Virtual Book Tour: Relay by Layla Reyne (Reviews + Giveaway)

Welcome to the RELAY Blog Tour, presented by Layla Reyne and Riptide Publishing! RELAY, by Layla Reyne, is Book 1 of the Changing Lanes sports romance series featuring Olympic swimmers. RELAY is an enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance between Alex, the team captain, and his closeted ex, Dane, swimming’s biggest star. Read on to learn more about RELAY, Changing Lanes, and Layla Reyne!


About Relay

Captain is not a title Alejandro “Alex” Cantu takes lightly. Elected by his teammates to helm the US Men’s Swim Team, he proudly accepts the role, despite juggling endless training, team administrative work, and helping out on the family farm. And despite his ex-lover, Dane Ellis—swimming’s biggest star—also making the Olympic Team.

Dane has been a pawn in his celebrity parents’ empire from crib to pool, flashing his camera-ready smile on demand and staying deeply in the closet. Only once did he drop the act—the summer he fell in love with Alex. Ten years later, Dane longs to cut his parents’ strings, drop his too-bright smile, and beg Alex for another chance.

Alex, though, isn’t ready to forgive and forget, and Dane is a distraction he doesn’t need on his team, until an injury forces Alex to accept Dane as his medley relay anchor. Working together, their passion reignites. When Dane’s parents threaten reprisal and Alex is accused of doping, the two must risk everything to prove Alex’s innocence, to love one another, and to win back their spots on the team, together.

Available now from Riptide Publishing!

About Changing Lanes

A chance at gold or a chance at love? Members of the US Men’s Swim Team fight for both in this sports romance duology following two couples on one medley relay team as they train and compete in the world’s biggest sporting event: the Olympics. To reach the top of the podium, they’ll need to depend on one another and be willing to change lanes—in their lives and hearts, and in the biggest race of their athletic careers.

Check out Changing Lanes!

4.5 Stars

Ugh, this wasn’t an easy read. From the very first few chapters and the first meeting of Dane’s parents, I was livid. I’m not sure hate is a strong enough word for what I felt for these people. It took me forever to get through the beginning because I kept starting, then I’d get angry and have to step away before I hurt my precious iPad. My co-blogger, Mari, who’d read the book before me had to keep talking me down and reassuring me that it would all be okay. And she was right, and besides Dane’s parents, I absolutely loved this book.

Second chances are my absolute favorites and this one was great. I wasn’t so sure about Dane or Alex at first, but it didn’t take long for them to win me over. Swimming is my favorite event during the Summer Olympics, so I love that this book is set to that backdrop and I hope to see some more swimming action in book two, which I’m really looking forward to.

This was a really great read, well, aside from Dane’s parents, well-written, paced well and filled with emotion and a bit of mystery, that I thoroughly enjoyed. Dane and Alex had amazing chemistry and fit together perfectly and I’m hoping to see much more of them in the next installment! Very recommendable!!

*copy provided by author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

4.5 Stars!

Alex hasn't had the easiest of times. He's training to compete at the Olympics, has been recently elected Captain by his teammates, works as the team administrative assistant and helps out at his family farm whenever possible. The last thing he needs and wants is to deal with the man who broke his heart ten years ago. 

Dane comes across as a privileged ass at first, but he's more of a pawn to his parents, who are absolutely horrid and I hated with the fire of a thousand suns. Unfortunately, even if he longs to cut the umbilical cord with them, Dane finds it hard to stand up for himself, but seeing Alex again might change that, even if neither of them seems able to be in the same room without snapping at each other. I really enjoyed seeing his growth throughout the book and how he proved himself worthy of Alex.

I liked Alex and Dane, but it took me a while to warm up to them. Even if I understood Alex's motives for being angry, I thought they both acted a bit immaturely at first and I was starting to get fed up with their inability to reach a truce when they finally moved past it. Once they did, I finally saw why they hadn't been able to forget each other. They had great chemistry and were really good together, both in and out of the bedroom.  

I loved Bas and Jacob (Pup) and I'm so looking forward to their story, April can't get here fast enough! 

Overall, I love enemies to lovers books and this one was very well done. I could sense the animosity between Alex and Dane sizzling in the background and I felt that Alex truly had good reasons to hold on to it. Relay had a bit of romance, swimming action, awesome characters and a twist I didn't see coming and coupled with Layla Reyne's awesome writing skills you simply can't go wrong with it. Definitely recommendable!

*** Copy provided to me by Riptide Publishing via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

About Layla Reyne

2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist Layla Reyne was raised in North Carolina and now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bicoastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart-pounding romance. When she's not writing stories to excite her readers, she downloads too many books, watches too much television, and cooks too much food with her scientist husband, much to the delight of their smushed-face, leftover-loving dogs.


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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Relay, one lucky winner will receive a signed paperback copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on January 13, 2018. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!