Welp, here we go again

Coming to a slush pile near you, a cycling sports romance

Photo by Howard Bouchevereau on Unsplash

This time last year I was beginning to query The Matchmakers, and even though it had a promising start and a number of full requests, it seems to have really just died in the slush pile. Of those full requests, they were whittled down to no responses and one revise and resubmit, which I never heard back about.

It’s a brutal world out there, kids.

Anyway, I wasn’t dwelling on it because everyone knows the best distraction technique is to write something new, so voila! My Tour de France book. Love Unchained, which started off as a working title but actually I am fond of it, so it’s staying.

Unlike the Netflix documentary series on the Tour de France, which they have axed, and I’m grumpy about that because it was wonderful. I rewatch it when I’m on the bike at the gym. Helps me to feel energised.

I’m not pulling 300+ watts for 5 hours though. I’m not even pulling 300 watts for thirty seconds.

And, I say this about every book because I am forever optimistic, but maybe this is the one? It’s definitely helped that I live in a cycling-obsessed household. And that I quite fancy a few pro cyclists.

Made writing about boys on bikes fun, y’know?!

In any case, the big question is…

Will it be l’amour on Le Tour?

Being unexpectedly sent to cover the social media for the Tour de France was not on Raleigh Faber’s bingo card when she turned up late for work. That’s fine, though, she’s the daughter of a retired pro cyclist, so it’s not like she doesn’t know the sport inside out. She’ll get in, get the job done, and get home again.

But neither was Sem de Haas, the team’s (breathtakingly gorgeous) star rider. Sem’s focused and driven. Coming second isn’t an option, he is here to win, and he doesn’t want to appear in her content.

As Raleigh struggles to keep her manager happy, and Sem battles to keep the yellow jersey, the spark between them is ignited. But tour trysts are not the only secrets being kept during the world’s biggest bike race, and he’s never been one to play by the rules. So why start now, on his final chance to win?

Wish me luck, guys. There’s little more to do now than to start querying.

And perhaps I should start thinking about the next one?