A last chance at swimming gold, a second chance at lasting love.Team captain.Olympic medalist.Devoted son and brother.Alex has it all, and all the demands that go with being the best.The last thing he needs on his crowded plate—and on his team—is his closeted ex.Dane is swimming’s biggest star.Carefully crafted from crib to pool, his fame feeds his celebrity parents’ empire.He dropped the act … his celebrity parents’ empire.
He dropped the act once—the summer he fell in love with Alex.
Ten years later, the performance is crushing his soul.
So is resisting the man he still loves.
As the team struggles to gel, Alex and Dane clash in and out of the pool.
Forgive and forget is easier said than done.
But something has to give, if Alex and Dane want a shot at gold.
And a second chance at love.
Team captain and team celebrity square off in this enemies to lovers, second chance MM sports romance between two elite swimmers fighting against their hearts and fighting for Olympic gold.
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Loved it so much I’m straight on to book 2 <3
This is my first Layla Reyne romance, and it was such an enjoyable listen. The relationship between Alex and Dane was well-developed, their backstory was heartbreaking, and the support and love that they felt for each other was so evident throughout the story.
I especially enjoyed the way that Layla Reyne wrote, and Nick J. Russo voiced, Dane’s transformation throughout this book. No spoilers, but his complicated relationship with his parents is such a huge part of this novel, and you could hear the emotion in Nick’s voice.
On a personal note, as someone who was a competitive swimmer, I loved how true Layla Reyne was to the sport, too! It was such a refreshing read since there aren’t a lot of romances set in the word of swimming.
Relay fit very well for a summer 2021 listen, and I really liked the premise. The story is a male/male romance, a second chance romance, and a sports romance all in one, and Layla Reyne combines the tropes very well. I’m always a sucker for a second chance love story, and Dane and Alex’s love story was 10 years in the making. This one turned out to be a bit of a coming-of-age tale despite the characters being in their mid-twenties. Dane has a lot to learn about being his own man and standing up to those who want to control him, so he has quite the personal journey as he figures it all out, and I don’t mind admitting that I really wanted to give him a good shake along the way. Alex is a sweetheart, a hotheaded sweetheart at times but totally lovable. His drive and determination are what make him a great captain and keep him going despite more than his fair share of personal troubles. There’s also a great group of secondary characters that made for some terrific camaraderie and witty banter. Nick J Russo gives voice to the characters, and since the chapters alternate between Dane and Alex, we get to see the story from both perspectives. Russo does a fine job of keeping the voices distinct, even the secondary characters – once a character was introduced to the story, I had no problem keeping them straight just with the differences in pitch, accent, and tone. I’ve listened and enjoyed Nick Russo before, so it was a treat to hear him again. All in all, this first Changing Lanes romance is an engaging romance with likable characters, and I’m excited to go right on into listening to the next in the series.
Having recently picked up Ms.Reyne’s work for the first time I’ve been wanting to get into more of her books! As soon as I found out about the Changing Lanes audiobooks I knew I had to start them next! Once I began listening to this first book I ended up finishing it in one sitting. I enjoyed it!
This was my first time listening to Nick J. Russo and he was so great! I so enjoyed what his narration as Alex and Dane brought to the story! This journey isn’t an easy one and I liked the uniqueness to it. I loved the fact that i went through so many emotions with these two characters throughout reading. I wasn’t sure how everything was going to play out and that got me into it even more,
With Relay, Ms.Reyne has created such a good story that’ll grab your attention! I am so looking forward to listening to more of Nick J. Russo’s narration in Changing Lanes book two, Medley!
*I volunteered to listen and review a copy of this audiobook from Valentine PR / the author*
Relay is both a sports and second chance romance story. I initially had some difficulty following the story, but I followed with ease once the story explained the conflict between Dane and Alex. Dane and Alex are both competitive swimmers with hopes of winning gold at the Olympics. They have known each other for years, and after a brief fling as teenagers, they went their separate ways. Now on the same team, they don’t get along until an accident involving a teammate has them calling a truce. I loved how these two came together, the club scene was perfect, and I love how Dane was able to stand up for himself.
I love MM stories and am usually hesitant of single narrator MM stories, but I was very impressed with Nick’s ability to provide a distinct voice for each character.
With the Summer Olympics is full swing, what better way to further immerse myself in the games than this? This is a really fast paced, enemies to lovers, second chance sports romance between two swimmers with bags of history and animosity. This is pretty angsty and there’s a potential doping scandal to deal with, but what I liked about this was the pacing, the side characters, and the banter between Alex and Dane. Big fun and very timely listen. I volunteered to listen and review a complimentary copy of this. All opinions are my own.
Dane is afraid to be himself. It’s costing him everything he wants, and, its killing him slowly. Can he reach out and grab the stars? Alex is the one that got away. What would happen if he held on tight?
