Hi and welcome! I’m so happy to get to reveal the cover of one of my favorite books. Snow Balls came out originally in 2012 and was one of the bestselling gay romances of that year. Now i get to reintroduce it to brand new readers. JJ is one of the heroes who most captures my heart. I hope you love him too. Don’t you love the new cover by the fabulous Reese Dante? Thanks for stopping by! : )
Is it always wrong to pretend to be Mr. Right?
Snow Balls
(Balls to the Wall Series, #4)
By Tara Lain
Blurb:
JJ LaRousse looks like a quarterback but acts like a queen. He’s trying to be proud of who he is—until a robbery at the famous Laguna Winter Fantasy brings JJ face-to-face with tough cop Ryan Star. JJ hears Ryan likes manly men, so he drops his voice an octave, colors his pink hair, and tries to pass as a football fan.
Ryan Star may be tough, but he keeps his sexuality to himself at work. He learned in New York that being a gay cop can be deadly. His attraction to JJ threatens his secret, but he’s finding it hard to back away from a guy who’s so totally his type. Then, during a ski trip and a confrontation with JJ’s biggest nemesis, all the façades come crashing down. In the aftermath, can Ryan love JJ for who he really is? More importantly, can JJ?
Available for pre-order at
Release Date:
December 6, 2017
Excerpts
Carefully he placed the art objects into the scene. These dolls would
bring in the money during Winter Fantasy because people could afford to give
them as gifts. An original piece of art at a reasonable price. It was a great
find for shoppers. He nestled a lovely red-and-green doll into a forest of tiny
pines.
bring in the money during Winter Fantasy because people could afford to give
them as gifts. An original piece of art at a reasonable price. It was a great
find for shoppers. He nestled a lovely red-and-green doll into a forest of tiny
pines.
“That’s really pretty.”
“Oh.” JJ almost dropped the doll. He grabbed it firmly, placed it,
breathed, and turned toward the husky voice. Showtime.
breathed, and turned toward the husky voice. Showtime.
The cop raised the corners of his mouth slightly. “Sorry. Didn’t mean
to startle you.”
to startle you.”
Could he try out his own deep voice? JJ cleared his throat and dropped
his tone from the usual stratosphere. “Not a problem. I wasn’t paying
attention.” Blue. The guy’s eyes were a deep blue. Up close, his face had a
classic structure that looked like it had been wrecked a bit: a high-bridged
nose with a slight crook, as if somebody broke it once or twice, creamy skin
marred by a few orange-peel-like marks, a light scar from the upper part of his
neck that curved over his jaw. Scary. Ummmm… and sexy.
his tone from the usual stratosphere. “Not a problem. I wasn’t paying
attention.” Blue. The guy’s eyes were a deep blue. Up close, his face had a
classic structure that looked like it had been wrecked a bit: a high-bridged
nose with a slight crook, as if somebody broke it once or twice, creamy skin
marred by a few orange-peel-like marks, a light scar from the upper part of his
neck that curved over his jaw. Scary. Ummmm… and sexy.
The policeman took out a small notebook—just like in the movies. “I’d
like to ask you a few questions about what you saw today.”
like to ask you a few questions about what you saw today.”
JJ took hold of the edges of the counter so he could keep his hands
still. “Okay.” He tried again, an octave lower. “Sure. Shoot.”
still. “Okay.” He tried again, an octave lower. “Sure. Shoot.”
The guy flipped a page of the notebook. JJ stared at him and the
question burst out. “Uh, what’s your name?”
question burst out. “Uh, what’s your name?”
The guy looked embarrassed. “I’m so sorry. I should have identified
myself. I just… uh, I’m Detective Star.” He flashed his badge.
myself. I just… uh, I’m Detective Star.” He flashed his badge.
“What Star?”
“Excuse me?”
“What’s your first name?”
“Oh. Ryan.”
JJ smiled. “Nice name. I’m JJ LaRousse.”
The detective looked a little confused, but he wrote it down. “One S
or two?”
or two?”
“Two. And the JJ stands for Jamison Jeremiah.”
“So, Mr. LaRousse—”
“JJ.”
“JJ. Can you tell me where you were this morning at nine forty-five?”
JJ’s eyes widened. “Do you think I did the robberies?” He held the
counter really tight.
counter really tight.
“Mr.—uh, JJ—I was told that you saw the thieves, and I’m just trying
to determine the chain of events.”
to determine the chain of events.”
JJ breathed out. Relax!
“Yes, uh, I was right here in this booth.”
“Yes, uh, I was right here in this booth.”
“Can you describe what you saw?”
“I saw Santa Claus and his elf walking past really fast.” He looked
into the blue eyes. “I guess I should say I saw two men dressed as those
characters.”
into the blue eyes. “I guess I should say I saw two men dressed as those
characters.”
“Can you describe them?”
“The Santa guy was kind of tall. A little taller than you, but not as
tall as me.”
tall as me.”
Star wrote. “So, about six feet one or so?”
