Trained to Win
Winter Sports Book 2
by Declan Rhodes
Jordi never felt his heart soar until he stumbled upon the performance of a figure skater dressed all in black wowing crowds in Chicago on a magical day after Christmas. Their first meeting ended with a kiss that turned Jordi’s world upside down causing him to question everything about his attractions to both women and men. Was it obsession? Infatuation? Hero worship? All three?
Pegged as the bad boy of the figure skating world, Tristan warded off the damaging effects of past abuses and tragedies by building stainless steel walls around his vulnerable heart. He’s been trained to win as the only valid path forward to rise above his troubled early life. The goal was simple until Jordi appeared armed with innocence and honesty, the perfect twin wrecking balls for tearing down Tristan’s barriers.
It doesn’t take long for both of them to realize they belong together, but difficulties of distance, culture and ambition all threaten to stand in their way. Will friends, loving families, and the will to win be enough?
Trained to Win is a 55,000-word gay romance novel with a happily-ever-after ending and first-time gay themes. It is the second book in the series Winter Sports, but it can be read as a standalone story.
❃Available in Kindle Unlimited
Momma Says: 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I absolutely love figure skating. There's just something about the graceful flow and timing that has me riveted and holding my breath as the skater builds up to a difficult jump or spin. Needless to say, I was excited to get my hands on a romance about a figure skater. By reputation, Tristan is the bad boy of figure skating. He's a bit standoffish and even rude at times. Then there's Jordi. We met the sweet, take care of everyone Jordi in Built for Speed and he's even more lovable as we learn more about him here. As the story progresses and Tristan's backstory unfolds, his loner attitude makes more and more sense. I loved the patience this pair has with each other and the way Jordi brings Tristan out of his shell. As an added bonus, we get some time on the ice in both hockey and figure skating, plus some peeks at James and Lucas from the first book in the series. As always with this author, the book is well-written and the storyline and characters draw the reader in, keeping the pages turning.
❃❃Trained to Win does work as a standalone, but if you're like me and love the winter sports, start at the beginning with Built for Speed to get to know the other lovable characters in this series.
Winter Sports, Book 1
