to bunk with Pari. Inevitably, friendship begets intimacy and, for the first time in her life, Rachel finds herself falling in love with another woman.
Far from Home is the first of Brown’s novels to attract the attention of professional critics. This is an “engaging, sweetly soulful romance,” observed Whitney Scott in her Booklist review, as Rachel and Pari “become ardent lovers in graphically specific scenes.” A Publishers Weekly contributor noted: “The slow blossoming” of their love “is hot and delicious,” and “the cultural elements feel real, interesting, and important.” The “sexual tension … is well-written,” reported the author of a Kirkus Reviews assessment, but “the notable thing about this novel is its intentional inclusiveness.” Rachel is struggling with the aftermath of anorexia, and Pari must negotiate the cultural challenges of Hindu tradition coming face to face with a nontraditional marriage arrangement. Tara Scott commented in the Lesbian Book Review that Brown “balances a beautiful romance with a bold storytelling choice.” She emphasized that “the relationship development is careful, emotional, and beautiful.”
Take Me Home is a story of thanksgiving–literally. Keighley is dreading the family Thanksgiving dinner. The ravings of her homophobic Christian fundamentalist Aunt Daphne about Keighley’s lesbian lifestyle will, once again, spoil her appetite. She finds an unlikely ally in a Craigslist posting. Brooke is a pink-haired, over-the-top, lesbian tattoo artist from Belladonna Ink, who will happily pose as Keighley’s girlfriend for the duration of the meal. She will be more than a match for Aunt Daphne, and all she wants in return is a bountiful holiday dinner. The one-meal-stand turns out to be more complicated–and more promising–than Keighley could have expected.
Brown does not limit herself to a single genre or plot point. Her historical novels roam from a Prohibition speakeasy to a church of snake-handlers, from a whorehouse to a school for impoverished factory workers to a prestigious school for debutantes. Her settings range from the Arizona Territory in 1882 through America’s biggest cities to rural Georgia in the 1920s.
Under the joint pseudonym Katie Porter, Brown and friend Carrie Lofty explore the steamy world of contemporary erotica. Before the pair went on hiatus after 2015, they created three series, including “Club Devant,” about “alternate sexualities … set in a glitzy, upscale burlesque club in New York City,” according to their Web site Katie Porter Books. “Vegas Top Guns” follows the adventures of Air Force pilots in Sin City, and “Command Force Alpha” unites international spy hunters in their search for a ruthless female assassin. Whatever the genre or nom de plume, Brown’s fans have come to expect exciting settings, strong plots, and steamy sex.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, August 1, 2016, Whitney Scott, review of Far from Home, p. 42.
Kirkus Reviews, June 22, 2016, review of Far from Home.
Publishers Weekly, May 12, 2014, review of Riding the Wave, p. 44; June 27, 2016, review of Far from Home, p. 67.
ONLINE
Delighted Reader, http://delightedreader.com/ (August 9, 2014), review of Riding the Wave.
Harlequin Junkie, http://harlequinjunkie.com/ (July 22, 2014), review of Riding the Wave.
Katie Porter Books, http://www.katieporterbooks.com (March 10, 2017), author profile.
Lesbian Review, http://www.thelesbianreview.com/ (October 13, 2016), Tara Scott, review of Far From Home.
Lorelei Brown Home Page, http://loreliebrown.com (March 10, 2017).*
LOC Authorities
After a semi-nomadic childhood throughout California, Lorelie Brown spent high school in Orange County before joining the US Army. After traveling the world from South Korea to Italy, she now lives north of Chicago. She writes about romantic trysts that happen in warm places because sleet is a sad, sad concept.
Lorelie has three active sons, two yappy dogs, and a cat who cusses her out for not petting him enough.
In her immense free time (hah!) Lorelie cowrites award-winning contemporary erotic romance under the name Katie Porter. You can find out more about the Vegas Top Guns and Command Force Alpha series at www.KatiePorterBooks.com or @MsKatiePorter. You can also follow Lorelie on Twitter @LorelieBrown if you like knitting, makeup, and people lacking social filters.
Lorelie has three active sons and a tiny shih-tzu who thinks he’s son number three—not four, he’s too important to be the baby. Writing romance helps her escape a house full of testosterone.
