Love and Other Games

by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane

LOVE AND OTHER GAMES is a collection of four sexy new adult stories centered around athletes competing in the Winter Games by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, and Kara Leigh Miller.

Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze

Amy Pierce, the klutzy sister and manager of America’s Skating Sweetheart, is used to being invisible. But when a friend drags her to a party near the Olympic Village, Amy catches the eye of a sexy Norwegian ski jumper. It’s a magical night, but an awkward next morning has her running.

Everyone knows Erik Andresen’s best shot at an individual medal was back in 2010, before an injury pulled him from the competition. He’s there for his team, but a hot night and a remarkable final training session have him wondering if a gorgeous good-luck charm could give him another chance at the podium.

With a little bit of luck, these two might have a shot at something worth more than gold.

Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier

US snowboarder and notorious prankster, Ty (Trouble) Madsen is only getting a taste of his own medicine when his Olympic teammates shackle him to a fence wearing nothing but his boxers.

Reception and protocol volunteer, Nadia Hoffman, gets up close and personal with the sexy snowboarder to rescue him, but she's not the kind of girl who lets her hormones get in her way. A professional performance could help her land her dream job at Olympics Committee Headquarters, but her new assignment supervising the rambunctious US Snowboarding Team is making that difficult. Can she see behind the snowman in the community center bathroom and into the warm heart of the man everyone calls Trouble?

The Girl behind the Gold by Aria Kane

Greek aerial skier Lia Milonas’s parents are about to lose the family farm. Saving it means medaling and landing a huge sponsor. While her no-nonsense attitude has her well on her way to a medal, it hasn’t won her a place in fans' hearts.

“Come back with a story that will make readers cry, or don’t come back.” This is what Brandon James’ boss told him before he left New York to cover the Winter Games for Moment Magazine. With a wink and a smile, he can charm his way into any invite-only party, but that career-making story is nowhere to be found – until he meets Lia.

The two strike a deal that should get them both what they want - but neither would have guessed they’d also find what they need.

Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller

Colton Campbell thrives on the fast paced, adrenaline rushed lifestyle of being an Olympic hockey player.

Despite Brenna Jessup's abhorrence for the games and the athletes, she's hand-picked as the official photographer for the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.

When a faux pas by Brenna almost costs Colton his career, she owes him. Too bad for her, Colton doesn't want apologies -- he wants retribution! And he knows just how to get it -- and her -- in the process.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Anthologies, Sports, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance

242 pages, ebook

First published October 1, 2013

About the author

Ana lives just outside Washington DC with her very supportive husband and three rather demanding cats. She loves the ocean, Indian food, Ikea, and cooking. Ana admits to watching too much television and she swears that someday she’s going to learn how to play the guitar resting on the bookshelf in her office.
Ana is a member of Romance Writers of America.

Reviews

[Connie Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. Each author took an athlete from the Olympic Games and wrote a mini love story. Each excerpt was linked together by the search for ancient torch that is supposed to allow the holder to win the gold. I especially enjoyed a story that included a snow boarder whose friends handcuffed him to a rail. There was humor and sweet love in this book and was a great book to cuddle up on a cold weekend with. 4 stars

[Nadine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sexy encounters during the (fictive) winter olympics in Switzerland was what I was hoping for, what I got were 4 short stories that all seemed a bit rushed and shallow. The characters were amazingly similar even though each story was written by a different author. I liked the binding element of a lucky torch they are all after to maximize their winning chances, which was a nice touch.

The sexy bits weren't bad actually, but the characters were all stereotypes and boring, their relationships never touched me. Plus the authors were trying too hard to paint the background of snow and ice in my eyes. I was hoping for more behind the scenes events to get some of the olympic spirit, but there was little provided I am afraid.

I read in a review that the mystical torch from 1938 was just such a bad pick because there WERE no winter olympics (or summer olympics) that year at all. This alone gives the whole story and idea a bad taste.

The first story was the one I liked best. It was worth 2 stars for me, the other 3 just 1 star. Sadly, I really had hoped for some nice and funny, sexy entertainment.

[Larissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot athletes. Olympics. Superstitions. Sexy times. What more could you want?

Love and Other Games is a collection of four short stories centered around the Winter Olympics. I loved how the authors wove threads through the stories so they were interconnected. This is a fun winter read. :)

My favorites were The Girl Behind the Gold by Aria Kane and Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze.

4.5 stars.

*The publisher provided a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.*

[Sift Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each of these stories is a perfect one-sitting, one-glass-of-wine read!

It's hard to fully develop two characters in the short space of a novella, but I liked all of these couples and really rooted for them.

I enjoyed the way the stories weaved into each other oh-so-subtly so that this isn't a collection of four different stories, but more like four different episodes of the same show.

[Tickled Pink for Book Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE AND OTHER GAMES

Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, Kara Leigh Miller

Rating Average: 5 out of 5 stars



LOVE AND OTHER GAMES is a collection of four short stories all occurring at the Winter Olympics in Switzerland. They are all stand-alone stories with minor connections. I would say its like a rom-com marathon with lots of sexy included. Who knew the Winter Olympics were so hot?



TROUBLE WITH GOLD

Melinda Dozier

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars



A career-driven and serious girl meets an playboy prankster with the nickname Trouble. A little trouble can be really good.



Nadia Hoffman is a serious, no nonsense, goal-focused Swiss babe working as a volunteer in order to obtain a job with the Olympic Committee. Ty "Trouble" Madsen is a sexy snowboarder looking to win the gold, but enjoying life along the way. Everyone sees Nadia as someone who can't have fun...she's too worried about her future and making her father happy. Now she wants to prove she can be fun and what better way to do that than a little action with the fun-loving snowboarder she found handcuffed in freezing temperatures wearing only his boxers? I'm talking underwear in the outdoor hot tub kind of fun. OH YES!!. Ty and Nadia have undeniable chemistry, but she's intent on pushing him away to focus on her job. He's determined to make her see otherwise and he can be VERY convincing.



I love this short story! Melinda Dozier manages to pull you in and create a wonderful story in a little amount of time. It was like watching a really funny and sexy romantic comedy. Perfect, well-written light read. Want a complete story in a afternoon? TROUBLE WITH GOLD is for you.



ICE GOLD

Kara Leigh Miller

Rating: 5 out of 5 star



WARNING: Hot hockey player may melt the ice!!



Brenna Jessup is being sent on assignment as the official photographer for the US Olympic Hockey team. Only problem, she has a bad history with Olympic athletes and sexy star center Colton Campbell has set his sights on her. He's everything she despises about athletes..cocky, arrogant, but damn if that southern charm doesn't set her panties on fire! Cole sees her iceberg attitude as a challenge because women usually throw themselves at him. Brenna is determined to be a professional and keep Cole at arm's length, but the chemistry is undeniable.



