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Courting Carlyn

Melissa Chambers

Vaughn Yarborough is ready to trade the fame and glory of the international junior pro tennis circuit for college and a more settled life. First stop: spearhead a summer camp for underprivileged kids. The girl who’s agreed to run it with him has Vaughn more intrigued by the minute, but with the strict no-fraternizing rules, he’s got to figure out how not to fall for her.

When the boy Carlyn Sadowski has crushed on for years asks her to work with him for the summer, she has to pinch herself. When his world-famed coach offers her training for free, she can’t believe her luck. He could actually help her follow in her mother’s footsteps by playing college tennis. But when she finds out the catch is she’s got to convince Vaughn to go pro, Carlyn will have to decide between her dreams and the boy currently stealing her heart.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book features a super-hot sports star, the shy girl looking to grow her confidence on and off the court, and late-night shenanigans that would make your camp counselor blush.

ebook, 150 pages

Courting Carlyn by Melissa Chambers

Publication Date: August 6, 2018

Publisher: Entangled Teen

 

Link to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40793632-courting-carlyn  

Purchase Links:

Amazon | AmazonAustralia | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

 

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 I'm totally in love with Courting Carlyn and I'm not even a tennis fan. It is no secret that I'm a fan of Melissa Chambers. Her books are addictive! I think Courting Carlyn is my new favourite. Vaughn Yarborough is swoon-worthy material and the romance had me hooked. This book is great. It has everything I look for; two misunderstood characters, romance and a great storyline.

Carlyn dreams of following in her mother's footsteps. She is super smart and has already gained a scholarship to the college of her choice. Her mother was a talented tennis player and Carlyn wants to be part of the team she once thrived in. The problem is her dad has always been protective and money has always been tight. She is an amateur player. She has put the work into her tennis performance and she has the ambition, but she isn't in the same league as Vaughn. Her luck is about to change because Vaughn is in need of someone like her.

Vaughn needs to clean up his image. He has the tennis skills to go pro but he wants to go to college. The problem is the college he wants doesn't like his reputation. He has the summer to make himself more desirable. He wants to help underprivileged kids in a tennis summer camp. He needs a girl who can co-teach. She must be perfect if he wants to up his game.

Two people who want something, but find something they need. A summer to change it all.

5 stars out of 5.

Aimed at the 16+ U.k reader.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Question One: What was your inspiration for writing Courting Carlyn and what made you choose tennis? 

First of all, thank you so much for having me! I grew up playing tennis, played on my high school team, and have played in leagues as an adult, so it was just a matter of time before I wrote a book about it! I’m okay, but I’ve never been a star player. I imagine if I would have ever really gone for it, I would have been like Carlyn – it would have been a struggle to make the cut. So I could definitely empathize with her. But she’s got the drive and determination I never had to be really good. It was fun sort of living my childhood dreams through her.

Question Two: What were Vaughn’s impressions of Carlyn at the start of the book?

This question made me smile. :) In all honesty, he had never really paid much attention to her when the story first started. I think that’s only fair since he’d been jet-setting around the world playing international junior pro tennis up until the start of the book. This story had a little bit of an ugly duckling trope to it, so I didn’t mind having it where she crushed on him and was sort of enamored with him in the beginning, but when he got to know her, it didn’t take long for the tables to turn!

Question Three: Vaughn is misunderstood and has a bad reputation for being a party animal with a long list of girls. What was he really like before he went away to help at the summer camp?

Oh, these are such good questions! I wish I could have dug deeper into this on the page, so I’m glad I’m getting to now! Vaughn’s parents have both moved on to different lives – his dad with a new wife and small children, and his mom with a new boyfriend in another country after divorce, both of them leaving him to be raised, basically, by his coach, Jeffrey, who was a playboy. Jeffrey is Vaughn’s main influence, so it would only make sense for him to mimic Jeffrey’s behavior in some ways, but he found that wasn’t what he wanted. I imagine Vaughn having “attempted” a playboy lifestyle, but only half-heartedly since what he really craves is a stable family home.

Question Four: What does a normal day in the school life of Carlyn look like?

Oh my goodness. This is super hard for me to answer because I’m not smart like her! I despised school - my transcripts will back this assertion up! But I guess I’d say I imagine her reading during her lunch break, doing homework during free class time or study hall (where I engaged in social hour), and being involved in various clubs and academics. But of course, after school is over, she’s at tennis practice!

Question Five: Can we expect a sequel to Carlyn and Vaughn story, the college years?

Oh my gosh, I’d have a BALL writing that story! I swear to you, I’ve laid in bed at night writing that story in my head. I’d also love to get my hands on a story about Rebecca and Jamison. :)

Question Six: Who is your favourite character and why?

You’re going to make me pick?! Okay, this is random, but it’s totally Keisha! I adored her. I just imagined that sweet little girl, and Carlyn wishing like crazy she could have her as her sister. It’d choke me up a little when I would write their scenes together! I would actually love to write a middle grade book featuring Keisha and Josh. Too many book ideas and too little time!

Question Seven: I liked the connection between the characters which made them perfect to be paired together. They have good chemistry. Did the story turn out the way you expected when you started dreaming up this book?

I swear, I think you’re inside my head somehow, Danielle! So here’s the thing. When you’re working with an editor, oftentimes, the book doesn’t come out as you originally imagined it. That was the case here. I definitely think it’s better the way it turned out though. I have an excellent editor at Entangled who I trust implicitly. But in the beginning this story looked very different than it turned out. The connection you’re talking about – I’m not sure it was there in my original version, definitely not in the way it turned out to be. But I’m very happy with the final product, and I look forward to working with my editor again, because she only helps make me a better writer!

Thank you for the interview. This is a great story and I love every minute.

Thank you so much for having me! I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed answering all these questions! You are a good interviewer!

Thank you for such an enjoyable read and great interview :).

 

Add Courting Carlyn to your Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40793632-courting-carlyn

Link to all stores where Courting Carlyn is available: https://books2read.com/u/bP57vY

Melissa Chambers writes contemporary novels for young, new, and actual adults. A Nashville native, she spends her days working in the music industry and her nights tapping away at her keyboard. While she’s slightly obsessed with alt rock, she leaves the guitar playing to her husband and kid. She never misses a chance to play a tennis match, listen to an audiobook, or eat a bowl of ice cream. (Rocky road, please!) She serves as president for the Music City Romance Writers and is the author of the Love Along Hwy 30A series and the Before Forever series (YA).

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Link to Tour Schedule:

http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/tour-schedule-courting-carlyn-by-melissa-chambers/