romance – Jennifer Lane Books

giveaway, sale

New Adult Sports Romance Blocked is FREE

June 16, 2026June 16, 2026 Jennifer Lane

Get book one in the BLOCKED trilogy FREE until 6/18/26! Featured today at Book Bub.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Blocked is book one in a trilogy, the Blocked Series.

Blocked — A New Adult Sports Romance Trilogy

For Lucia, volleyball has always been her escape from the suffocating pressure of her father’s presidential campaign. But when she lands at the same university as Dane — the infuriatingly charming son of her father’s rival — her carefully-built walls start to crack. Especially since Dane is the blond 6’8” setter she’s been secretly crushing on from afar.

Opposites in every way, Lucia and Dane shouldn’t work. He’s convinced his family will win the presidency. She’s battling anxiety that threatens to derail her college dreams. Yet the pull between them is impossible to ignore.

The chaos doesn’t stop there.

In Aced (Blocked #2), Lucia’s brooding older brother Alejandro can’t focus on med school once he meets Madison — Lucia’s smart, sexy volleyball teammate who challenges everything he thinks he wants.

In Spiked (Blocked #3), younger brother Mateo, a talented musician, falls hard for a girl with bouncy blond curls — Dane’s sister Jessica. But Jessica’s attraction to another swimmer on her team could destroy her shot at the Olympics… and her heart.

Funny, flirty, and emotional, the Blocked series follows Lucia and her brothers as they navigate forbidden attraction, family loyalty, mental health struggles, and sizzling second chances — proving that sometimes the best plays happen off the court.

Can opposites attract when politics, family, and futures are on the line? Can you rebuild when the block feels permanent?

Perfect for fans of sports romance with heart, heat, and depth — think The Deal meets Kulti with a volleyball-and-swim-team vibe and an unforgettable soundtrack.

insecure writers support group, writing

Low Water Sale for $.99, Books in Charleston, and Story Ideas #IWSG

June 3, 2026June 2, 2026 Jennifer Lane

Time for the Insecure Writers Support Group, a monthly blog hop to exchange ideas and inspire each other. Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for creating the group–join us here.

Grateful hugs to today’s co-hosts: Victoria Marie Lees, Sarah Foster,Natalie Aguirre, and C. Lee McKenzie!

Because June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month, my latest release about healing from PTSD is on sale for 99 pennies. Check out Low Water.

I’m excited to meet readers at BOOKS IN CHARLESTON this month, joining 50+ authors at the Drury Charleston on June 20 from 12-4. Free tickets at Eventbrite.

Charleston, South Carolina is a mere 90 minutes north of me, and my sister’s family and I are turning the book signing into a fun weekend getaway.

June 3 question – Do most of your story ideas come from one place (the news, dreams, etc.) or do they hit from all over the place?

My unlikely start as an author began with penning fan fiction for my favorite TV show, Prison Break. Writing stories about ready-made criminal characters was a helpful launchpad for learning how to express ideas and structure coherent plots. Even in fan fiction, I gave my characters mental health issues and threw them into therapy, and my psychologist career has continued to inspire my writing for the past 20 years. Family dynamics fascinate me and compel me to focus on connection and dialogue in relationships.

Speaking of relationships, I’m a sucker for all the feels from great romance, so my favorite genre is not a surprise. The thrum of UST (unresolved sexual tension) keeps me turning the pages. I also adore happy endings, which are hard to come by in real life sometimes.

In addition to the intriguing worlds of therapy and romance, my experiences with sports have sparked story ideas. The striving, suspense, and competition inherent to swimming, volleyball, and other sports offer rich potential for tragedy and triumph. It’s a blast to write sports romance in particular. One of my favorite sports romance series, Off-Campus, is now a TV series on Amazon that I devoured. I also found that Heated Rivalry sprinkles provocative characterization between the plentiful sex scenes.

Writers, I hope you have a fun and productive June!

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Giving and Receiving Reviews #IWSG

May 6, 2026May 5, 2026 Jennifer Lane

It’s that time of the month…time for support from fellow writers. Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for creating this group–join us for the monthly blog hop here.