The testy banter between these two while Brenna tries to convince herself she's not going to jump him is priceless. She is betrayed by her body every time she puts up a fight and Cole is relentless. The things he does to melt her icy exterior are hilarious and she gives it right back. I loved his charm and wit and sexy sense of humor. Cole is a new favorite character!!



ICE GOLD is a funny, sexy short story that is sure to heat up a cold day. The lovable characters and an endearing plot are a hit.



THE GIRL BEHIND THE GOLD

Aria Kane

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars



Lia Milonas hates the press she must do for her aerial skiing career. Brandon James is a member of the press she who makes her feel as no other man has and can help her solve the problem no one really knows about.



Lia's family in Greece is on the verge of losing their family farm and their only hope are the sponsorships that come with being an Olympic medalist. Problem is that Lia isn't "likeable" and the media coverage of her doesn't endear her to the fans, therefore, no sponsors. There is a girl with a story, but all anyone sees is a fierce competitor looking to win the gold. Brandon is a journalist looking for a never-been-heard Olympic story. Brandon will do what he has to get the story and lucky him that the story is tied up in a sexy little package that is Lia. They can help each other, but their mutual attraction is the only thing that takes the focus off their goals.



Brandon is good at the dirty talk and seems to be good at a lot of other things too :). Lia needs to wake up and play the media game! Luckily, Brandon steps in cause you kind of want to scream at Lia to stop being so stubborn. THE GIRL BEHIND THE GOLD is a heartwarming and sexy short story. Good, light read that you won't regret.



WORTH MORE THAN GOLD

Ana Blaze

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars



"Steamy Viking sex"...yup. "That certainly explained the soreness in places she didn't know she had muscles."



Erik Andresen knows that he won't be getting any medals at his last Olympics and he's okay with that. He'll just enjoy and help the Norwegian Ski Jump team. After a drunken fling with "American Amy" he shows up to qualifying and jumps like he did before his big accident. Amazing. Everyone wants to know what got into him, but its more like who he got into and that was Amy. Amy Pierce is there to manage her little sister who is a star figure skater. One night out with her friend at an Olympic party and she's waking up with hazy memories in the bed of the hottest man she's ever met. She swears to forget this ever happened because she has a job to do. Erik hunts her down cause he knows she must be his good luck charm and he also can't stop thinking about her naked. (I can't stop thinking about Amy's description of Erik naked.) She agrees to spend time with the "Viking", as she nicknames him, but how long can she have him?



Let me tell you there is a scene on a train that is SO HOT!! Seriously, Ana Blaze writes some freaking sexy scenes. WORTH MORE THAN GOLD is well-written, fun, sexy, cute, on and on and on. I felt it was the perfect short story. Read it and enjoy.

✳✳ Copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.

✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/10/16/...

Let me first start by saying that I love and adore all things sports romance. And getting the chance to see some other sports that aren’t typically represented in the genre was such fun. However, when reading a novella, I find that I have a very, VERY, hard time believing in couples that say “I love you” after only a few days. Each and every one of these stories had that, and even more so, they all had a destined-mate feel to the story. That ruined the fun reading experience for me, and by the end of the 2nd or 3rd story, really negatively impacted my reading mojo.

Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze

While all the other stories in this anthology focus a lot on the mystical torch that is said to bring good luck to all the competitors, this story didn’t. I liked that it was more about Amy being Erik’s good-luck charm, and I liked how that worked out for their relationship. It was fun to read about a heroine who had some strong athletic talent, but gave it up because she knew her Olympic chances were slim to none.

I really liked that Amy was able to develop a deeper relationship with her younger sister, and those moments between them were some of my favorites. However, for me the romance started off with a bang (literally), and then somewhat fizzled out. Don’t get me wrong, the sexy times between these two were off the charts, but I never really understood what it was that pulled Amy and Erik to each other. Their chemistry was obvious to each other, but as a reader, I never really understood it. Also, given the fact that Amy was willing to pick up her life and move to another state because of a man she had known for just a few days was a little too out there for me.

All in all I thought this was a super cute story, and had some really beautiful parts to it. However, this was the last story in the anthology itself, so I was extremely put off by the insta-love and quick development of the relationship.
I give Worth More Than Gold a C

Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier

This was the first story in the anthology, and was a strong start to the anthology. I liked that Nadia was a volunteer for the Olympics, I thought it gave the story a different feel than most sports romance books I’ve read. I liked Ty, especially since he was so fun and carefree. Yet when it came to courting Nadia, he also went above and beyond to try and prove his devotion to her it. It was sweet, but again, the insta-love was a hard pill to swallow.

I also liked the fact that Nadia had to deal with some negative fallout from her family regarding her sudden relationship with Ty. I thought it was a great sub-plot to add in, and I wish that it would have been explored further within the story.
I give Trouble with Gold a B-

The Girl behind the Gold by Aria Kane

I really liked the blurb of this story, and while some aspects of it were perfect, there were some that drove me crazy. I loved that Lia was so stern and serious, and that she was a little hurt by the fact that her public persona came across as bitchy instead of shy and professional about her sport. I could feel her desire to do anything and everything to get some sponsorships in order to secure her family’s future.

I liked Brandon as well, except for his little secret keeping from Lia. However, I thought he also put forth a pretty grand gesture in showing her just how sorry he was, and how much he wanted to patch things up between them. I really felt for them and their relationship, and was glad to see that there was no declaration of love, just a promise to try and work it out. That alone made this story my favorite of the anthology.
I give The Girl Behind the Gold a B

Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller

I loved the premise of this story, however the execution was a little weak. I thought Brenna’s reasons for hating athletes could have been developed more, and came across as a flimsy excuse. However, it was nice to see the “golden boy” be put in his place time and time again because Brenna refused to take his crap.

That being said, it also seemed like Brenna was quick to change her mind about athletes and Cole and jumped into bed with him quicker than should be normal. On top of that, these two seemed to fall in love the quickest out of all the couples, and I had a really hard time believing in it.
I give Ice Gold a C



All in all this anthology has some great parts (mainly getting to see more about the different winter sports) and some bad ones (hello insta-love gone overboard). While I thought all the stories had really strong and fun summaries, I also think there wasn’t enough execution for the stories to really work for me. Add in a few timeline errors between all four short stories, and this anthology didn’t live up to the expectation I had for it.
I give Love and Other Games a C-

[Shirley Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze

Rating: 4 stars
Review: I enjoyed this story very much, mainly because I thought that Amy was a great character to get to know. She was caring and knew how to let go and take advantage of a once in a lifetime chance. Although hesitant to get involved with Erik, especially since she doesn't remember much about the night they met, Amy was matured enough to keep her head, but enjoy her time with Erik.

Erik too was a great character. He was funny and sexy and treated Amy with respect. I enjoyed the way he carried himself and how sure he was about Amy's place in his life.

Ana Blaze did a great job of drawing me into the story with her use of humor and flirtatious banter. All in all, Worth More than Gold was a sweet, funny romantic story with interesting characters and a couple of sizzling-hot scenes that added to my enjoyment.

Trouble With Gold by Melinda Dozier

Rating: 3.75 stars
Review: This story was a bit hard to get through. I don't know if it was because it was the first story of the bunch or because I couldn't connect to Nadia off the bat. All I know is that I found that the beginning dragged in places. However, once the main characters got to know each other and spent some time with each other I started getting into the story.
Nadia was still a problem for me, since I thought that she came across as cold and indifferent. But as the story progressed I warmed-up to her and came to understand where she was coming from. In the end I was glad to see that she stood up for herself and started making her own decisions.

I loved Ty. He was funny and considerate. He did fall hard for Nadia and it was cute to see him all out of sorts when she rejected him.

I was glad to see that Melinda Dozier developed Ty and Nadia's connection as the story progressed. At first, I saw them as an unlikely pair but through honest dialogue and stolen moments I could see that they complimented each other well.

All in all, Trouble With Gold made for a nice read.

The Girl Behind the Gold by Aria Kane

Rating: 4 stars
Review: This was one of those stories where you hope the main character develops as the story progresses. This was the case for me with Lia. I liked her fine as a person, but she worried too much, which only managed to make her unhappy.

I loved Brandon. He was witty and charming and very, very sexy. He was one of my favorite heroes of this anthology, not only because he stood for what he believed in but also because he made things right with Lia even when she was rejecting him.

Aria Kane did a great job of bringing to the surface Lia's struggles and conflicting emotions regarding Brandon. I loved that Lia and Brandon had such a combustible chemistry, but it was the honest dialogue between them that kept me interested in the outcome of their story.

All in all, The Girl Behind the Gold had a little bit of angst, a lot of sexy and romance abound. I truly enjoyed it!

Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller

Rating: 3.25 stars
Review: I was intrigued by this story because I love photography and wanted to see how it was worked into the story. Sorry to say that it wasn't dealt with much, but I got over it as soon as I met Colton.

To tell you the truth I had my doubts about him. He came across as cocky and self-centered, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I was glad to see that it paid off in the end. Not only was he sexy and charming, he was also considerate and sweet.

Brenna, on the other hand, was a lot harder to like. She was too stubborn and I didn't care for the way she sometimes treated Colton. Thank goodness that her behavior changed as the story progressed and she learned to let go of her precious control.

Kara Leigh Miller did a good job of bringing the romance and chemistry between Brenna and Colton through the page. Their banter was enjoyable and their connection grew over time.

All in all, Ice Gold made for an enjoyable read.

I received this title from the publisher in exchange of my honest opinion.

[Chu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Originally Posted at: Book Freak

Rating: 4.5 Stars

In Worth More Than Gold, we are introduced to Amy – the clumsy sister and manager of America’s Skating Sweetheart. She loves to work backstage and help her sister with her training. But when an eager friend drags her to a party near the Olympic Village – she caught the attention of a sexy Norwegian ski jumper. With a little booze, inhibitions were dropped, and an amazing night followed. But the next morning, she couldn’t find her Viking.

Erik Andersen wasn’t really expecting any medal. He just wants to help the team on their standing. But after one remarkable night, his luck might have changed – during the final training session, he did well enough to have a possible space in the podium.

What I like about this story, more than the SUPER HOT SEX is the fact that the responsible sister is going to have her share of fun thanks to the Viking who’s showing her more than just the Olympic village. After what happened to her mother, and the way she has taken care of her sister, she deserves some breath of fresh air.

In Trouble With Gold – I laughed out much here. The US Snowboarders are naughty guys who have a lot of pranks in store for several athletes. Ty was given a dose of his own medicine when his teammates shackle him into a fence on a very cold snowy night wearing only his boxers – until Nadia, a volunteer, had saved his balls from literally turning blue.

Nadia was a professional – she was focused, and career driven. All she wanted was a job in the Olympics Committee Headquarters, and this volunteer job would help her land it. It didn’t help when she was ordered to babysit the US Snowboarding team.

I loved Ty and the rest of the US Snowboarders. They are fun, but when it comes to their sport – they are a serious bunch. I like how patient Ty was in thawing Nadia. He knew he wanted her the first time he saved her. But it would take a whole lot of hard work before he gets the girl.

In The Girl Behind the Gold we met Greek aerial skier Lia. She might be good, she might have the biggest chance to win the gold – but she lacks sponsorship. She wasn’t like much by the press because of her no-nonsense attitude. She wasn’t fun, she wasn’t approachable – and that poses a lot of problems especially when her family needed a lot of money to survive.

Brandon James’ needed to find a story for his magazine. He was a charmer through and through – which gains him an entrance to an invite-only party. But the story he wanted to do was nowhere to be found until he meets Lia.

She needed the sponsorship, he needed a story – both of them strike a deal, until a secret was found. Suddenly, Lia wasn’t so sure about him at all… I love her – she was feisty, and she knows how to get even. But Brandon didn’t falter – he showed her that he really cares for her.

In Ice Gold we meet Colton and Brenna whose antics had made me laugh as well. He really knows how to get her attention, and she knows how to get into his nerves as well. He was the next big thing in hockey, and she was assigned to take his photos.

But one wrong move from Brenna had almost lost Colton his career. She owes him, too bad Colton wants MORE than just apology. It was a battle of wits for these two people, they are strong-willed and stubborn. Will Brenna be strong enough to fight the temptation off? Or will she give in?

I was treated to a great romance anthology this afternoon. Out of the four, I couldn’t pick a favorite. They were all sweet, fast-paced, swoon-worthy, sexy, steamy love stories that will fill your senses with heat despite the cold weather and make you fall in love.

It’s different stories with one common denominator – the Olympics. How some athletes find not only luck, nor the coveted medal in their quest for Gold – but they can also find love.

★ARC Copy was given in exchange for an honest review.★

[Melody May (What I'm Reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted on What I'm Reading

In Love and Other Games we see four stories that center around the Winter Olympics. However, they have more in common than the Olympics, but some type of good luck charm. Will each of our athletes find luck and love to; lets see.

Trouble with Gold
Melinda Dozier

The best way to describe this novella is adorable. We have Ty Madison (aka Trouble) an Olympic snowboarder. Ty is aiming to win gold. However, his teammates decided to play a little joke on him. Good thing they did, because he was able to meet Nadia Hoffman. He's all about having fun, while she might be a stick in the mud. When she's around Ty, she starts to learn she can have fun and get what she wants. Verdict: CUTE.

Ice Gold
Kara Leigh Miller

I'm starting love stories with hockey player heroes. Colton Campbell is the captain for the American hockey team. He really doesn't have a problem getting ladies in his bed, but when it comes Brenna Jessup there is no winning. There's a couple of things Brenna doesn't like 1) Players and 2)Athletes. Sounds like Cole has his work cut out for him. All Brenna wants to do is do her job and get out of Switzerland intact. I really like this story. You have a guy trying to get a girl who doesn't want anything to do with him, makes for an interesting read. Verdict: LOVED.