“Probably, yes. The other guy was little. That’s one reason why I
didn’t think anything strange. The elf was really small—like, he fit the
costume. I figured they were just rehearsing for the Winter Fantasy Santa’s
Village.”
didn’t think anything strange. The elf was really small—like, he fit the
costume. I figured they were just rehearsing for the Winter Fantasy Santa’s
Village.”
“How small.”
JJ held out his hand at the middle of his chest.
“About five foot four?”
“Yeah, or maybe smaller.”
“But it was definitely a man?”
JJ cocked his head. “Good question.”
Again, that gaze speared him. “Close your eyes and picture the two of
them and see if you remember anything that would indicate if the person might
have been female.”
them and see if you remember anything that would indicate if the person might
have been female.”
JJ closed his eyes. Wow. The
detective smelled good. Like citrus with some honey in it. A soft smell, not
overpowering at all. Maybe he could just snuggle his head against Ryan’s neck
and inhale deeply. “Ummm.”
detective smelled good. Like citrus with some honey in it. A soft smell, not
overpowering at all. Maybe he could just snuggle his head against Ryan’s neck
and inhale deeply. “Ummm.”
JJ stuck out his fist. Ryan looked a little
startled, then bumped it. “So maybe I’ll see you Sunday.”
startled, then bumped it. “So maybe I’ll see you Sunday.”
Ryan nodded. “Yeah. Yeah.”
Star turned and walked a couple of steps. He
stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Hope so.” And he walked away toward the
entrance to the grounds.
stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Hope so.” And he walked away toward the
entrance to the grounds.
O. M. G. JJ wanted to sit down in the middle of
the sawdust. Did he really see that look in Ryan Star’s eyes when the guy said
those two words “Hope so”? Something that looked like he cared if he saw JJ
again?
the sawdust. Did he really see that look in Ryan Star’s eyes when the guy said
those two words “Hope so”? Something that looked like he cared if he saw JJ
again?
JJ certainly cared if he saw Ryan again. But what
the hell? A Chargers game? How could he ever fake his way through that?
the hell? A Chargers game? How could he ever fake his way through that?
He took off at a run and made it to the booth in
seconds. Rodney was talking to a few customers and David was on his cell,
fingering the twinkle lights in JJ’s display. JJ took a deep breath. Finally,
David hung up and JJ pounced. “Oh my god of the last kid chosen for kickball,
Ryan Star asked me out.”
seconds. Rodney was talking to a few customers and David was on his cell,
fingering the twinkle lights in JJ’s display. JJ took a deep breath. Finally,
David hung up and JJ pounced. “Oh my god of the last kid chosen for kickball,
Ryan Star asked me out.”
David grinned. “Of course, I’m a champion
matchmaker.”
matchmaker.”
But what if…. “Actually, I’m not sure it’s a
date. I mean, he asked me to go with him, but it could be just a guy thing, you
know?”
date. I mean, he asked me to go with him, but it could be just a guy thing, you
know?”
“Tell me what he said.”
“He said he could pick me up, or we could meet
somewhere.”
somewhere.”
David screwed up his smooth forehead. “Hmm.
That’s too neutral to tell. What else? Where’s he taking you?”
That’s too neutral to tell. What else? Where’s he taking you?”
JJ’s grin defined sheepish. “A Chargers game.” JJ
grinned anxiously. “That’s football, right?”
grinned anxiously. “That’s football, right?”
“You’re joking, darling?”
“It’s not football?”
“Yes, it’s football, but you’re seriously
considering going to a football game?”
considering going to a football game?”
“Yes.” JJ’s hands started to flutter. “Oh God,
David, what am I going to do? I don’t know anything about it at all.”
David, what am I going to do? I don’t know anything about it at all.”
“About what?” Rodney stepped up next to David.
David glanced at his miniature friend. “Football.
Somehow JJ has managed to get himself invited to a football game.”
Somehow JJ has managed to get himself invited to a football game.”
JJ wailed. “And I don’t know the first thing!”
Rodney shrugged. “Simple.”
JJ frowned. “What’s simple?”
“Just ask Jerry. He’s the magical knower of all
things boringly athletic. He will be your guru of football. Mick might help
too.”
things boringly athletic. He will be your guru of football. Mick might help
too.”
Of course, their good friends Jerry and Mick
could cram some facts into JJ’s head.
could cram some facts into JJ’s head.
David threw an arm around Rodney’s shoulder.
“Brilliant. You’re brilliant, my dear.”
“Brilliant. You’re brilliant, my dear.”
Rod smiled, then looked up at JJ’s head. “And speaking
of football, where on earth did you get that ridiculous cap?”
of football, where on earth did you get that ridiculous cap?”
JJ shrugged. “Ryan Star bought it for me.”
David whooped. “That’s it. In answer to your
question, Detective Star is taking you on a date.”
question, Detective Star is taking you on a date.”
The Balls to the Wall Series
Volley Balls
Bk #1
Available to purchase at
Kindle | Nook | Kobo | iTunes | Dreamspinner Press
Fire Balls
Bk #2
Available to purchase at
Beach Balls
Bk #3
Bk #3
FAST Balls
Bk #5
Available to purchase at
High Balls
Bk #6
Bk #6
Available for purchase at
Prefer paperback?
The first and second book are now available in paperback!
About the Author
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!