Alex will do what it takes for his team to grab the gold. The pain is second nature at this point. Then he has to work with Dane again, and the sparks between them ignite. The plan is to stay away. But his heart is whispering to move closer……
This story caught me by surprise. There is so much actual story for both characters. I was sucked in so fast. Then I could not put it down until it was over. Each page was so good, and I could not help myself.
***This copy was provided for a review with honest feedback.
Four and a half stars
Relay is the first in Layla Reyne’s Changing Lanes series, and features Alejandro “Alex” Cantu and Dane Ellis, two swimmers on the US Olympic Team. Alex and Dane were swim camp roommates and more a decade ago, but Dane is deeply closeted and has allowed his controlling parents to direct and drive nearly every aspect of his life, believing he owes them. Alex has just been voted team captain, and they leave for the Olympics in less than a month.
Layla Reyne’s characters are well drawn and her plotting tight. Relay is a page-turning read, and I rooted for Dane and Alex all the way. They face a lot of challenges, and finally find their stride when they are able to acknowledge their feelings for and commitment to each other.
I can’t wait to pick up Medley, and continue with this team!
Okay so any book with Olympic swimming – I am here for it. It’s my favorite event full stop.
What makes this one special is that the events out of the water are just as exciting and nerve-wracking as those that take place during each heat and during the finals.
Alex and Dane are second chance romance, stuck together on the Olympics team goodness. And they dance together. And…like…it’s the hottest dancing on the planet.
Highly recommend this and Medley and now, Freestyle!
Really enjoyed this book from Layla Reyne. I read the Irish and Whiskey, the Trouble Brewing, and the Fog City series and loved her writing so decided to give this series a try. So glad I did.
Alex and Dane are great MCs and the secondary characters are written to be compelling parts of the story as well. There are also villains to despise. The storyline is interesting and different…I haven’t read a lot of swimming based stories. I couldn’t help but feel like I was getting the feel of recent Olympic history as I read it as well.
I like books that deal with characters having to struggle with roles they are expected to play, either through external pressure or pressure they put on themselves and the resulting freedom thanks to the assistance of others. Reyne does a nice job with helping her characters to become their best selves here.
Looking forward to the next book.
Wonderful NA read! And perfect for the Olympics this summer!
Audio Review:
Performance – 5
Story – 5
Overall – 5
Great story, great narration!
With no Olympic Games being held this summer due to COVID-19 the timing for the audio release of Relay couldn’t be better. I love watching the swimming events on TV and the next best thing is reading/listening to romance books with Olympic themes.
I haven’t read a lot of books by Layla Reyne but those that I have read I’ve loved and Relay is no exception. She writes in several different MM romance genres and is well known for her romantic suspense books. She also wrote a fantastic foodie romance called Dine With Me that I really loved.
Nick J. Russo did his usual great job with his performance of Relay. His voice is pleasant to listen to and the various voices he uses makes it easy to distinguish the different characters. I understand that he’ll also be performing the sequel, Medley and I’m really looking forward to listening to it.
I love second chance romance stories and this one is really great. It’s been 10 years since Dan and Alex connected at a summer training and things ended badly so Relay also has a bit of an enemies-to-lovers feel to it, especially in the beginning.
The story touched me in a lot of ways. Dane is kind of a poor little rich boy and once it was revealed what his parents were doing to him, I wanted to give them a piece of my mind. In the beginning his teammates aren’t fond of him and that just made me sad.
Alex has his own troubles juggling a lot of things. His mother is sick so he’s trying to earn money to help with expenses for his family. He feels a great responsibility as captain of the men’s Olympic Swim Team. His feeling towards Dane impact his leadership at first, and how the team treats Dane, but he finally steps up and puts things right.
There are some really tense moments when Alex’s eligibility for the team is in jeopardy but it’s a romance so things work out in the end. I really wanted to listen to Relay straight through but I started it too late in the evening and had to save a few chapters until the next morning. It really is a great story and I’m so glad I listened to it.
A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me by Gay Romance Reviews but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com*** (Posting on August 6, 2020.)
Relay is the first book in the Changing Lanes duology, a two book series focusing on the U.S. Olympic swim team as they train and get ready to compete in the upcoming competitions. I’m not a big sports fan myself, and I’m not really interested in all the details of the sports, but I love the drama and excitement that surrounds athletes as they strive to be the very best.
Dane is the media darling of the Olympic swim team. His entire image has been carefully controlled by his parents who use his fame and good looks to sell products and generate a profit for the family businesses. No where in this meticulously planned branding is there room for Dane to be himself and come out as gay. Alex doesn’t the spotlight; all he needs is a pool and his team. Alex doesn’t have the same privilege upbringing as Dane, but he’s also not forced in a closet pretending to be something he’s not. Dane has spent 26 years being told what to do and how to act by his parents, but the one thing his parents can’t control is heart. When Dane and Alex meet again as teammates for the Olympic swim team, there’s no stopping the sparks of attraction between them; however, they will have to overcome the obstacles and setbacks Dane’s parents and other detractors throw in front of them before they can get their happy ever after.