The Girl Behind the Gold
Aria Kane

In this story we meet Lia Milonas who happens to be a Greek aerial skier. Pretty cool. Anyway, she has a problem, and she's not likable. Lia comes off a bit standoffish, because she doesn't have a bubbly personality. Which causes problems when trying get sponsors. Then Lia meets Brandon James, who she believes is prospective sponsor. Nope, he's actually with the press. Lia doesn't do well with the press. How's this going to work? I actually really liked this story. We have a vulnerable athlete, but no ones it who meets in essence her enemy. I like that Brandon tries to help her out. Verdict: ENJOYABLE.

Worth More than Gold
Ana Blaze

I think I love this story the best. We meet Erik Andresen who believe he didn't have a chance to be a contender, but somehow finds away to be one with the help of Amy Pierce. Now Amy is at the Olympics to help and support her sister, but could there be a chance of romance. Seriously, Erik is swoon worthy. In my mind I actually pictured Erik as Alexander Skarsgård. Let's be honest, he's pretty hot. The description of Erik being a viking, so I thought of True Blood's Erik. Anyway, I really like the story. I could go on rambling about, but I think I should stop. Verdict: SWOON-WORTHY.

Overall, these stories are all quick reads that are enjoyable. They have elements of being cute, lovable, and yes, swoon-worthy. They had me chuckling with oh-god-situation that made them light and fun. That's what they are suppose to be light and fun. So, if you are looking for some light fun, you might want to try Love and Other Games.

Copy provided by the publisher.

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This review consists of a short review of each short story and a summary at the end. This is the first contemporary short story anthology I read and I really enjoyed it.

Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier
Trouble with Gold was a fun and enjoyable short story. A bit too short and a bit predictable, but lots of fun. Ty is a trouble maker and falls in love with Nadia, who is only there for work. It was nice to see how Nadia changes and finally had some fun, although the changes did happen a bit fast. The ending was nice, although I would've liked to know how the story continues and what happens next.

Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller
I really enjoyed this short story. I loved the writing style and wanted to keep reading. It is short, but sastisfying and has both love and lust. Ofcourse I think it was too short. I liked both characters and was amazed at how much we learned about them in such a short story. The focus was more on the characters than on the rest of the story. I also liked that this story takes place at the same time as the first story and the characters of the first short story are mentioned in this one. I hadn't expected that, looking forward to reading the other 2 stories and seeing how they connect to the rest.

The Girl behind the Gold by Aria Kane
I really enjoyed this short story and read it in one sitting. I really liked the romance and the passion between the main characters. And I liked seeing Lia develop and change. And her background story was great and sad. And the ending was so well done, really beautifull. I really felt like I got to know a whole lot about these two characters in such a short story and ofcourse thought it was too short, but most of it was nicely wrapped up by the ending.
This is my favourite short story of these 4.

Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze
I enjoyed this story. I liked that Amy had a sister and I liked seeing their relationship develop a bit in this story. This story felt too short for any real development and while there was obviously passion between Amy and Erik, it just felt like there wasn't enough getting to know each other. Nevertheless an enjoyable story.

To conclude: I really enjoyed these 4 short stories, they are a bit predictable and too short and due to the lenght there isn't much room for slowly developing a relationship. Nevertheless is Love and Other Games a very enjoyable collection of 4 short stories centered around the Olympic winter games, I did like this setting and how eahc short story made a mention about one or two of the other short stories, so it really felt like this all took place at the same time. Definitely worth the read if you are looking for some short, hot romances set in a winter setting.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC provided for honest review*** - originally posted at Reading Rainblog

All four of these stories were cute, fun, easy reads. They were each a story you could read in one sitting, and then come back to read the next one – unless you’re like me and can’t leave a book partially read. No wonder I’m up most nights until 2am! Every story was different, but they all had similarities as well. I’ve read books by Melinda and Kare, but Ana and Aria are new authors to me, and I can’t wait to read more from each of them.

Trouble With Gold

This short story about Ty and Nadia was a really fun read. Ty is the US troublemaking snowboarder, and Nadia is the uptight, strait-laced Volunteer who is trying to get a full-time position with the Committee. After hearing from a friend that she’s no “fun”, she hooks up with Ty to prove how fun she really is. Ty was adorable, and so sincere throughout the book – even while blowing up condom balloons! The only problem I had with this one is that it was just too short! I want to know what happens to Ty and Nadia next!

Ice Gold

I loved Cole! He was such a jerk at the beginning, but he was a really good guy deep down. I loved watching the relationship between he and Brenna developing, and like Trouble with Gold, I hated that it was so short because I just wanted to keep reading! One of my favorite things was that the characters from the other story were brought up in this one as well, tying the two stories together. It also showed how everything was happening at the same time.

The Girl Behind The Gold

Aria did a great job with this story, I loved both Lia and Brandon’s characters, and I was rooting for throughout the story. I understood Lia’s background and where she was coming from in the story, and I really liked the romance and passion shared between her and Brandon. Like the other two stories, it was way too short! I wish they’d all been full length novels as I would have enjoyed reading more about them.

Worth More Than Gold

So, what do I need to do to score a hot, sexy Ski Jumper? Because I’ll be honest, I’d be all over Erik! The story was a little short, but I liked reading about Amy and her sister, as well as the progression of her relationship with Erik. The two definitely had some amazing chemistry between them! Like the other three stories, I love how they were all connected. That’s not something you find often – even in an Anthology like this. I loved reading about the characters trying to find the Olympic Torch and the superstitions behind it.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review
Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze
I really liked Amy and how Erik really teaches her to loosen up some. She has taken life so serious because she has had to and quit taking time for herself. He is a sexy joker who likes to show her he can be serious but he likes to have fun as well. Erik also is getting to the point to where he needs to think about what to do after the Olympics. They both really are a good match for each other.

Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller
I love this story. Breena has to go photograph the US hockey team and really doesn't want to. She doesn't like athletes and wants no part of them. Her job is at stake so she has to do as they ask.She is very serious. Colton is a player and never denies it. He is the hotshot everyone is counting on and he wants Breena. She thinks he is wanting a fling but he shows her different. There is several funny moments that I loved. Breena gets revenge in a few ways even she didn't think she would.

The Girl behind the Gold by Aria Kane
Lia has never been real popular with fans and if she doesn't change her family could lose it's farm. She just doesn't know how to be personal and open about her self. She likes to hold things in. Brandon has to get a story or else. One no one else has. He tricks Lia but quickly grows to care for her. He teaches her some things and he does help her even when she won't speak to him. At first I didn't like him but he grew on me.

Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier
Ty or Trouble as he is called is the perfect man for his nickname. He is always in trouble and loves to have fun. Nadia never has fun and only works. She will do anything to make her father proud even if it cost her her happiness. Ty thinks she is his luck and will do whatever to get her to give him a chance. These two are also wonderful together.

