Hi.  I’m Alice Gaines, and I’m here to talk about my new release, The Player’s Game.  It’s the second book in my Players’ Pact series from Entangled Indulgence. I’ll let my hero, Grant, introduce himself: I’ve got to admit, life is sweet these days. As a starting NFL quarterback, I do okay, and I haven’t been lacking for female companionship. But I’d give it all up in a heartbeat if I could get back the woman I loved and lost–my ex-wife, Katy. Now I’m at a wedding, watching one of my best friends tie the knot. I’m happy for him–really. I just wish things had turned out better when I’d taken that walk down the aisle. Still, those days are over. I’m on my way up to my room when I run into my ex in the elevator. It’s like karma. Has to be. Only she’s with some random guy, who’s getting a little too handsy for my liking. I can’t help myself–I have to say something. Something that ruins her night. . . and mine, too. Now, I’m sitting alone in my hotel room, when suddenly, Katy’s at my door, complaining that I ruined her 30th birthday. Her solution–that…

Alice Gaines here. I thought I’d introduce you to the hero of my contemporary romance, The Revenge Game, from Entangled Publishing. Adam Morrow is a self-made millionaire, but one night with his first love, Nicole Westmore, could ruin everything. Here’s how Adam describes his back story. “I’ve worked my ass off for what I have, and I’m damn proud of it. I started off with nothing and now I’m filthy rich. Let me tell you, there’s nothing like revenge to help you get your ass in gear. And that’s what I’m taking, with every exclusive resort I open–sweet, sweet revenge. . . on her. “Nicole Westmore was my first love. The poor little rich girl stole my heart with her sweet smile, hot body, and irresistible innocence. The summer I worked for her father was the best time of my life. . . until he drove me away. Even then, I thought Nicole would wait for me. She didn’t. “And so, I decided to get even, opening rival hotels, slowly driving them out of business. The old man is gone now, but Nicole is still running the company that’s about to collapse. All my hard work will soon pay off….

I have to admit I like nice men, both in my real life and in the stories I write. Although my favorite fictional hero of all time is Mr. Rochester of Jane Eyre, I find I can’t write difficult men. And Mr. Rochester did terrible things to Jane. He let her think he was going to marry another woman and then he almost tricked her into an illegal marriage, knowing full well she was a woman of very strong moral convictions. Still, I fell in love with him the same way Jane did. In my own writing, every time my hero starts to do something mean to my heroine, I feel I have to fix him. I don’t like him if he’s not good to her. I’ve written a few men who think themselves scoundrels, but the minute they meet their heroine, they fall in love—whether they admit I to themselves or not. With love comes the desire to protect her—even though she can protect herself, thank you very much. He can’t bring himself to do anything that would hurt her. So, my hero may have good reasons to avoid emotional attachment. He may have been bitterly disappointed in love…