In her immense free time (hah!) Lorelie co-writes award winning contemporary erotic romance under the name Katie Porter. You can find out more about the “Vegas Top Guns” and “Command Force Alpha” series at www.KatiePorterBooks.com or at @MsKatiePorter. You can also contact Lorelie on Twitter @LorelieBrown.
Added by Writer: "Belladonna Ink is the hottest female-centric tattoo parlor in Southern California. It doesn’t matter if you’re cis, trans, het, gay, or spectrum, our host of female tattoo artists will give you beautiful ink, personally designed. We don’t believe in paint-by-number drawings—you’re worth more than that. Give us a chance and we’ll help you find the meaning in your personal scribbles, and turn your skin into our professional canvas."
Amazon.com: Pseudonym Katie Porter:
Katie Porter is the multiple award-winning writing team of Lorelie Brown and Carrie Lofty, friends for so long that they've stopped counting the years. Carrie holds an MA in history, loves movies, and has no fear of gross things like dissecting formaldehyde sharks. Her two daughters aren't appreciative. Lorelie is a US Army veteran and true-crime devotee, whose three boys love when she screams like a little girl around spiders.
Since launching the glitzy "Club Devant" series, set in a New York City burlesque club, the duo will return to their military-themed roots in the summer of 2014 with the adventurous, La Femme Nikita-inspired "Command Force Alpha" series.
To learn more about the authors who make up Katie, visit KatiePorterBooks.com or follow them on Twitter at @carrielofty, @LorelieBrown, and @MsKatiePorter.
>>Own,
• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Samhain Publishing (August 4, 2015)
Hard Way (Vegas Top Guns) by Katie Porter (2014-04-01)
Samhain Publishing
Chains and Canes
Jul 1, 2014
Samhain Publishing
Snap: Command Force Alpha Series, Book 2
Jan 6, 2015 | Unabridged
by Katie Porter and Carolyn Morris
Insatiable Press
Hold 'Em (Vegas Top Guns) by Katie Porter (2013-08-06)
Samhain Publishing
Double Down (Vegas Top Guns)
Jun 4, 2013
by Katie Porter
Samhain Publishing
Inside Bet (Vegas Top Guns)
Jul 2, 2013
by Katie Porter
Samhain Publishing
Bind
Oct 6, 2015
by Katie Porter
Samhain Publishing
Lead and Follow
Jan 7, 2014
by Katie Porter
Samhain Publishing
Bare Knuckle Vol 5 of Vegas Top Guns
Oct 7, 2014
by Katie Porter
Samhain Publishing
Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Oct 1, 2013
by Katie Porter
Samhain Publishing
O Come All Ye Kinky (Paperback) - Common Paperback – 2012
by Joey W Hill (Author), Katie Porter (Author), Sarah Frantz (Editor)
Riptide Publishing
K atie Porter is currently on hiatus due to health concerns. We apologize for any difficulties this might cause.
Katie Porter is the award-winning co-writing team of Lorelie Brown and Carrie Lofty, friends of nearly seven years. After wishing, scheming and planning, they finally share an office in the Chicago area.
Both are multi-published in several romance genres. Carrie holds an MA in history, loves movies, and has no fear of gross things like dissecting formaldehyde sharks. Her two daughters aren’t appreciative. Lorelie is a US Army veteran and true-crime devotee, whose three boys love when she screams like a little girl around spiders.
All five of Katie Porters’s “Vegas Top Guns” contemporary erotic romances have received 4½ Stars from RT BookReviews. These books are “impressive and incredibly well done,” and will “move Fifty Shades of Grey to the children’s section.” The third title, Hold ’Em, won the 2012 RT Reviewers’ Choice award for Best Ebook Erotic Romance, and the m/m Christmas-themed Came Upon a Midnight Clear was nominated for Best Book of the Year.
In January 2013, Lead and Follow launched “Club Devant,”a sexy series set in a glitzy New York City burlesque club, described by Publishers Weekly as “deftly leaving readers with the welcome message that life can hand out happy surprises.” Its sequel, Chains and Canes, was deemed by RT as “racy and absolutely flawless!” and also received a 4½ Star Top Pick.