Overall
I really enjoyed all the stories and liked all the characters. Each book features the Olympics and a little luck as well. The stories all have the hot factor I enjoy but also have the love at first moment feel to them. I know lots of people don't like instant love stories but these work. If you want a hot story and characters who show you at times opposites do attract try this one.

4 out of 5 Stars

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love and Other Games is a collection of four short love stories centered around the athletes of the winter olympics. I am super excited for the actual winter Olympics to start in a couple of weeks, so this book was perfect to get me in the mood. If only the real Olympics were this fun and lovey dovey. All of the stories were a ton of fun and I enjoyed them all. I think my favorite out of the four was Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier. I just loved the fun loving dynamic between Nadia and Ty.

But there wasn't a single story that I didn't enjoy. Each of them were pretty short, but none of them felt rushed or incomplete. I think that each of the authors did a great job at giving a cute, fun, sporty happily ever after for each of the athletes. I loved the setting of the Olympic village. I now want to read more Olympic themed stories. I think that is just such a fun backdrop for a love story. These athletes all work so hard, but they also seem like they know how to let loose and celebrate when the right time comes. Each of the stories also wove together a central theme of the legend of the ancient torch. The legend says that the holder of the torch will win the gold. It brings them good luck, but only for 24 hours. Then you are supposed to hide the torch and let it's magic work for someone else. How fun is that?

If you love the Olympics like I do, you will eat up Love and Other Games. It is pure sexy, romantic fun. Perfect for a theme read. It leaves me wanting more Olympic love stories. Make a part two!

[I ♥ Bookie Nookie (bookienookiereviews.blogspot.com)]

My Review: Love and Other Games
My Overall Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reviewed by Tickled Pink for Book Ink on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews

LOVE AND OTHER GAMES is a collection of four short stories all occurring at the Winter Olympics in Switzerland. They are all stand-alone stories with minor connections. I would say its like a rom-com marathon with lots of sexy included. Who knew the Winter Olympics were so hot?


✳✳ Copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.

✳✳ View the entire review on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews




(since this review has already been rated on GR, no formal rating or "read" date has been assigned to this review and does not count towards total books read on I ♥ Bookie Nookie's Profile )

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

An anthology of four short stories, they are all tied together with common threads: there is romance, and each has a character that is in the winter Olympics. Quick reading, each story stands alone, as a complete bite of a moment in time for the characters within.

These four stories all were enjoyable in their own way, characters were believable and intriguing, their stories were presented giving a logical reason for their behavior and reactions. There was enough drama and conflict to keep readers intrigued, but not over the top to melodrama. While the stories were short, each was complete with a beginning, middle and happy ending. If you only have a short moment to get your read on, grab this collection and find yourself with four stories to break up your day with a smile.

I received an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review for Tasty Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Chantel Rhondeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun collection of sexy short stories that I quite enjoyed. Truthfully, I only picked it up because of Melinda Dozier. I love her books and her story, Trouble With Gold, didn't disappoint. I loved Ty and Nadia's whirlwind romance and their fun, flirty, and hot story. However, the other stories were quite enjoyable and I would recommend the entire book (though fun-loving Ty has my heart and I still giggle about Nadia's panties).

I'm not normally a person who reads short stories, but this is a fun collection and a nice introduction to each author's work. The winter games tying them together was a nice touch. If you're looking for new authors to read, you won't be disappointed with this collection and it can point you in the direction of some great authors.

[Virginia Brasch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying this was my first Sports Romance. I'm super not into sports (Sorry!) I've watched them occasionally and root for cute players. I can't help it.

That being said, I'm a total convert. I loved it. They're fun, short stories. They're each different yet characters are mentioned in each story so you really get a feel that they're all going on at the same time in the same place. I really enjoyed that.

Who knew the Olympics were so sexy? These girls did clearly and I can't wait to tune in for the Winter Olympics this year.

I got a free copy in exchange for an honest review but if I hadn't this would have been on my TBR list anyway.

[Sophie Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun collection of romances that takes place at the Olympics. Each story is different, and I enjoyed reading about the different winter sports and athletes. The third story, The Girl Behind the Gold, was particularly well written and I really felt for the characters in that story. I would like to read a full length romance written by that author.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of anthologies and this was a lovely collection of sweet and sexy New Adult stories with athletes--which I love-- set against the backdrop of the Olympic Games. Hard to pick a favorite.

[Nance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book!!!!! Wished the books were longer...they were that awesome!!!! Can't wait to read more books from all four authors!!!! They were really that good...

Full review be written soon...

[Aria Kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so excited for everyone to read this book! Thank you so much for all of your support!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it. It was very well written

[Catastrophe Queen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never really liked sports but the romance was enough to hold my attention.

[Amber Daulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Aria Kane, for sending me this ebook copy of Love and Other Games for an honest review.
I loved how these individual stories flowed together with characters from one story being mentioned in another and how each story shared similar settings, locations and the Lucky Torch. They don���t need to be read in order as printed in the book but that���s how I read them anyway.


4 STARS!!!


My Reviews...


SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!


Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier is the first novella in the anthology.

Nadia Hoffman is a straight-laced, career-orientated Swiss woman who dreams of making her father and family proud by landing a prestigious job at the official Olympics Committee Headquarters. She meets US Snowboarder Ty ���Trouble��� Madsen after his teammates chain him up outside in zero degree weather as an initiation prank. They are instantly attracted to each other but she refused to have anything to do with a man known for causing trouble. Soon after, Nadia is upset that her friends called her ���no fun��� and decides to prove them wrong. So, instead of following her head, she followed her heart and jumped into a free-spirited, spontaneous relationship with Ty. What started as a winter fling soon turned into something much deeper than either Nadia or Ty expected. Even though the couple never said the words ���I love you���, they clearly felt it.

The author wrote these characters with so much feeling that I easily identified with both Ty and Nadia. I understand his need to have childish fun but he was also professional businessman. I also understood why Nadia was so straight-laced���pride means everything to her���and Ty was the perfect guy to help her cut loose.

The only issue I had with the novella, which is a very little issue, is that they fell head over heels for each other way too fast. Then again, love at first sight does happen in the real world, and Nadia and Ty were so perfect and great together that it made sense.

I really enjoyed this short story.

~~~~

Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller is the second novella.

Brenna Jessup despised the Olympics and the athletes more than anything else. She believed that the athletes are spoiled and that they only care for themselves. When the business she works for lands a high-stakes deal, Brenna becomes the official photographer for the US Hockey team against her wishes.

Colton Campbell, the newest starting center on the team, is everything she despises. Cole is used to getting what he wants, including women, but Brenna doesn���t fall under his lustful spell. He���s determined to win her over using any means necessary. What he doesn���t expect is that Miss. Prim and Proper fights back. After minor pranks on each other escalates into Brenna accidently injuring Cole during practice on the rink, Brenna finally lets down her icy guard and Cole acts human, instead of an egotistical horn dog.

The author wrote completely believable characters and the spark between them was flaming hot! I laughed so much as Brenna found out what Cole did with her camera���God, I wish I had those pics!���and I especially loved the scene when Cole and Brenna were stuck in a closet for almost an hour.

The love that blossomed between them happened gradually over the course of about a week. They got to know each other on a level that most people didn���t see. Once she finally opened up about why hated Olympic athletes, he finally realized Brenna was the woman for him. Even though she was emotionally distant and unavailable, he taught her that not all men are untrustworthy, that some men, like himself, can change for the better. By doing so, she ended up taming the playboy and his wild ways.

My only problem was an editing problem. I don���t understand why semi-colons were often used when commas would have worked better. Then again, I read an ARC, so hopefully those little issues were fixed in the final product.

Anyway, this was a great book.

