Race for the Gold-Dana Mentink

Race for the Gold Dana Mentink Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense, Jan 7 2014, $5.99 ISBN 9780373445806 Laney Thompson and Max Blanco feel great that both made the U.S. Olympics speed skating teams. Walking together, they kiss when a car plows into them. Though still suffering from nightmares about the end of her dream, four years later twenty-seven years old Laney trained by Max mounts a comeback. In the trials she crashes but explains to Max it was not her concentration problem, but her right skate felt off; mysteriously it is missing. Someone assaults her dad Dan and reporter Hugh Peterson wants to talk with Laney claiming he has information re her accident four years ago. As more incidents occur, Max vows to keep his beloved Laney safe from whoever wants to keep her off the American Olympics squad. With an obvious nod to the January two-decades ago Nancy Kerrigan attack, Race for the Gold is a fast-paced (duh – speed skating) suspenseful sports romance. The insight into training and the tryouts add depth to an interesting skater in peril thriller as readers will wonder who and why someone, using any means, wants Laney out of the competition. Harriet Klausner