Up next as back-to-back releases in 2014 are the first three installments of “Command Force Alpha“–an adventurous, La Femme Nikita-inspired series of military erotic romances. More details soon to come!
BOOKS
Printable Booklist
Vegas Top Guns
Featuring U.S. Air Force pilots and set against the wicked backdrop of Sin City, these uninhibited romantic partnerships explore the many forms desire can take. Samhain Publishing.
Double Down
Book One
Digital: July 31, 2012 ~ ISBN: 978-1619210851
Print: June 4, 2013 ~ ISBN: 978-1619212459
Inside Bet
Book Two
Digital: August 28, 2012 ~ ISBN: 978-1619210868
Print: July 2, 2013 ~ ISBN: 978-1619212749
Hold ’Em
Book Three
Digital: September 25, 2012 ~ ISBN: 978-1619210875
Print: August 6, 2013 ~ ISBN: 978-1619213562
Hard Way
Book Four
Digital: April 9, 2013 ~ ISBN: 978-1619210936
Print: June 24, 2014 ~ ISBN: 978-1619217072
Bare Knuckle
Book Five
Digital: October 8, 2013 ~ ISBN: 978-1619210943
Club Devant
<
Lead and Follow
Book One
Digital: January 8, 2013 ~ ISBN: 978-1619212510
Print: January 7, 2014 ~ ISBN: 978-161921510
Chains and Canes
Book Two
Digital: July 9, 2013 ~ ISBN: 978-1619212527
Print: July 2, 2014 ~ ISBN: 978-1619219328
Command Force Alpha
Specializing in apprehending espionage agents from around the world, Command Force Alpha is a covert team comprised of US and international special forces and select civilian operatives. Now they’re on the hunt for an ex-KGB La Femme Nikita-style bad girl—while finding time to explore their deepest desires. Samhain Publishing.
Own
Book One
Digital: Aug 26, 2014 ~ ISBN 978-1619218826
Snap
Book Two
Digital: Sept 30, 2014 ~ ISBN: 978-1619218819
Bind
Book Three
Digital: Oct 28, 2014 ~ ISBN: 978-1619218802
Play
Book Four
Digital: 2015
Kneel
Book Five
Digital: 2015
Holiday
Join the festivities as Katie Porter proves that the holidays are the perfect time for erotic romance!
Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Samhain Publishing
Digital: November 26, 2012 ~ ISBN: 978-1619210882
Print: October 20, 2013 ~ ISBN: 978-1619214965
“Fireworks” in O Come All Ye Kinky
Riptide Publishing
December 3, 2012
Digital ISBN: 978-1937551513
Print ISBN: 978-1937551803
Ahead in the heat : a pacific blue novel
Main title
Ahead in the heat : a pacific blue novel / Lorelie Brown.
Sean Westin finds himself on the beaches of San Sebastian as he recovers from a bad break. But he’ll need more than sand and swells to heal his heart....
The surfing World Championship Tour is under way, and Sean Westin is desperate to make his mark—until a stupid display of machismo in Bali leaves his shoulder busted. He has six weeks to get back on the waves or he may be looking at the end of his career.
Annie Baxter is the best physical therapist in the business, and she knows it. After almost joining the pro circuit herself, she’s wary of working with big stars and their huge egos. But Sean is making her an incredible offer—full funding for her after-school skate center for underprivileged kids—and she’s finding him hard to resist....
As intense therapy sessions turn into passionate intimacy, Sean unleashes a wild side of Annie that she’s suppressed for years. Only, Sean’s keeping secrets, and when his hidden history comes to the surface, everything—even Annie—might get torn away.
Ahead in the Heat Heats Up the Pages.
ByVampBardon January 9, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
Quickie Review. Warm weather. Rippling ocean water. A man out of his element, and a woman longing to return to hers…even though she didn’t know it. Sean and Annie’s story is one of the sweetest I’ve read in a while.
Athletes have always intrigued me. From the time I entered high school, I have always appreciated a fit male form as a work of art. Athletes are artists. They sculpt their bodies to perfection. When they fail, or are injured, there’s all sorts of emotions. Reasoning, begging, and rehab. Lots and lots of rehab. Sean has come back home after a bad wipe-out on the surfing World Championship Tour, and needs rehab on his torn-up shoulder. Great athletes want the best for their bodies, and they don’t skimp on physical therapists when the need arises. It was interesting watching Sean’s emotional investment through the course of the book. I was surprised at several points by things Sean said and did. Even though the story turned out just fine.
