For the Love of the Game Series by Alex Washoe

Once a celebrated child prodigy, Blaise Noether is now a struggling widowed mom trying to keep her head above water while she pursues her Ph.D. Only two things make her really angry: her kid's math textbooks and jocks. In her mind, all athletes are like the bullies who terrorized her in high school. So when she crosses paths with rising basketball star Christie Dillard, Blaise's interest is a null set... moreOnce a celebrated child prodigy, Blaise Noether is now a struggling widowed mom trying to keep her head above water while she pursues her Ph.D. Only two things make her really angry: her kid's math textbooks and jocks. In her mind, all athletes are like the bullies who terrorized her in high school. So when she crosses paths with rising basketball star Christie Dillard, Blaise's interest is a null set. Christie is everything Blaise fears, fiercely competitive, brashly confident, and totally devoted to her game. That she is also endearingly awkward and irresistibly gorgeous is irrelevant data.But when Blaise glimpses a paradigm-shifting epiphany in the geometry of Christie’s jump shot, she begins to suspect this jock might be the missing variable that could balance the equation of her life. less

How hard would you fight for a Christmas Miracle?Teressa Gutierrez, known as the Cyclone for her unparalleled speed and ferocity, was the most dominant Featherweight champion in the history of women’s mixed martial arts — until a devastating defeat almost ended her career. Everyone thought she was finished, but Teressa refused to give up. A hard-nosed realist who believes in nothing but muscle and courage, she comes to Seattle looking for a miracle: one last shot at glory and redemption... moreHow hard would you fight for a Christmas Miracle?Teressa Gutierrez, known as the Cyclone for her unparalleled speed and ferocity, was the most dominant Featherweight champion in the history of women’s mixed martial arts — until a devastating defeat almost ended her career. Everyone thought she was finished, but Teressa refused to give up. A hard-nosed realist who believes in nothing but muscle and courage, she comes to Seattle looking for a miracle: one last shot at glory and redemption. And she’s ready to crush anything that stands in her way.Cameron Shaw is a struggling novelist who needs a break. When a sports agent friend sets up a gig to cover the big fight, ala Norman Mailer and Ali, Cameron detests the idea but has no choice but to accept.From the moment these two meet, sparks fly. Worlds apart, they find themselves in the grip of something they can’t resist, something bigger than championships or art. Fate — and the Spirit of the Season — seems to want them together — even if they’re both fighting with every fiber of their being to resist. less