I really enjoyed this book, but as I stated above, I’m not a sports fan. I do respect the dedication and work elite athletes put into honing their body for their sport. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised by how well Layla Reyne did with balancing the sport aspect of the plot with the romance and drama. I still was able to enjoy the excitement that comes with athletes training and prepping for their big day, but I wasn’t over inundated with too many minute details that might have bogged down the plot. The plot was exciting with some twists and turns I was not expecting. There were moments where I was raging with Dane against his parents, who I instantly and continuously despised with all my heart. However, I did feel like the ending was a little fast, but I hope the second book picks up immediately from where the first book ended.
Nick J. Russo narrates the audiobook and does a great job with it. I love Nick’s voice and it was a perfect fit for this contemporary romance with a cast of different characters. Nick’s voice was smooth and each character was distinct. I had no trouble telling who was talking and following along with the audio. I enjoyed listening to this audiobook immensely. The overall production of the audiobook was well done with no glitches.
KU. 3 stars. I enjoyed this second-chance love story about Olympic swimmers. Dane & Alex had chemistry and the cast of secondary characters was solid.
Unfortunately, there was this sort of “immaturity” that kept boiling over making this feel like YA/NA instead of being about seasoned athletes. Maybe I’m just old enough for some of it to feel too juvenile.
Also, we get a lot of sports competition/action at the beginning and then it becomes all focused on interpersonal relationships. Which is OK, but makes it kind of weak on the Sport-Romance scale.
Glad I read it on KU, it was solid, but not a book I’d buy to read again.
I loved this book. Lots of romance and steam and you can’t help but pull for these characters to get together. Great secondary cast (I already bought the next one!) I also learned a lot about competitive swimming. The details did not detract from the story at all. I think it added a nice extra element. Highly recommend.
Dane and Alex, elite athletes with family pressures. This was a well written book that I found hiding on my kindle in my unread list. Was a good emotional read.
I am love with this two-book series. Just finished the second book (Medley) as soon as it come out. This is m/m romance at its best. All the feels plus great action and tension. Loved it!
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Veronica –
Dane and Alex had a love affair when they were 16, which ended with Dane turning his back on Alex. Ten years later they are both on the US Olympic swimming team and things between them are not good. There is so much resentment, jealously, and animosity between them I was wondering how this story was going to end up a romance.
Alex’s jealousy of Dane and the way he treats him in the beginning really bugged me. But at the end of the day, Alex is a good, hard working guy and he eventually came around. I also struggled a little with the fact that at 26, Dane was still being ruled by his parents. Neither of these characters is prefect, which makes them easier to relate to.
The emotions, both positive and negative in this story, came across really strongly, as did the sexual tension between the pair. I think this is why I was so swept up in their lives that I read this book in less than day. I didn’t want to put it down.
The only negative for me was how the doping was dealt with. My brain kept wondering where WADA was, and I had to keep reminding myself that this is fiction and to stop being so pedantic.
I adored Relay and as soon as it was finished I wanted to dive in to Medley, which is book two. Unfortunately for me, it isn’t out until next month so I’m just going to have to be patient.
Sarah –
Reunited as adults at an Olympic training camp, swimmers Dane and Alex may be the best in the world, but neither man can completely move past the fallout from their teenage romance.
This book’s strength lies in the characters. Dane is an entitled rich kid who allows himself to be controlled by his pushy parents and lucrative sponsorship deals. Alex has made it onto the Olympic team through hard work and bloody-minded sacrifice. I love the contrast between these two. Alex enjoys personal freedoms Dane doesn’t allow himself to hope for while Dane enjoys financial security that allows him every possible advantage in his swimming career.
The chemistry between Dane and Alex is hot. Teenage heartbreak and adult resentments combine to ensure that every encounter between the two fiercely competitive Olympians is electric. Interestingly, though, there isn’t a whole lot of sex in the story. I enjoyed the growth in both characters – but especially in Dane. I had more empathy for him through the whole book than I expected to.
The plot is a little bit over-the-top. Without spoilers, I enjoyed the training scenes and the interactions between all the teammates. Sadly, Dane’s parents are caricature baddies and I’m still not sure how or why a story about an Olympic swim team became a story about computer hacking, chemotherapy, and private jet trips. While I loved the characters and their relationships, I did have some issues with the story itself.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
An entertaining read with a good frenemies to lovers plot and characters that are interesting and compelling. And if I could have, I would have reached through the screen of my e-reader and bitch-slapped Dane’s mother, then nut-punched his father. You know it’s a good story when you’re compelled to hit people who aren’t even real 😉 Read the review for Changing Lanes #2 at: boysonlybookclub.wordpress.com