Annie has been burned by the surfing world. She’s also the best physical therapist. Period. With a heart of gold, she offers her home / office as a haven for youth. She aspires to do more for the kids than she currently is, and has plans to make it happen. With demons of her own, Annie goes through some pretty amazing changes. She’s also got a huge moral compass that keeps her doing the right things, and helping others. I really liked Annie because even though she was just a little thing, she was FIERCE.
I think the best thing about Ahead in the Heat is that it’s told in a natural manner. It’s believable. I feel like I know the characters, and that I could hang out with them. Double-date. I connected with the characters as though they were good friends. There’s probably other things, but I can’t quite put my finger on them. I think it’s a compilation. The way Ms. Brown twined Sean and Annie together felt natural and it tugged at my heart. I think I may have gotten wrapped-up in the story and I let the emotion roll me through the book. It’s that hard-to-define ‘I love this book’ state.
.0 out of 5 starsTwo Stars
ByWoogitraeon July 17, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
The story had great potential. However it wasn't a great written story.
WRITER NOTES:
Additional titles from Amazon search:
Take Me Home (Belladonna Ink Book 2)Nov 5, 2016
by Lorelie Brown - lesbian romance
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Wayward OneFeb 4, 2014 historical
by Lorelie Brown
Samhain
Jazz BabyJan 4, 2011 historical
by Lorelie Brown
Samhain
CreepFeb 10, 2017 e-book novella
by Lorelie Brown
Pronoun
Catch MeJul 18, 2011 e-book historical
by Lorelie Brown
Carina Press
One Lesson: A Penguin Special From Signet EclipseJun 3, 2014
by Lorelie Brown e-book novella - Pacific surf story
Berkley
The Bee's KneesDec 3, 2013 e-book novella - historical
by Lorelie Brown
Short Fuse Publishing
An Indiscreet DebutanteMay 6, 2014 - historical
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Samhain
anthology
90s Playlist (Romance Rewind) (Volume 1) Paperback – September 24, 2015
Pink Kayak Press
Tarnished Angel - e-book novella - 66 pages - historical
2009
Far from Home
Whitney Scott
112.22 (Aug. 1, 2016): p42.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
* Far from Home. By Lorelie Brown. Aug. 2016. 208p. Riptide, $16.99 (9781626494527); e book, $5.99 (9781626494510).
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Brown's <
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Scott, Whitney. "Far from Home." Booklist, 1 Aug. 2016, p. 42. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA460761724&it=r&asid=3a9cc7cc1c278785692871b1bb431976. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A460761724
Far from Home
263.26 (June 27, 2016): p67.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
* Far from Home
Lorelie Brown. Riptide, $16.99 trade paper (208p) ISBN 978-1-62649-452-7
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
The oddest of odd couples finds unexpected joy in Brown's warm, sweet contemporary romance. American citizen Rachel, a not-quite-asexual assistant film producer struggling to make a living in L.A., is drowning in student debt;. Indian immigrant Pari Sadashiv, a lesbian logistics manager, needs a U.S. green card to advance her career. When Rachel offers to marry Pari in exchange for funds, it's just party banter at first--but what's to stop them from crafting a friendship with legal and financial benefits? Their platonic plans quickly go awry as Paris mother moves in to help plan the wedding, forcing them to live their lie. As Rachel feels herself awakening to an attraction she didn't even know was possible, Pari has to decide whether she can live with the possible fallout of Rachel's tentative first foray into same-sex love. <
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Far from Home." Publishers Weekly, 27 June 2016, p. 67. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA456900918&it=r&asid=ee8ae002467b36b018b10e1727037bda. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A456900918
Riding the Wave
261.19 (May 12, 2014): p44.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Riding the Wave
Lorelie Brown. Signet Eclipse, $7.99 mass market (336p) ISBN 978-0-451-46842-0
<
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Riding the Wave." Publishers Weekly, 12 May 2014, p. 44. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA368847687&it=r&asid=9f5bb794974be1435e88a69bfa24c83a. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A368847687
FAR FROM HOME
by Lorelie Brown
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KIRKUS REVIEW
When a straight California girl marries her lesbian Indian friend to help her get a green card, she didn't expect to fall in love.
