Book Blitz: Excerpt + Giveaway - Defenseless by Elisa Dane

Defenseless (Diamond Girls #3)

by Elisa Dane

Release Date: 01/27/15

Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:

High school senior, Claire Reilly’s world revolves around All-Star cheerleading. The Diamond Girls, are gearing up for a major competition, which, if they win will allow them to compete at Worlds for the first time. But the unimaginable happens, and both Claire and her team are rocked by a devastating loss. Determined to get to Worlds any way she can, Claire finds help from the last person she imagined would give it—up and coming UFC fighter and notorious bad boy, Ryker Vaughn.

Fouled out of the octagon by a dirty opponent and a vicious kick to the head, Ryker loses control when he learns he may never fight again. Angry over the loss of his mother, an unsupportive family, and the world in general, he gives up, gives in, and unleashes his rage—destroying part of his cousin’s cheer gym in the process. Things go from bad to worse when Ryker is given an ultimatum: help the Diamond Girls compete for a bid to Worlds, or go to jail.

Overwhelmed with anger, sadness, and grief, the unlikely pair learn that what you see is not always what you get, and that the most difficult losses sometimes open the door to a frightening, yet amazing new future.

Buy Links:
Amazon

Companion books in this series:
(each book is a separate story and do not have to be read in order)

Links for Ex-Factor:

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Links for Unbreakable:
Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

Aside from Nationals, our next competition was the most important of the season. If we wanted to compete at Worlds—and hello … we totally did—we needed to earn a paid bid. An at-large bid would get us there too, but the travel expenses to Florida were hefty so a paid bid was better all around. The Cheer America competition was our best chance at earning that bid. X- Factor Cheer had never competed at the Worlds level before, and the Diamond Girls were ready to make history.

We only had a handful of weeks to perfect our routine. To transform ourselves from a team that was great to a team that was freaking amazeballs. We were going to pull it off. I had faith in my girls.

Livvie and Erin gathered their individual stunt groups together while Tayla and Nev met me at the center of the mat. Coach Shea re-choreographed our stunts a few weeks back after one of our teammates, Cassie, quit. While it is hard on any cheer team when a member quit, I couldn't contain my excitement when I learned Tayla and Nev would be basing me in a two-man group with no back spot.

I'd been flying center elite for three seasons now and worked hard to keep my spot. If cheerleading were my birthday cake, then flying was the freaking icing on top. I loved being in the air. Craved the rush that came every time my group tossed me up into the rafters. Lived for the overwhelming sense of satisfaction that flooded my veins every time I nailed a stunt. I'd never been a quiet, behind-the-scenes type of girl. I loved attention, and when you flew, all eyes were on you.

Tayla pegged me with a "let's get down to business" expression and took position across from Nev. "All right, ladies," she said with a smirk. "Let's show the rest of the team how it's done. That bid is sooo going to be ours."

About the Author
I'm a lover of books (YA & Adult romance), chocolate, reality television, and am a proud mother to three All Star cheerleaders. Woot!

I write Contemporary YA romance with cheerleaders. Yep. I write what I know, and it's my hope that my stories will not only take you on a romantic journey that will warm your heart, but that you'll find a new respect and interest in the sport of Cheerleading you may not have had before.

Author Links: