Spotlight & Giveaway: Wreckless by Katie Golding

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Katie Golding to HJ!

Hi Katie and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Wreckless!

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

Two hot shot motorcycle racers push themselves—and each other—to the limits as they battle to overcome wrecks, sponsor threats, and ten years of rivalry to take first place in each other’s hearts.
 

Please share your favorite quote from the book:

“She moans. I crave. Don’t back off the throttle.” – Massimo

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• Lorelai is named after the main character of the show Gilmore Girls, and my husband named her!
• The story was originally all in Lorelai’s Point of View – Massimo’s story wasn’t added until many drafts later.
• This was the first book written in the Moto Grand Prix series, but published second.

If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would you use for the audition of the main characters and why?

Ooh, super fun! I think I’d like to use the hospital scene – Massimo is reeling from watching Lorelai have a terrible wreck, he’s semi-angry with her for being so hot-headed that she wrecked in the first place, and he is absolutely struggling to keep his romantic feelings private while they argue about her ability to safely return to the track. There are lots of undercurrents happening at once, and I’d love to see the chemistry of the actors in handling all those layers of I love you, but I’m mad at you, and even though you hate me, I’m still going to fight about your safety.

“You have some broken bones in your right hand,” I continue, “and these…” I lay my palm flat against my own left rib cage, forgetting the word in English for the body part. I’m on a roll today. “But nothing is broken in your ankle, only twisted. They said you are still okay to race at Le Mans in two weeks, if you are ready.”
Her brow furrows, that temper of hers already poking its head out. “Why wouldn’t I be ready?”
Of course. I tell her she nearly died, her body is broken, and all she wants to know is when she can race again. I should’ve told her she was paralyzed so she’d consider taking the next race off to recover, but it’s more likely I’m gonna be the one unable to walk when I tell her what I did.
“I told your manager…it may be difficult.”
Her whole body jerks, her voice blasting out, “You told Frank to sit me out of the race?”
“Five turns to the left, Lorina!” I take a second, getting myself back under control. “Which is good for your shoulder, since it is not too many. But the left turns are bad for…” I touch my palm to my side again.
“Ribs,” she grumbles.
“Bad for your ribs. Also, there are nine turns to the right, which is too much pain for your hand and ankle. Molto dolore.”
She glowers at me, her chin tilting up. “I’ll be fine, and it’s not your place to make Frank worry.”
My eyes narrow. Her little I-­have-­it-­under-­control look may work on everyone else, her manager included, but it doesn’t fool me. “Sì, you already did this enough on your own. Playing a dangerous game on the racetrack that makes you crash while he is forced to watch from the garage.”
She only lasts a second longer before her bottom lip trembles, and she breaks eye contact.
Damn it, I’m going to have to hit a church on my way out of here, because I just bought a first-­class ticket to hell for making her cry right now.
“Have you seen my bike?” she whispers.
There it is. The one question I’ve been waiting for and dreading the most. I can only bring myself to nod once.
“Is it…?”
Christ, I can’t do this. I always give it to her straight, and she knows that. But I can’t be the “suck it up” guy I usually am with her. Not with the tears making her eyes sparkle in a way I never want to see again.
She promised me a long time ago that I would never see her cry, and I was counting on that. It’s what keeps me fast on the track behind her, able to cut around in front of her.
She sniffles, and I can barely get my swallow to go down. “She is gone, Lorina.”
She chokes on a raspy sob, tears streaming down her face as she looks toward the light coming through the window. I need to go. She probably doesn’t want me here when she’s this upset. I definitely don’t want to see it. But I still can’t bring myself to leave her alone in this cold, unfamiliar room.

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

A love for motorcycle racing, hopefully! But honestly, I’d love for people to close the book with a smile on their face, warmth in their hearts, and to know that whatever you’re going through, a comeback is never out of reach.
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: A print copy of Wreckless by Katie Golding

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Have you ever had a setback that felt insurmountable at the time? How did you overcome it?