We all appreciate this month’s co-hosts: Jenni Enzor, Jemima Pett, Jamie of Uniquely Maladjusted but Fun, and Kim Lajevardi!

Before diving in to the optional question for this month, I want to share my 5-star review of fellow IWSG author’s supernatural young adult romance, Dark Desires, by Ronel Janse van Vuuren.

My Review of Dark Desires by Ronel Janse van Vuuren:

Magic Brownies

This fun short story (#1 in the Dark Court Sisters series) showcases the gumption and integrity of Tasha, a young fae hiding out at a human high school. Though Tasha’s not a fan of the girls’ shallow popularity scuffles and the boys’ cool postering, she is determined to save them from a dark spell cast on the school bake sale brownies. Turns out there’s somethin’ somethin’ special in these brownies!

I was impressed by the author nailing every painful part of high school (including judgmental cliques, desperate attempts to fit in, and mothers always being right) as seen through fae Tasha’s eyes. And I appreciated the humor, like when Tasha observes everyone chowing down on brownies:

Tasha saw that no one, even those on gluten-free, sugar-free, carb-free, fat-free, fun-free diets could resist the chocolatey goodness.

There’s a bonus sweet romance with a boy who’s also hiding his special powers. Though malevolent supernatural beings threaten Tasha, Daniel, and the humans, Tasha won’t let anyone push her around.

I was quite excited to find an audiobook version of this story! South African author Ronel Janse van vuuren is the narrator, and I think there’s an extra bit of love packed in when an author reads her own creation.

Get your magic brownies! Image by MUHAMAD ZUL AZIMI BIN ABDUL RAZAK from Pixabay

Today’s question: What was the most inspiring feedback you received from readers, including agents, editors, and beta readers?

A thoughtful, favorable review is a delight for any author. Author Darcia Helle’s review of Spiked (Blocked #3) made me beam:

“No matter how compelling the content, stories need great characters to keep us hooked. These characters are real people. I swear to you. They stepped off the pages and went on to live their lives. Each has his/her own complex, unique personality. I can tell which is speaking simply by the rhythm of their speech and their word choices. I feel their emotions and care what happens to them. Perhaps most important, I understand their viewpoints, even when I don’t necessarily agree. Being able to truly relate to a person different from ourselves is a gift Jennifer Lane masterfully gives readers.”

Happy May to all writers!

cover reveal, new release

New Release LOW WATER

November 14, 2025 Jennifer Lane

Happy release day to my 10th novel, sport psych suspense Low Water.

Amazon US

Universal Book Link

Two lives marked by trauma. One chance to rediscover hope.

In the sun-drenched Lowcountry of South Carolina, a swim coach haunted by tragedy and a psychologist devoted to healing cross paths just as their lives unravel.

He once believed Olympic-sized dreams and awful dad jokes could get him through anything, but waves of grief threaten to pull him under. She has built a career navigating others through pain, yet she struggles to confront her own.

When their worlds collide, Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD forces the question: is it possible to dive into the past without drowning? Neither expects the other to become a lifeline. But with connection and courage, they search for a way forward—one stroke at a time.

Striving, tender, and surprisingly funny, this is a story about resilience and learning that the best way out of the deep end is together.

**The exciting climax of *Low Water* takes place on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.**

Behind the scenes: Why did I write this book?

It’s been four years since I published sports romance Rivals. In the meantime, I’ve strived to help psychotherapy clients heal.

Have traumatized book characters led you to despair? Did you ever wonder, “How will they ever recover from this tragedy?”

As a psychologist, once I learned a powerful PTSD treatment called Cognitive Processing Therapy, I now feel hope that EVERYONE can recover from a traumatic event. When I read about characters stuck in trauma, I want to yell at them, “Go get CPT!”

Witnessing trauma survivors turn their lives around inspired me to write a fictionalized version. Due to my background as a college swimmer, I chose a swim coach as the protagonist. His psychologist faces her own drama when she meets a mysterious man while speed-dating.

~*~

Thanks to fellow author Ronel Janse Van Vuuren for hosting me on her blog to talk about domestic violence and PTSD.

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Books From My Childhood #IWSG

June 4, 2025June 3, 2025 Jennifer Lane

Join us for the Insecure Writers Support Group started by Alex Cavanaugh.

I’m grateful to the co-hosts for the June 4 posting of the IWSG: PJ Colando, Pat Garcia, Kim Lajevardi, Melisa Maygrove, and Jean Davis!

June 4 question – What were some books that impacted you as a child or young adult?

Fun question! I was a HUGE reader growing up. I highlight three books, two from my childhood (Ramona the Pest and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH) and one from my young adulthood (The Pistachio Prescription).

One reason I remember Ramona the Pest with such fondness is that I’m reading it now to my seven-year-old niece. Ramona is a plucky kindergartner who strives to do the right thing, but she has to fight her id impulses that drive her to pull Susie’s curled hair (“Boing!”) and chase Davy around the playground to show her affection. Now that I’m thinking about it through my adult psychologist eyes, maybe Ramona has undiagnosed ADHD? She’s wonderfully creative, including coming up with her own take on the Star Spangled Banner’s lyrics when she tells her sister to turn on the “dawnzer lee light”. I could relate to her as a sensitive soul who felt keen disappointment and frustration in a sometimes cruel world. I think this story inspired me to take a deep dive into character emotions.

A story about intelligent rats who have escaped from experiments at the National Institute of Mental Health, their mice friends, and an evil cat who threatens them all? Sign me up! Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH sparked my interest in mental health at a young age.

The Pistachio Prescription is a young adult book (though that genre probably didn’t exist in the 1980s when I read it) describing a thoughtful, quirky girl, Cassie, who hopes to become president of her 9th grade class. I could relate to her rocky relationship with her mother and turning to food to soothe herself. This story fed my obsession with dysfunctional families.

Honorable Mentions for my influential books:

Thurston House by Danielle Steel (I probably shouldn’t have read it as a teenager!) I liked the romance aspect along with the troubled family dynamics, and the rape scene made me bawl.

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough. Again, I was too young to read this one! I watched the TV mini-series with my mother then searched for the book. The forbidden romance really drew me in.

Author Lois Duncan (teen suspense stories like The Gift of Magic and I Know What You Did Last Summer).

I can’t remember the title of a 1980’s story about a girl named Reagan(?) whose father kidnapped her and hid her from her mother, but I loved the suspense element.

Novel in Progress Update: Low Water 54,000 / ~85,000 words

new release

New Release: BEHIND THE CATCHER’S MASK by Jennifer Lane

March 29, 2025March 29, 2025 Jennifer Lane

I’m excited to launch my second sports-romance short-story today.

Who Can Help Her Meltdown on the Pitcher’s Mound?

Fast-pitch softball is Andie Wilson’s life. She’s a fierce pitcher hoping to score a college scholarship, and she hates the annoying distraction of cocky baseball players crashing her high-school charity game. But she doesn’t anticipate the impact of one baseball player: Colt Turner. As Colt stares at her through his catcher’s mask, his steadfast gaze may be just what she needs to guide her through a crisis. And Colt may need Andie, too—to cope with the secret hiding behind his mask.

Universal book link

Amazon

I’m grateful to author Ronel Jansse van Vuuren for featuring her review on her blog! And stay tuned to authors Alex Cavanaugh’s blog and Natalie Aguirre’s blog for spotlights.

Thank you to early reviewers Michelle and Kate for 5-star reviews!

giveaway

December $100 Cash Giveaway

December 1, 2023November 27, 2023 Jennifer Lane

I’m excited to co-host this fantastic giveaway. Besides the chance to win $100, individuals who comment on this post are entered to win a Jennifer Lane ebook trilogy of your choice, either romantic suspense (The CONduct Series) or sports romance (The BLOCKED Series.)

Please comment on this post and tell me your favorite book or favorite reading genre that keeps you warm during the cold winter!

