Monday Night Romance: Are you ready for some football … and romance?
Move over, Al Michaels and John Madden. Here come the Goddesses of the Gridiron, romance author Tracy Solheim and book blogger Kim Lowe, with Monday Night Romance! Every week at this time, Tracy and Kim will dish about football stats, romance novels and pop culture for the football fan and football widow alike. Tracy is the bestselling author of the Out of Bounds series, featuring the Baltimore Blaze in Game On, Foolish Games, Risky Game and A Numbers Game. Kim lives near Baltimore — home of the two-time Super Bowl champion Ravens — and she appreciates Tracy's Alpha heroes — especially the ones in football pants and pads.
Kim: Welcome to Monday Night Romance! The fall season brings us tailgates, fantasy leagues and punishing licks. Let's get down to business — we are a military family with conflicting loyalties. Hubby roots for the Cincinnati Bengals, oldest son roots for the St. Louis Rams, youngest son roots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and I root for the Miami Dolphins, who remain the only undefeated team in professional football.
Tracy: Who's ready for some football? Our family cheers for multiple teams, too. Having lived in the Washington, D.C., area for two decades, my kids knew the words to Hail to the Redskins before they learned Wheels on the Bus. My blood also runs orange (Go, Vols!), so we cheer for Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Making matters more confusing, my son is a shareholder with the Green Bay Packers. But the Falcons are our home team now, and we can't wait to see them in the Super Bowl. Rise up, Falcons, this is our year!
Kim: Speaking of the Super Bowl, I have been to one … in 1984! During my freshman year, my AFROTC Detachment sold hotdogs at Tampa Stadium where the LA Raiders beat the Washington Redskins, 38-9. It was amazing to be in the middle of the frenzy.
Tracy: Don't remind me of that game! Not the best day to be a Redskins fan. There've been some great Super Bowls lately, though, including my favorite: the battle of the brothers Harbaugh a few years ago. It used to be women only admitted to watching the big game for the commercials or the halftime show, but today more women are watching football each week — 45% — and participating in fantasy football leagues. I guess the rest are just fantasizing about football players, huh? Over the next several months, we'll explore aspects of the game and how they relate to us — the female fan. Along the way, we'll highlight some great reads for you to enjoy between games. The season is off to a great start already!
Kim: I'm glad football has returned, but I still gotta have some romance! I'm looking forward to reading Shirley Jump's newest release, The Sweetheart Secret, from Berkley — it's a sweet romance set in Rescue Bay, Florida, my home state! Shirley, if you're out there, are you a Dolphins fan? Or maybe the Jags or Buccaneers?
Tracy: I can't wait to dig into Charles Martin's A Life Intercepted. It'll be hard to find time with football on four nights a week because I know, once I crack that cover, I won't want to put the book down!
Thanks for joining us at Monday Night Romance! The party continues at SOS Aloha with this week's special giveaway. Learn more about Tracy's books at www.tracysolheim.com.