Rachel is working as a glorified administrative assistant for a little-known production company and struggling to pay off her student loans. Pari is looking to make a job change that will threaten her temporary work visa. A marriage of convenience will let Pari stay in the U.S., and living in Pari's luxury condo will help Rachel pay down her student loans more quickly. Both women have demons: Rachel is recovering from a significant eating disorder while Pari is wrestling with her mother's theoretical and tentative acceptance of her sexuality. After Pari introduces her parents to Rachel via Skype, her mother informs her that she will fly in to help the two brides plan a traditional Hindu wedding—and while she's there, she'll be staying in Pari's guest room, where Rachel has been sleeping. Wedding traditions are carried out while Rachel and Pari get to know one another a little more, and Rachel finds herself drawn to Pari in ways she's unsure of how to process. Rachel is the narrator here, so the reader is a little more clued in about her negligent mom and low-key work stress than about what's going on with Pari's family dynamics or job situation. However, the romantic and <
A well-written novel, both sexy and romantic, with broad and inclusive representation.
Pub Date: Aug. 1st, 2016
ISBN: 9781626494527
Page count: 182pp
Publisher: Riptide
Review Posted Online: June 22nd, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1st, 2016
REVIEW: Riding the Wave by Lorelie Brown
Posted July 22nd, 2014 by Sara @HarlequinJunkie in Blog, Contemporary Romance, Review, Sports Romance / 1 comment
In Riding the Wave (Pacific Blue #1) by Lorelie Brown, surfer Tanner is back home in San Sebastion…the place he’s avoided for 10 years. A world championship surfing event he needs to win draws him there, even when inside he wants to stay away. He has secrets inside of him that he’s been keeping for ten years. Secrets he fears if 16revealed will rip his world and family apart. But are they really his secrets to keep?
Avalon has known Tanner for years. His family is more like her own than her mother is. Close friends with his sister, Avalon has always been attracted to Tanner. She, like everyone else, doesn’t know why he’s stayed away so long, why he’s put so much distance between himself and his home. Now, as a photographer, the chance of a life time is going to put her in close proximity with Tanner.
Tanner is seeing a whole new side of Avalon, as a woman, a photographer, and not just his teenage sister’s friend. They become very close, and the steamy relationship they share sizzles off the pages of Riding the Wave. It might only be temporary, but Avalon soon feels her attraction to Tanner growing into so much more. In and out of the water they work well together. When Tanner has no choice but to reveal the secrets he’s hiding, will he be able to find a place for himself again in San Sebastion? Will Avalon have a place in his heart as he does in hers?
Riding the Wave is a well paced, summer read that will have you dreaming of the surf pounding on the shore. I love Lorelie’s descriptions in Riding the Wave, in particular through Tanner’s eyes when he sees Avalon emerging from a wave on her board, and the feel of the water. Avalon and Tanner were characters I liked better as I got to know them through Lorelie’s writing. As much as I came to like Avalon, I would have liked to go a lot deeper into her character. Avalon has found a family and a place to call home in Tanner’s family. He hasn’t been around for much of it though, and we go along with Avalon as she really tries to get to know him. Tanner is a bit of a mystery for a while, he’s harder to get to know, and he has this big secret to that’s alluded to for quite a while before we find out what it is. Whether I agree or not with him keeping it, I can understand from his character’s point of view and Lorelie gives us a lot of insight into Tanner and the inner conflict he’s struggling with. I felt like <
All of the secondary characters added so much to Riding the Wave. There aren’t enough to overwhelm the story, but just enough to add some interesting dynamics into the mix!
I do think the plot is believable…people have secrets and keep secrets thinking they are protecting others when most of the time they are not, because most secrets never stay that way. The romantic element is also believable, and I love the setting of Riding the Wave.
I’d recommend Riding the Wave to romance readers looking for strong plotting, a hint of mystery, and a great setting!