Happy December! We wish you a warm time of cheer this holiday season and offer you the chance to win some cash! This event is HOSTED by The Mommy Island and The Kids Did It and sponsored by fabulous bloggers, authors, and Etsy shop owners! Click Your Way Over To Our CoHosts! Sunshine and Rollercoasters, Get Your Holiday On, Deliciously Savvy, Sybrina’s Book Blog, Author Jill Chapman, Ottawa Mommy Club, Versatileer, Saving K, Jessica Inspired by Faith, Jennifer Lane Books, Mom Does Reviews, and The Frugal Grandmom. ONE entrant will be selected by the entry form to win $100 USD PayPal Cash! Open for entry WW, 18 years and older from 12/01/2023 at 12:01 a.m. ET thru 12/21/2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET. No purchase is necessary. Void where prohibited. This event is not sponsored or endorsed by PayPal. A winner will be chosen after/around December 22, 2023. The winner will have 12 hours to respond to the notification email to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. See Rafflecopter for official rules. The Kids Did It and The Mommy Island are responsible for sending the winner their prize. Twitter and Facebook dummy/fake accounts are ineligible for entry and will be blocked. Authentic accounts only are eligible to win. a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

insecure writers support group, writing

Writing My First Novel #IWSG

April 5, 2023April 1, 2023 Jennifer Lane

Writers, join our fun and caring support group, created by Alex Cavanaugh, HERE.

I appreciate the co-hosts for the April 5 posting of the IWSG: Jemima Pett, Nancy Gideon, and Natalie Aguirre!

April 5 question – Do you remember writing your first book? What were your thoughts about a career path on writing? Where are you now and how is it working out for you? If you’re at the start of the journey, what are your goals?

Though I enjoyed creative writing as a child, I never intended to become a writer or author. But the world of fan fiction swept me up in its encouraging community, much like the support of this wonderful writer’s group. I posted one chapter at a time about characters in a favorite TV show, and fellow fans cheered me on (even though my writing was quite amateur at first).

As a psychologist, I listen all day. As a writer, I guess I had a lot to say, because the words poured out of me. After two long, rambling fan fiction stories, I started writing my first novel featuring an ex-psychologist who fell in love with a felon she met at her parole officer’s doorstep (With Good Behavior). And I was lucky to find a small publisher, Omnific Publishing, to release my baby into the world in 2010.

I have since published nine novels and two short stories. Writing is a side gig for me, not a career. Since the pandemic began, I have taken a hiatus from writing. But I recently started outlining novel #10, once again featuring a female psychologist character and a male swim coach character whose trauma she helps heal. I can’t wait to dive in!

insecure writers support group, writing

IWSG: Faves of the Romance Genre

October 5, 2022October 4, 2022 Jennifer Lane

Created by **Alex Cavanaugh**, join this supportive group **here**.

Thank you to today’s amazing co-hosts: Tonja Drecker, Victoria Marie Lees, Mary Aalgaard, and Sandra Cox!

Hey, writers! How’s it going? I’ve been swimming more to train for a swim vacation in Mexico soon. We’ll swim 2-4 miles a day in the ocean while glamping on the beach.

I still haven’t been writing, but I’ve listened to quite a few audiobooks, including Book Lovers and The Cheat Sheet.

Both books are romances, which brings me to this month’s question: What do you consider the best characteristics of your favorite genre?

It surprised me how many writers answered a previous month’s question by stating that they could never write romance. The romance genre, especially sports romance and romantic suspense, is about all I know as a writer.

How do I love thee, romance? Let me count the ways:

Unresolved sexual tension. You know that feeling when two characters lust for each other, yet neither ponies up to share their feelings due to fear of being rejected? When they clearly belong together? It’s palpable! The Bridgerton series on Netflix captures UST perfectly, and I’m enjoying the book series as well.
Shared vulnerabilities. Sharing your heart with a potential boo leaves you so exposed, but your partner will likely respond by opening up their inner insecurities, too. Writing romance is an effective way to reveal characters.
Opportunity for creativity. Authors have covered first dates and marriage proposals countless ways, but how can a writer come up with a fresh take? It’s a fun challenge.
Happy endings. Life can be painful, and I relish happy (yet still somewhat realistic) endings.

writing

Author Interview with RelationshipsAreComplicated.com

January 8, 2022 Jennifer Lane

I love to write complicated relationships, and the lovely folks at Relationships Are Complicated interviewed me about my characters’ bonds HERE. I mention my sports romance and romantic suspense novels, as well as some past dating complications. 😀