~~~~

The Girl Behind the Gold by Aria Kane is the third novella.

Evangelia Milonas is an excellent skier but she���s so shy that she doesn���t have many fans and people think she���s a snob. At first, so did I. She acted haughty and superior but you soon learn that it���s all a fa��ade. She���s a private yet very emotional person with a caring family and a sense of honor. She���s the kind of person you���d want for a best friend.

Brandon James had it rough as a kid and now, as an adult, he���s determined to be the best at what he does. As a journalist, top in his field, he���s not afraid to stomp toes and hurt feelings to get what he wants���and he wants Lia���s story, with or without her approval.

He tricks Lia into trusting him���which I admit was pretty clever and funny at first���but he started feeling guilty about it too late in the story in my opinion. It really irked me that it took him so long to realize what he was doing was very wrong and to finally admit the truth, which he did only after she found out from other sources. Yet, even though he started out as selfish, he really came through in the end. He was her hero���just as he vowed to be. Without his help, Lia and her family would have lost everything���their farm and pride���and without him apologizing in the amazing way that he did, he would have lost her forever.

I connected very deeply with Lia. I loved the family dynamic and how much they supported her. She was so mature and dedicated to her sport. I got the feeling that she couldn���t enjoy skiing and being at the Olympics as much as she should have because of the stress she felt to land a sponsor and to save the family farm. She went through a lot of that worry on her own. Even though Brandon irritated me, I understood his reasons and motivations for his lies. If I had been in his shoes, I would have done the same thing. He was desperate for a great story to save his career. The author did a wonderful job describing each character so well that the reader just can���t help but understand and fall in love with both Lia and Brandon.

