Tess Hamilton failed to plan. She thought her career as one
of the world's top tennis players wouldn't end for years,
she thought all the sponsorships would continue so money
wasn't an issue, and she just never thought her body would
fail her. But after surgery fails to get her back into
playing shape, Tess is frantic not to let anyone know how
desperate she is to avoid bankruptcy. Determined to put on
a game face and snag a couple of sponsorships, she tackles
the tennis world.
Aurora Favreaux, one of the founders of Glass Slipper,
Inc., knows something is up with Tess and she helps by
insisting that Tess coach a new teenage tennis star,
Gabrielle Fontaine. Tess reluctantly agrees, never
intending for the job to become permanent. Gaby is a little
difficult, but even more trying is Gaby's over-protective
older brother and manager, Max. He's definitely unsure that
Gaby needs the influence of Tess -- who's been in the
tabloids since she started hitting the big-time at age 15 --
and he knows he doesn't need someone like Tess in his life.
One of the goals of writing is to show the transformation
of characters. Tess is definitely a character who needs
transforming -- you have to dig rather deep to get to the
kind heart buried under her smart-mouth, over-confident
attitude. She's so busy putting on a façade that she's
forgotten a lot of things she needs to remember, like
kindness and caring for other people. Luckily, those
qualities are inside of her and helping Gaby and facing up
to her own dire financial situation means she starts making
those changes.
But can she be the kind of woman that super-responsible Max
could fall in love with? Lust, definitely. But love is a
different matter.
This is a fun, high-spirited look at the cut-throat world
of professional tennis. Watching Tess shed her rabble
rouser image and move on to the next stage of her life is
satisfying. As is watching Gaby enter the professional
world protected by a loving brother. You'll root for all
the characters, though it did take me a while into the book
to become attached to Tess. A fun read! You'll enjoy Tess'
snappy attitude.
Can a down-on-her-luck princess really have it all?
A whisper away from 30, gorgeous Tess Hamilton has been the
tennis world’s top titleholder and celebrity since she won
her first championship at fifteen. Now the headline-making
party girl is getting her first taste of mortality–thanks
to new teenage phenom Gabrielle Fontaine. But it’s Gaby’s
cool, calm, and all-too-collected brother and manager, Max,
who really has Tess seeing double. He’s the first man she
can’t seem to seduce–or intimidate. It appears Tess is
truly off her game, until a real-life, modern-day fairy
godmother steps in.…
Aurora Favreaux, a founder of Glass Slipper, Inc., and an
old family friend, has a plan to get Tess back on her
stilettos, and it includes an unlikely meeting between
Tess, Max, and Gaby at Glass Slipper’s new London
headquarters–just in time for Wimbledon. It seems that Tess
is going to hit the courts in a whole new way, to prove to
the world–and herself–that a woman with the heart of a
champion can ace life and love–even after the big 3-0.…