Getting It Back & Summer #RomanticIdea from Elizabeth Harmon @romanzwrter_grl

Author Elizabeth Harmon is here with her figure skating romance, Getting It Back, and some fab Summer Romantic Ideas. Everyone who knows me personally knows I’m a huge figure skating fan, and I was excited to find a romance set in that fascinating world!

Getting It Back coverBlurb:

In this second-chance romance, a former top men’s figure skating champion is willing to risk everything for a comeback–except a new start with his long lost love.

An unexpected phone call from the man who broke her heart offers Amy Shepherd an opportunity to return to the work she loves, training elite figure skaters. Except it’s just one figure skater: Him. Can she finally forgive and forget?

Figure skater Mikhail “Misha” Zaikov once had it all: medals, money and the adoration of millions. But a devastating injury put an end to his career and his romance, leaving him with nothing but regret over what could have been. His last chance to re-join the world’s top skaters is now. And there’s only one person who can help him: Her.

On Russia’s unyielding ice, Misha must reclaim what he’s lost while facing off against a talented young rival and risking further injury. But Amy soon discovers Misha’s much bigger challenges lurk off the ice. And she’s determined to keep Misha whole and healthy, even if doing so ends his shot at the gold.

Don’t miss any of Elizabeth Harmon’s Red Hot Russians. Pairing Off and Turning it On are available now!

Buy Links:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Kobo and Carina Press.

Excerpt:

The next morning, Amy awoke first. Misha lay beside her in bed, still sleeping. He’d brought over clothes last night. His toothbrush was in the bathroom cabinet. This was just like back in Ohio, only better. Misha was no longer searching for direction. He knew what he wanted, and they were working together to help him achieve it. But she couldn’t deny that she was nervous about what would happen today, when he returned to training on the ice.

She got out of bed, and changed into her running clothes, put coffee on, then returned to wake Misha. “Hey,” she sat on the edge of the bed and gently shook his shoulder. “Time for our run.”

Nyet,” he said in a sleepy voice, and reached for her.

“You agreed to it last night. Nothing too strenuous, just enough to get your heart pumping and muscles working.”

“Don’t need running to make my heart pump,” he pulled her down onto the bed, cupping her butt through her black running tights. “As for muscles…maybe we can stay in and work this big stiff one?”

She laughed and squirmed away. “Nice try, but that muscle’s getting plenty of exercise. Rise and shine, big guy.”

She threw back the blankets, leaving him no choice but to fumble around for his pants. She waited outside and he joined her a few minutes later. They took off at an easy pace, following the path behind the center’s main buildings, then out around the pond and back. Nothing too strenuous, just as she’d promised. Their lungs filled with clean fresh air, the morning mist was cool on their skin. They returned to the guesthouse and she bent over her knees, breathing out cold air. Misha did the same. He straightened easily. “How is your back,” she said.

“Perfect. No pain at all.”

“And the rest of you? Knees? Head?”

“Knees are fine, and my head is in good place, too. Thanks to you, Amy the tiger.”

She grinned, and stood on tiptoe to kiss him. “Ready to get back on the ice?”

“Can’t wait,” he said decisively.

“You’re going to be great.”

He brushed a kiss across her lips. “For you, I will be.”

Summer #RomanticIdeaElizabeth’s Summer #RomanticIdea

Cook a romantic dinner…together!
Choose a favorite recipe (or something new), and if you have a nearby farmer’s market, shop there for ingredients. Then turn on the music, pour the wine, and prepare it together.

Bike to a weekend getaway!
For a romantic getaway close to home, book a room at an in-town B&B or hotel, and ride there on your bike!

Outdoor concert and picnic
Pack a picnic supper and head to a local park that hosts outdoor summer concerts. Music under the stars, what could be better?

Play ball!
Join a couple’s sports or game league! It doesn’t matter whether your sport is softball, sand volleyball, bowling or even trivia. Win or lose, you’re having fun together.

Teen-age date night

If there’s a drive-in theater in your area, head out to watch a summer blockbuster under the stars. Or hit the County Fair for funnel cakes, lemonade and a kiss on top of the Ferris Wheel.

Go ice skating!
Yep, even in the summer. If you’re lucky enough to have a rink nearby, it’s a great way to cool off on a sweltering summer night.

Bio:

Elizabeth Harmon loves to read and write romances with a dash of different.

A graduate of the University of Illinois, she has worked in advertising, community journalism and as a freelance magazine writer. She feels incredibly blessed to have a career that allows her to spend her days imagining “what if?” and a loving family that keeps her grounded in the real world. Her debut novel, Pairing Off, is a 2016 RITA Award Finalist.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.romancewriter-girl.com
Blog: https://elizabethharmonauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethharmonauthor?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/romanzwrter_grl
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00RY9SY0S

Skagway, Alaska & White Pass Summit #TuesdayTravels

Ships Docked at SkagwayOur second stop in Alaska was Skagway, where we took an early morning bus ride up to the White Pass Summit. We boarded a small motorcoach (about 20 passengers) and drove first through “downtown” Skagway. The weather was cloudy, but you can see see a snow-covered mountain straight ahead.

downtown SkagwayIf you’re familiar with Skagway history, you know that it was the jumping off point for the Klondike Gold Rush circa 1896-99. Skagway was the closest port city to the gold fields, but it wasn’t remotely close. To get to the gold, prospectors had to climb over the coastal mountains to the interior. There were two trails–White Pass out of Skagway and the Chilkoot Trail out of nearby Dyea–that had to be climbed. Because the Klondike is in Canada’s Northwestern Territories, the Mounties got to make the rules. They knew a thing or two about Canadian winters, so they wouldn’t let anyone in who didn’t have six months worth of provisions. Problem was, you couldn’t haul that much stuff in one trip. It took a number of roundtrip hikes up and back down the mountain to collect enough provisions. Then, in order to get to the gold fields, the prospectors had to build rafts to float down the Klondike River. Of the 100,000 who set out, only 30,000 arrived in the Klondike. About 4,000 actually found gold. But when asked later, most people who had set out said it was the adventure of a lifetime and they would do it again! People can be so interesting. History.net has some facts about the Gold Rush.

Our bus stopped periodically for photo ops, including the pics of this spectacular suspension bridge. The scenery was beautiful, though the clouds were low and sometimes obscured the view. It was chilly up in those mountains, even in June.

A narrow gauge railroad, the White Pass & Yukon, was started in 1898 and completed in 1900. By then the fields were mostly played out. The train still operates, though, carrying tourists to the summit. If I go again, I’d like to take the train.

White Pass old Train

White Pass old Train, depositphotos.com

We crossed into Canada for a few minutes, then on the way back stopped at the border to have our photos taken.

welcome to AlaskaBack in town we had time to wander and grab a bite of lunch at the Skagway Brewing Company. I ate a nice salmon salad accompanied by a glass of their delicious Spruce Tip Ale. Skagway is a very small town and it doesn’t take long to walk around. We did some shopping and I snapped a bunch of pictures. I think this is my favorite of the ports we visited. I love the Old West feel of the town.

I got a kick out of the young women from the Days of ’98 Show, dressed up like old-time saloon girls. Here we see two of them soliciting customers in an age-old fashion. A fun way to spend the summer. I’d like to see the show next time I’m in town.

Skagway working girls

We had time to pop back to the Crown Princess to drop off our packages and get ready for our afternoon excursion to the Musher’s Camp. Check back next time for a report on our sled dog adventure.

Linda

Crown Princess