Book Info:
03.5SPublished July 1st 2014 by Signet | (Pacific Blue #1)
The gray-green swells of San Sebastian haven’t changed in ten years, but Tanner Wright has. The last thing he expects to find back on his home turf is the love of his life….
With a make-or-break world championship on the line, professional surfer Tanner Wright has come back to the coastal California hometown he left a decade ago, carrying only his board and the painful knowledge of his father’s infidelity. Now that Hank Wright is dead, Tanner intends to keep the secret buried to spare his mother and sister the burden.
The last time Avalon Knox saw her best friend’s brother, she was fourteen and he was a twenty-year-old surfer god. She’s never understood or respected the way Tanner distanced himself from the family that has embraced her. But now she has the professional chance of a lifetime: to photograph Tanner for the competition—if he’ll agree.
Out on the waves, they find in each other passion that’s impossible to resist. And Tanner’s not the only one trying to move forward from his past. As the competition heats up, secrets get spilled, and lust takes over. How close can Avalon get to this brooding surfer…without getting burned?
Review: Riding the Wave by Lorelie Brown
August 9, 2014 • Reviews • • Sophia Rose
Review: Riding the Wave by Lorelie BrownRiding the Wave by Lorelie Brown
Series: #1 Pacific Blue
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Published by Signet on July 1, 2014
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
three-stars
add to goodreads
I was in the mood for some California sun and surf with my romance so I eagerly grabbed up this ultimate summer beach read. It doesn’t matter if you’re into surfing or not with this one since the characters, plot and setting are the main event and at its heart it’s really ‘the prodigal come home small town romance’ theme with the small town just happening to be a beach town hosting a surfing tournament. While I enjoyed many things about this book, I can’t say that I ever really got into it.
The story opens with professional surfer, Tanner Wright, returning home after ten years away due to self-inflicted exile. At the beginning of his surfing career, he learned something devastating about his dad that cut him to the core and would hurt his mother and sister if they ever found out. He stayed away because being anywhere near his dad knowing what he did just enraged him and he was afraid that he’d blurt out the terrible secret. Now his dad was dead and he was back as an aging surfer to maybe go out a winner with the pro surfing championship. He hoped that he would keep it together around his family knowing they still cherished good memories of husband and father.
Avalon Knox was just fourteen when she started crushing on her best friend’s brother, but then he left and she never saw him again. Something happened between Tanner and his dad, but neither man would say what it was. Avalon loved the Wrights as her own family the way they took her in and practically raised her when her own mom was off doing her thing. She is angry about the jerky way Tanner stayed away after his dad’s death when his mom and sister needed him, but this doesn’t stop her from instant attraction and want when she sees him back. He seems pretty interested in her too. They might even get a chance to scratch that itch because she has just accepted a contract with his big sponsor to do a full photo shoot for a top surfing magazine that will follow Tanner for the month leading up to the big tournament.
Tanner can’t keep his eyes and hands off this grown up sassy version of Avalon. He’s not too keen about being followed around by her and her camera, but having her close is definitely a side benefit. Unfortunately, the past rears up its ugly head when the living evidence of his dad’s infidelity shows up and starts up all sorts of trouble threatening to spill all of the dead Hank Wright’s dirty laundry just to hurt the family. Things get pretty crazy for Tanner with the growing thing he has with Avalon, the situation with Mako and getting prepped for the surfing championship, but then it all comes to a forefront when he discovers that Avalon went behind his back about something important to him.
The plot was more drama than action which is not a problem per se. However, I didn’t buy into the drama which was the root of my dissatisfaction. The dad who is dead cheated on his wife with an underage girl and it wasn’t a one time only thing, but he won’t come clean about it so the son runs away for ten years after discovering all this in an attempt to protect his mom and sister from finding out because he apparently couldn’t be around home without giving it away. I get it if you’re fifteen to think this way or even needing some time to process, but ten years? Nah! I constantly felt like I was reading a mature YA or an NA level book the way these characters were thinking, acting and talking.
The romance side was a struggle for me too. The story was ‘telling’ me these two were in love, but the actions didn’t go there for me. The story glossed over any down time when they would have done any real relationship building outside the bedroom and gave pages and pages of their sexy times so I wasn’t really given anything to make me believe when they both started thinking serious ‘I love you’. They spent a lot of time in flux where Avalon was angry or disappointed in Tanner or when her lie kept them from getting closer before it blew up and broke them up. Attracted to each other? Definitely. I can buy that. In love? I needed more convincing.
