Online Book Tour & Review - Forward Passes by Jami Davenport

Welcome to my stop on Jami Davenport's Online Book Tour for Forward Passes.  Please make sure to leave a comment or question below for Jami to let her know you were here.  You can fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter the tour wide giveaway.

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Blog post: Idea Tidbits by Jami Davenport

As a writer, I get my ideas from various sources.

Sometimes, it's from real life, such as an incident told to me by a friend, which turns into a scene in a book that could spark the beginning of an entire novel.

Sometimes it's from the media. I keep track of news stories I might want to use in the future, such as the parental alienation subplot in Forward Passes.

Sometimes, it's from everyday life. In my upcoming release, Down by Contact (Seattle Lumberjacks 3 to be published by Boroughs Publishing Group in early 2013), the inspiration for Zach is actually my husband. When hubbie was a twenty-something newlywed, his mother insisted he attend etiquette class because he'd hung out with soldiers and jocks too long and just didn't get the finer points of social graces. (Personally, I think he needs a refresher course.) Hmmm. I wondered about taking that a notch or two higher and creating an athlete forced into social situations that are out of his comfort zone.

As I was coming up with Zach's character traits, I imagined a poor boy "raised" by a set of parents who took no interest in this upbringing. He ends up in the NFL and still doesn't understand manners, even though he tries and bumbles his way through, usually with less than desirable consequences. His old team exempted him from black- tie events. Not so his new team. They want him to be visible and to attend all the events he'd once avoided. After a particularly disastrous charity gala, he's forced to go to "manners school."

I had no idea if such a thing existed, but actually it does. There are manners schools for professional athletes and CEOs who didn't have the training in their younger years. Enter my heroine, a reformed mean girl who grew up wealthy and earned social points in numerous beauty pageants from the time she was a baby. Kelsie understands all about proper manners, table settings, and social niceties. Recently divorced and penniless, the only marketable skill she has to leverage is her extensive knowledge of proper etiquette. So she starts a finishing school for real men and Zach is her first customer though not willingly.

As you can see, I managed to build an entire book and its plot based on one small facet of my husband's life. Usually my books do begin with that seed of an idea and blossom from there. I'm looking forward to what the 4th Seattle Lumberjack book will bring as far as a fresh idea.

Anyone wanna share a tidbit of an idea?

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Forward Passes 

by Jami Davenport

Seattle Lumberjacks, Book 2

Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

Release Date: October 4, 2012

Length: 211 Pages

Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Quarterback Tyler Harris is about to find the woman who can get past his defensive line and reach his heart.

With two championships in as many years, superstar Tyler Harris is the best quarterback in the league. Gorgeous and rich, he’s at the top of his game. But everyone’s looking to take him down. There’s a building media frenzy around an unfortunate accident, and the only safe place seems a rundown mansion deep in the San Juans and owned by his late great uncle. There, Tyler gets sacked by the sassy redhead next door. It’s more alive than he’s felt in years.

Lavender Mead has a good reason to dislike jocks, namely an absentee father who deserted the family to coach college football. Maybe that explains her penchant for bad boys who play ball for a living and break hearts for a hobby. Her new neighbor seems just the type. Yet, something is different about Tyler, and sometimes love requires a Hail Mary. You draw back your arm, pray…and give it all up to fate. And sometimes you win your ring.

JAMI DAVENPORT

“…is an author not to be missed!”

—USA Today Bestselling Author Lucy Monroe

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BIO:

There are two things I've always wanted to do since I was a young child: to write books and to ride horses. The riding I've been doing for years. Until recently, I only dabbled in writing.

I completed my first story at the age of five. I titled it "Wildfire" (about a horse, of course) and illustrated it myself. I still have the book stowed away in the attic somewhere.

I've written stories all of my life. They were my secret garden, my escape from the realities of the world. I never shared them with anyone. I'd hide them away and bring them out when the mood struck me.

I frequented several fan fiction sites on the Internet. As I was reading those stories, I thought I can do that. Four years ago, I posted my first two chapters on a fan fiction site. My hands shook. My stomach lurched. NEVER had I let anyone read my stories before. What if my writing was garbage? What if everyone hated it? It was a soul-baring moment. Fortunately, they loved it. It became quite popular. Several people who'd befriended me on that fan fic site encouraged me to pursue my writing on a more professional level.

Being a devoted reader of romance and an advocate of happy endings, it was only natural to choose romance as my focus. I joined the Romance Writers of America, and the Olympia RWA chapter.