The ending with this story differs than with the other three. Lia and Brandon agree to spend the next year together to work on a new project���their strong feelings for each other will obviously bloom into love���but there was no guarantee of anything permanent after a year. Of course, a HEA isn���t needed to make a great ending for a great story. The book is perfect just the way it is.

~~~~

Worth More than Gold is the fourth and last novella in this great anthology.

Amy Peirce met a charming, drop-dead gorgeous foreigner at a party and the sparks flew. The next morning, however, she woke up in his bed and he���s gone. Mortified by what happened, she ran out as quickly as possible. It took sexy Norwegian ski jumper Erik Andersen two days to find the shy redhead. Once he explained why he ���ditched her���, as she claimed, and they make up, they slow down their hot and steamy relationship to get to know one another.

Amy is overly protective of her little sister, who is a 17 year old Olympic figure skater; Erik doesn���t expect to win a medal because of an accident at the last Olympics, yet he is completely fine with that. He���s at the games to support his team and to watch over his younger teammates. They both have dreams in life but they let other people or things hold them back. Together, however, Amy learned to have fun and Erik gained more confidence and improved his game.

Erik is adorable!!! I love tall, blond men with a sexy accent. Amy and her best friend call him the Viking and that description fits���other than Vikings having tempers. He���s so calm and peaceful. He���s also very blunt, which makes him seem so innocent. He doesn���t speak English fluently so his conversations with Amy were at times either funny or problematic. He doesn���t explain himself well sometimes and she overacts, leaving him completely confused. The language barrier was the greatest threat to their budding relationship. Other than that, there wasn���t anything else standing in the way of their happiness.

The author did a great job matching these two people together. They both are business-oriented���meaning she has a business degree and he plans to open a ski school���so their future together is destined. They just really clicked, even beyond great sex, and made each other happy outside the bedroom.

I really loved this book.



Thank you, Aria Kane, Kara Leigh Miller, Ana Blaze and Melinda Dozier for these wonderful stories.

[Nikki Lynn Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVE AND OTHER GAMES is a collection of four sexy new adult stories centered around athletes competing in the Winter Games by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, and Kara Leigh Miller.

Worth More Than Gold
by Ana Blaze

Amy Pierce, the klutzy sister and manager of America’s Skating Sweetheart, is used to being invisible. But when a friend drags her to a party near the Olympic Village, Amy catches the eye of a sexy Norwegian ski jumper. It’s a magical night, but an awkward next morning has her running. Everyone knows Erik Andresen’s best shot at an individual medal was back in 2010, before an injury pulled him from the competition. He’s there for his team, but a hot night and a remarkable final training session have him wondering if a gorgeous good-luck charm could give him another chance at the podium. With a little bit of luck, these two might have a shot at something worth more than gold.

One hot night and getting carried away with a hot athlete, who can resist that! The fact that they went back and slowed it down is where the romance came in.

Amy’s relationship growing and maturing with her sister was a nice addition to the story giving it an emotional depth.

I love Ana’s writing style and will always look for more of her work.

Trouble With Gold
by Melinda Dozier

US snowboarder and notorious prankster, Ty (Trouble) Madsen is only getting a taste of his own medicine when his Olympic teammates shackle him to a fence wearing nothing but his boxers. Reception and protocol volunteer, Nadia Hoffman, gets up close and personal with the sexy snowboarder to rescue him, but she's not the kind of girl who lets her hormones get in her way. A professional performance could help her land her dream job at Olympics Committee Headquarters, but her new assignment supervising the rambunctious US Snowboarding Team is making that difficult. Can she see behind the snowman in the community center bathroom and into the warm heart of the man everyone calls Trouble?

I loved this. The goofy teammates and the prank that set him up to meet Nadia was the best. Melinda did a fantastic job setting the scene.

The screaming fans, fists pumps, all had to a realistic Olympic hero for the story. Nadia was the perfect heroin, a good girl, being tempted by being bad.
Hot and steamy scenes kept the pages turning very quickly. This was my favorite out of the stories in the book.

The Girl Behind the Gold
by Aria Kane

Greek aerial skier Lia Milonas’s parents are about to lose the family farm. Saving it means medaling and landing a huge sponsor. While her no-nonsense attitude has her well on her way to a medal, it hasn’t won her a place in fans' hearts. “Come back with a story that will make readers cry, or don’t come back.” This is what Brandon James’ boss told him before he left New York to cover the Winter Games for Moment Magazine. With a wink and a smile, he can charm his way into any invite-only party, but that career-making story is nowhere to be found – until he meets Lia. The two strike a deal that should get them both what they want - but neither would have guessed they’d also find what they both needed.

The story was about the girl athlete and was standout. It was a bit of an ugly ducking story, even though Lia was far from ugly. Trying to save her family, she was strong and fearless. She made excellent heroine.

Brandan was a no nonsense journalist, driven kind of guy until her met Lia. I loved how he was got by surprise by his need to want to know her and just not for the story.
It was heartwarming triumphant story of family and love.
The romance was steamy and a true love story.

Ice Gold
by Kara Leigh Miller

Colton Campbell thrives on the fast paced, adrenaline rushed lifestyle of being an Olympic hockey player. Despite Brenna Jessup's abhorrence for the games and the athletes, she's handpicked as the official photographer for the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. When a faux pas by Brenna almost costs Colton his career, she owes him. Too bad for her, Colton doesn't want apologies -- he wants retribution! And he knows just how to get it -- and her -- in the process.

This one was the wittiest of the book. The banter between the hero and the heroin were priceless. The story is short, but we still got to know the Brenna and Cole enough to really root for them.

Brenna is a no-nonsense career woman. Just trying to do her job. She is a silly hopeless romantic, wanting that perfect man to come and sweep her off her feet. She is intelligent enough that she knows he might not exist. Until she meets a man that make her not think

Cole is an arrogant, self-important, celebrity type. His entitlement attitude is incredible. I had my doubts about him at the beginning but he turned it around pretty quickly.

The heat they share is apparent right from the first scene and only turns up the flame as the pages fly by. I easily read this one in one sitting.


The book as a whole is a great collection of short stories that have a running theme through them. Some of them really intertwine very well together as if they were running at the same time. I really liked that.

The fact that they all had the same backdrop helped a lot with the scenery. I would have liked all the stories to be longer and tell more about the characters. However that did not sway my opinion on the book as a whole. I loved the whole concept.

NIkki

[LaSarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love and Other Games by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, and Kara Leigh Miller

My rating: 4/5
DRC provided by author for an honest review
Published: 10.1.2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Summary –
LOVE AND OTHER GAMES is a collection of four sexy new adult stories centered around athletes competing in the Winter Games by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, and Kara Leigh Miller.

Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze
Amy Pierce, the klutzy sister and manager of America’s Skating Sweetheart, is used to being invisible. But when a friend drags her to a party near the Olympic Village, Amy catches the eye of a sexy Norwegian ski jumper. It’s a magical night, but an awkward next morning has her running.

Everyone knows Erik Andresen’s best shot at an individual medal was back in 2010, before an injury pulled him from the competition. He’s there for his team, but a hot night and a remarkable final training session have him wondering if a gorgeous good-luck charm could give him another chance at the podium.

With a little bit of luck, these two might have a shot at something worth more than gold.

Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier
US snowboarder and notorious prankster, Ty (Trouble) Madsen is only getting a taste of his own medicine when his Olympic teammates shackle him to a fence wearing nothing but his boxers.

Reception and protocol volunteer, Nadia Hoffman, gets up close and personal with the sexy snowboarder to rescue him, but she's not the kind of girl who lets her hormones get in her way. A professional performance could help her land her dream job at Olympics Committee Headquarters, but her new assignment supervising the rambunctious US Snowboarding Team is making that difficult. Can she see behind the snowman in the community center bathroom and into the warm heart of the man everyone calls Trouble?

The Girl behind the Gold by Aria Kane
Greek aerial skier Lia Milonas’s parents are about to lose the family farm. Saving it means medaling and landing a huge sponsor. While her no-nonsense attitude has her well on her way to a medal, it hasn’t won her a place in fans' hearts.

“Come back with a story that will make readers cry, or don’t come back.” This is what Brandon James’ boss told him before he left New York to cover the Winter Games for Moment Magazine. With a wink and a smile, he can charm his way into any invite-only party, but that career-making story is nowhere to be found – until he meets Lia.

The two strike a deal that should get them both what they want - but neither would have guessed they’d also find what they need.

Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller
Colton Campbell thrives on the fast paced, adrenaline rushed lifestyle of being an Olympic hockey player.

Despite Brenna Jessup's abhorrence for the games and the athletes, she's hand-picked as the official photographer for the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.

When a faux pas by Brenna almost costs Colton his career, she owes him. Too bad for her, Colton doesn't want apologies -- he wants retribution! And he knows just how to get it -- and her -- in the process. (Thanks to GoodReads.com for the summary)

My Thoughts –

I thought all 4 stories were great! I think they were well written, easy to read and smokin’ hot. I liked how all of the stories had a tie into each other and you really see where this was happening and how these characters fell for each other. My favorite 2 stories were Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier and The Girl Behind the Gold by Aria Kane.