The characters were drawn simply with Avalon getting more attention as to her character development than Tanner. They weren’t given enough development to make me really care about their story. I didn’t hate them or their story. I liked them well enough and liked some of the playfulness. I had a few factual details about their lives and a bit about their feelings about family, but I wasn’t given enough to know them. Truthfully, the two characters that grabbed my attention was a fellow surfer, Jack, and Tanner’s sister. They had a lot of depth and intriguing sides to them even as secondary characters. I would love stories about them- not together necessarily.
The setting of the small beach town and the surf background added a nice layer of depth to the story. I <
To sum up, I think there is <
My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Far From Home by Lorelie Brown: Book Review
October 13, 2016 Tara Scott Lesbian books, Lesbian Fiction, Lorelie Brown, Riptide Publishing
Far From Home by Lorelei BrownFar From Home by Lorelie Brown is a marriage of convenience story that blew me away. Told through the eyes of someone living with anorexia nervosa, <
Rachel Fizel is at a party when she tells Pari Sadashiv she’d marry her to help her stay in the United States. After a dinner and discussion, they realize they really can help each other out—Pari needs a green card so she can quit her job and become an independent consultant and Rachel is drowning in student debt, so not paying for living expenses would be a godsend.
Rachel has told Pari about her anorexia and the steps she’s taken to live in recovery, but the negative thoughts keep creeping in and her coping mechanisms aren’t working as well anymore. Despite the way she feels about her own body, she finds Pari’s curves beautiful, and the more she gets to know her, the more Rachel sees she’s drawn to a woman for the first time in her life.
The Characters
Pari was my favourite. She’s driven in her career, yet is also kind, considerate and observant with Rachel, and clearly cares for her family. Her loving relationships with her family members is in stark contrast to Rachel’s cold relationship with her own mother. Rachel is interesting and well drawn, but I’ll say more about her in the next section, because I can’t talk about her separately from how the book is written.
The side characters in Far From Home are rich and interesting. Pari’s mother, Niharika, was a standout for me, torn between being supportive of her daughter and wanting to uphold her traditions from India. I also enjoyed Rachel’s best friend, Nikki, and hope she shows up in later books in this series.
The Writing Style
Far From Home is so well written that I haven’t stopped thinking about it in the week since I finished, and it’s been ruining me for other books ever since. It’s told in the first person from Rachel’s perspective, and her illness colours her impressions of Pari, even as we see Pari’s true intentions through her words and actions.
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The Pros
I want to be lazy and say “everything,” but I won’t. The biggest pro, by far, is what I covered in the last section. Writing through the lens of an illness and doing it this well is something I’ve only ever seen once, and that was in literary fiction. To build such a great, believable romance too? Colour me impressed.
The Cons
I’ll never be able to read Far From Home again for the first time.
taras favourite lesbian booksThe Conclusion
Far From Home is an incredible romance and I can’t recommend it enough. I’m excited that it’s the first in a new series and can’t wait to read the next story.
Excerpt from Far From Home by Lorelie Brown
We find a small cushioned bench behind a curtained nook. Dirty, naughty, wrong things have happened here. I know it as I lean against the satin cushions. My toes tingle. I sit and tuck my feet up under my butt, knees pointing to one side. Pari sits at the other end of the couch, but she doesn’t settle in. She waves down a new waitress and orders us another round of drinks plus a basket of french fries.
My mouth waters. God, I have such problems. I decide I’ll have ten fries. That’s a reasonable amount without denying myself. At least I’m not having daiquiris, even though I miss them desperately.
When the fries show up, they’re in a tiny shopping cart sized just right for a Barbie. I laugh as I take one. “This is ridiculous!”
Pari puts two fingers on the miniature red bar and pushes it across the plate between the dishes of ketchup and mustard. “Just a few potatoes to pick up.”
“Okay, you’re ridiculous.”
“It’s got wheels! It’s meant to be pushed.” We’re both dying of laughter.
We melt into each other, shoulder against shoulder. I like contact. I like contact with her.
I think I’m drunk.
She kisses me.