Six months and 105,000 words later, I finished my first manuscript, The Dance. Named after Garth Brooks' popular song, the original ending wasn't happily ever after, but I quickly changed that small detail. I started my second single title on Thanksgiving Day and pushed myself to see how long it would take me to finish it. I finished it the middle of February and was very proud of myself for being so fast.

To date, I've published four novels and two short stories in an anthology.

A few years ago, I married a wonderful man. You can bet my Green Beret turned Plumber will be an inspiration for a future book. In my spare time, I show the above-mentioned Hanoverian mare, in dressage. I'm also a rabid Seattle Seahawks and Mariners fan through thick and thin. Lately, I've developed an interest in gardening.

An avid boater, I've spent countless hours in Washington State's San Juan Islands, the most beautiful place on earth, and the setting for "Who's" and "The Dance." You'll see more books in the future set on these islands. My banner and several other pictures on this site were taken in that area.

Currently, I'm a PAN member of RWA and three RWA chapters: Peninsula, Greater Seattle, and Olympia. I'm co-president of the Olympia chapter with fellow writer Anthea Lawson. I spearhead the annual Elizabeth Kistler Memorial Retreat in Port Townsend at Manresa Castle for the Olympia chapter.

ONLINE LINKS:

· Website www.jamidavenport.com

· Blog jamidavenport.blogspot.com

· Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jamidavenport?ref=profile

· Twitter https://twitter.com/jamidavenport

· Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1637218.Jami_Davenport

BUY NOW LINK:

Boroughs Publishing http://www.boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/forward-passes

Smash Words http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/242542 All Romance https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-forwardpasses-968834-149.html

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My Review: 

With plenty of heat and chemistry, Jami Davenport's Forward Passes sweeps us into the romance between a professional athlete with issues and a woman determined to avoid sportsmen of any kind.  With good dialogue, plenty of conflict and a well placed plot, Ms. Davenport  grabbed my attention and never let go.  Taking place in the Pacific Northwest, this addition to the Seattle Lumberjack's series can be enjoyed by any fan of contemporary romance.

Football superstar Tyler Harris has just led his team to their second Superbowl victory and could care less.  Feeling absolutely nothing but empty and disgusted with everything in his life, Tyler is at a crossroads in his life.  While his uncle's unexpected death brings sorrow and pain, it also gives Tyler a chance to get away from it all.  He just never planned on how meeting his uncle's neighbor would change his life.

Lavender Mead can't believe her friend and neighbor has passed away.  She also can't believe he changed his will after all of their discussions about renovating his property and turning it into a home for disabled veterans.  Hoping his newly designated heir fails to fulfill the terms of the will, she's hoping to get a second chance at following through with her dreams.  She doesn't plan on letting the "athlete" next door getting in the way of her plans.

The scenes between Tyler and Lavender are full of simmering heat and smoking hot chemistry.  Their verbal sparing is just a warm-up for what a physical relationship between them will bring.  Their only problem; their pasts - both his and hers.  I really enjoyed how Ms. Davenport let us get to know each character individually and then brought them together.  They both have issues from their childhood they'll have to address and they'll have to figure out how to get their plans for the future to work.

The secondary characters are well done and contribute additional color to the story.  I especially liked "Cougar", the cat Tyler inherits from his uncle.  I also enjoyed getting to know the residents of Twin Cedars, including Lavender's grandmother, who plays a major part of the conflict in Lavender's life.

Will Tyler fulfill all of the requirements of his uncle's will?  Will the love building between Tyler and Lavender change both of their lives for the better?  And how does "Cougar" feel about them falling in love?  You'll have to read Forward Passes to find out.  I enjoyed it and I think you will too.  I can't wait to see which player's story we'll get next.

My Rating:  4.5 out of 5 Stars 

FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Remaining Stops on Jami's Tour:

11/20 The Cover by Brittany Interview
11/20 Hooks and Book Review & Guest Post
11/21 Book Purses First Chapter
11/22 Amy's Book World Review & Interview
11/23 Andi's Book Reviews Review & First Chapter
11/26 SMARTMOUTHTEXAN Guest Post & First Chapter
11/26 Wicked Readings by Tawania First Chapter
11/27 Harlie's Books First Chapter
11/27 For The Love of Reading First Chapter
11/28 Get Lost in Fiction Review, Interview, & Guest Post

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