In Trouble with Gold, Ty and Nadia have an instant attraction to one another. I mean who would get all hot and bothered by a nearly naked hunky man handcuffed to a railing on a cold, cold night? I think this is a great start to the e-book and it really set up the rest of the novellas.

Nadia seemed so sure and determined in the beginning, but realized that she wasn’t really doing what she was doing for herself and also that she wasn’t enjoying life as much as she could. Ty is always looking for fun and a good time, until Nadia enters the picture and all of a sudden he’s thinking more long term and permanent. They were a great couple and their shenanigans were entertaining and their love scenes were divine.

In The Girl Behind the Gold, Lia and Brandon are the stars. Both of the characters in this story are awesome. They both have specific agendas at the beginning of the party, but afterwards and the few days that follow, they discover a new focus and exactly what they both were missing in life.

I like how these characters instantly click with each other. Lia is the girl at the party that no one talking to and Brandon is the guy who doesn’t belong there to begin with. They take off, have an adventure looking for the torch and then have a different kind of adventure in Brandon’s hotel room. Clothing s are thrown from a window, a man in a towel is seen wandering the hotel lobby and a girl finally smiles and does an interview. Great writing, great couple and overall great story!!

My only issue with the e-book is the font. I know the writers usually don’t have a choice in this, but the font is horrible and hard to read.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour in exchange for a fair and honest review. I rated it 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

A collection of four short stories taking place during a fictional Winter Olympics, Love and Other Games by Ana Blaze, Aria Kane, Kara Leigh Miller and Melinda Dozier is light hearted, full of spicy romance and a fun read. The authors remind us that even though the athletes are serious about participating in their sport, and their pursuit of a gold medal, they are also there to have a good time. And what could be more fun than falling in love during what is guaranteed to be a once in a lifetime experience. I’ll be doing mini reviews of each novella below.

Trouble with Gold by Melinda Dozier
A cute story featuring Ty “Trouble” Madsen, a member of the US Snowboarding team, and how he meets Nadia Hoffman, a reception and protocol volunteer, while he’s handcuffed, and only wearing boxers, to a fence in the Olympic village. Bringing together a guy who’s as serious about having fun as he is competing and a woman who’s forgotten how to have fun in her pursuit of landing her dream job with the Olympic committee, Ms. Dozier reminds us why opposites attract. Ms. Dozier does a good job developing the romance between both characters and while the ending is not a HEA – it is a Happy for Now with the possibility of more.

Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller
A spicy romance between two Americans at the games, Ice Gold features Colton Campbell, the star of the US Men’s Hockey Team, and Brenna Jessup, the official photographer for the team. Bringing together an athlete who’s not used to hearing the word no with a woman who avoids athletes on principles, Ms. Miller reminds us that athletes are real people too and that the “image” the press gives us is just a part of the picture. The romance that develops between Colt and Brenna is smoking hot and the end of their story was just right.

The Girl Behind the Gold by Aria Kane
A heartwarming love story between a Greek aerial skier and an American reporter, The Girl Behind the Gold is perhaps my favorite story in this anthology. Ms. Kane does a wonderful job using “mistaken identity” to bring her characters together. Once again the “lucky torch” makes an appearance, and gives aerial skier “Lia” Minolas the push she needs to be open, friendly and honest with Brandon James, a reporter she has mistaken for a sponsor. While Brandon falls in love with the woman behind the skies, he scrambles to help the athlete get the attention she needs in order to help her get sponsors and save her family’s farm. I was really sorry to see the story end and hope we get to see these characters again so that I can get the rest of their story. While we don’t get an HEA, we do get a Happy for Now with the promise of more.

Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze
A more comedic story than the rest, Worth More than Gold gives us the instant romance between Amy Pierce, the sister of one of the US Olympic ice skaters, and Erik Andresen, a Norwegian Ski Jumper. Used to being the responsible sister, Amy attends a party away from the athlete’s village and meets Erik. Instantly attracted to each other, they hook up and then continue to hookup even as they try to figure out if a relationship between them could work. With language issues, and “good luck charm” issues come and go between them, it was clear to me that they were fated to meet and fall in love. I was sad to see their story end and hope we get to see them again, especially since it seemed they were definitely headed to the HEA that Amy deserved.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this anthology and look forward to reading more of these four author’s work.

[Erth · Rating 4 out of 5]

now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.

The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.

i would highly recommend this author and this book.

[Kim Reads (Read Your Writes Book Reviews)]

Reviewed by Julie
for Read Your Writes Book Reviews

Worth More Than Gold ~ REVIEW

Worth More Than Gold is the story of Amy Pierce who used to be a competitive figure skater but quit at the age of thirteen when her younger sister, by four years, showed much more promise than she did. Amy now manages her sister's olympic path. When Amy's best friend talks her into going to a party the first night after arriving in Switzerland, she ends up meeting Erik Andresen, a Norwegian ski jumper. This is his last year for the games and he knows that he's not a contender for the gold but wants to help his teammates.

After spending the night together, Erik’s first qualifying jump lands him in a top position to actually be able to medal. Now he thinks Amy is his good luck charm. It was love at first sight for both of them. Eventually, Erik asks Amy to spend time with him both personally and professionally.

********************

Trouble with Gold ~ REVIEW

Nadia Hoffman is a volunteer for the Olympic games trying to obtain a real position with the games at her father's insistence. She is from Switzerland and falls head over heels in love with Ty "Trouble" Madsen, a US snowboarder.

Nadia is very serious about her job and doesn't know how to have fun. Ty is the perfect person to help bring her out of her shell. Nadia saves Ty when his fellow teammates play a prank on him and leave him in only his boxers, in the cold, handcuffed to a pole. Known for his playboy ways, it's love at first sight when Nadia comes to his rescue.

Nadia and Ty engage in fun antics while they try to find the rumored miniature olympic torch that's supposed to bring good luck. In the end, Ty moves to Switzerland in order to have a real relationship with Nadia.

********************

The Girl Behind the Gold ~ REVIEW

Lia Milonas is a Greek aerialist. If she doesn't win the gold and obtain a sponsorship, her family will lose their farm so she's very serious about her reason for being at the Olympics. She's been told she's not likable even if she is pretty and a contender to win the gold. When she meets Brandon James, a magazine reporter from the US, they instantly fall head over heels in love with each other. Brandon helps Lia to become "likable" and sets up a lot of interviews for her. He writes a very compelling article for his magazine about her that comes straight from his heart. They look for the rumored mini olympic torch for good luck to help her win the gold. But they end up winning each other's hearts.

********************
Ice Gold ~ REVIEW

Brenna Jessup is a photographer from the US sent to Switzerland to cover the US hockey team. She tries to get out of it because she hates everything related to the Olympics. She and her mother were forgotten about in her father’s and brother's quest to get her brother to the Olympics years ago. Unfortunately, she's the best photographer so she ends up going to Switzerland. It's love at first sight for her when she meets Colton “Cole” Campbell, the star hockey player for the US team.

Cole is a playboy and finds it amusing when they end up next to each other on the plane ride to Switzerland and knows that Brenna is attracted to him. But then again, he's extremely attracted to her too. Brenna tries to keep their relationship professional but ends up falling in love with him anyway. Their antics also include trying to find the miniature olympic good luck torch. They continue to pursue their relationship during and after the games are finished.

OVERALL ~ All of these stories were feel good-type stories. They made me believe there actually is such a thing as love at first sight. If it can happen at the Olympics, it can happen anywhere.

Source: Blog Tour Host/Author

[kelly {BookCrushin} · Rating 4 out of 5]

This spoiler-free review was published originally on my blog on 1/20/14; http://bookcrush.in/reviews/blog-tour...

I will admit it right off the bat: I am a huge fan of the Olympics. Yes, I like most major league sports too, but the Olympics are different. I never feel more pride, patriotism or excitement as I do when the Olympics are on. I want Team USA to smear the floor with the competition and win it for themselves & our country. You can bet that my DVR will be recording the upcoming games so I can watch as much as I can! I also barely read contemporary romance books so I figured I could give this one a shot since I knew I could connect to the subject matter at least. So now that is off my chest…I absolutely loved each and every story in Love and Other Games!

Each mini love story is cute, fun and sexy! They each had overarching themes of sportsmanship, superstition and luck, which all took place at the same Olympic Games in Switzerland. I thought it was really fun that each story slyly remarked about another aspect of one of the other stories. All of the characters/athletes made me do some serious laughing and swooning! I knew the Olympics were a time of much patriotism and competition but who knew they could be so damn fun & sexy too! I know this is a work of fiction but you know damn well I will be thinking about what the athletes are doing behind the scenes when I watch in February! So do yourselves a favor and grab a copy of Love and Other Games to get you in the mood for the Winter Olympics in just a few weeks!

My really only issue with this anthology was the insta-love, I prefer a more drawn out realistic story of falling in love. However, I definitely understand that each mini love story was just that, a mini love story so there is only so much space to fill. I don’t read many anthologies so I don’t have much material to compare it to, so it is still a 4 heart book in my opinion. The stories had too many redemptive qualities to really let this drag my enjoyment down.

I received an eARC from the author in order to participate in this blog tour & for review.