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Excerpt from Wreckless:

A finger tucks a loose, wet hair behind my ear, and my head lifts. Massimo is crouching in front of me, concern in his eyes that doesn’t match any other part of his expression. He blinks and it’s gone, his normal cocky gaze in place and his hand held out to me. “Andiamo.”
I knock his hand away. The corner of his mouth twitches, like he wants to smile. Jerk.
He straightens and steps back as I push out of the river, water pooling in my shoes.
“Are you hurt, from the fall?” he asks.
“No.” I squeeze out my hair. “I’m just royally pissed at you for pushing me in the freaking water!”
He shakes his head, but it’s barely a reaction. “I did not push you. You were afraid, and you jumped.”
“Bullshit.”
He mumbles to himself in Italian before he switches to English, sounding annoyed in both languages. “Why am I surprised that because you are in denial, you think I know nothing? Hmm?”
I don’t respond. And he’s the one who’s in denial.
“Fine. I will tell you a secret. Then, maybe you will believe me.” He grins, his voice dropping as though someone may hear us. But we’re deep into my property, and I haven’t seen a horse or farmhand for a while. “You like to win, Tigrotta. But more, you like to chase.”
I cross my arms, staring him down. “Do you make sense in Italian? Because you fail at it in English.”
Massimo doesn’t take the bait. “When I am in first, you race better. You lose your fear.”
My back straightens, pushing me a little taller. It’s not enough to bridge the gap between our heights, but I feel bigger. Stronger. “I am not afraid of anything.”
“That is a lie.” Massimo shakes his head. “When you are in second, you look forward. No fear. When you are first, you always look over your shoulder. Afraid. And now…” He checks over his shoulder again, his voice dropping further. “Your fear is even worse since your crash at Jerez.”
My hands tighten into fists. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
He nods like he’s placating me, then he steps forward again. But this time, we’re closer than dancing close, making love close. And very gently, he runs a fingertip down the scar on my forearm, goose bumps streaking instantly across my skin.
“You still have not learned how to lose, Lorina,” he whispers. “You think if you lose a race, lose your contract, then you will not be Tigrotta anymore. But you have forgotten, cara: you were already Tigrotta when we met at the Rookies Cup. And you were Tigrotta when we raced MotoB and MotoA. Because Tigrotta is not about what you ride or who you ride for. Tigrotta is here,” he says, gently poking at my heart. “So let go of Dabria. Let go of the contract. Be ready to lose. You will still be you. I promise, Lorina.”
I swallow thickly, no idea how to rise to his challenge. To be me and also back down.
I’ve never backed down from anything.
Massimo dips his head, touching his forehead to mine. But just for a moment before he steps back, his eyes and voice back to normal. “We run again. This time, I will be in front. When you are ready, you take first.”
Embarrassment is rife through me. “I don’t need you to do me any favors.”
“Then I will not give you any.” He grins. “Maybe I like it when you take it from me.”
I gesture for him to lead the way before I think too much about that.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

She is my rival. My Tigrotta. My dearest enemy…and the greatest love of my life. But this, I can never let her know.

I’ve spent years as a professional motorcycle racer vying to prove myself to the world, even as I fought to save my family from the clutches of a man who would like nothing more than to see me fail. He’s not the only one. My Lorina—America’s Sweetheart Lorelai Hargrove—would also like me to eat her dust.

But this is the game we play. She pretends she hates me, and I wind her up as I pretend she’s not all I think about. And yet after a deadly wreck, her confidence is so shaken, my Lorina needs me to stop being her favorite enemy and remind her there is a tiger within who will do anything to win. That I want to spend the rest of my life chasing her to that finish line again and again and again.

If only the battle to make it to the podium didn’t cost us everything our hearts desire.

Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Google |

Meet the Author:

Katie Golding is a sports fan with a writing problem. Based in Austin, TX, she publishes contemporary romance novels with the support of her loving husband and son. She is currently at work on her next romance novel, unless she’s tweeting about it.