It's summer here in Ithaca (At least, technically: the temperature is still hovering in the low 70s) which can be delightful. We have Cayuga Lake to swim in, hiking trails, waterfalls, great restaurants, vineyards, and outdoor theatre, just to name a few attractions. Things can get a bit crowded, but that's okay: the pink and orane streaked sunsets more than make up for it. Ithaca summer often makes up for dreary winters. Note how I used the word "often". Believe me, if the temperature climbs too high, you'll find me in the house, shades drawn, reading. I like to take advantage of what summer here has to offer, but not enough to fry my brains out! Besides, did you know that extreme heat can trigger migraines? It's true.

Speaking of migraines, I'm really hopeful at this point that the Botox shots will work. It's been a really crazy rollercoaster of pain, and I'd be so happy if things would just level out. But none of us can control what the universe decides to throw our way, right? All we can do is go with the flow. Hopefully, all my flowing will pay off soon!

Til July,

Deirdre

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HIP CHECK

 “...a thoughtful romance filled with characters you will care about. The realistic work and life situations that Esa and Michelle face add depth to the romance. Hip Check will score with readers.”
—4 out of 5 Blue Ribbons, Sarah W., Romance Junkies

 

 “Deirdre Martin has a true talent for writing a great romance novel. She also lets her passion for sports shine through the pages of Hip Check. This was a story that pulled on my heart strings, and one that I completely connected with.”
—4 out of 5 stars, Night Owl Reviews

 

 “A sexy, successful contemporary romance, with chemistry, heat and a feel-good, affecting happy-ever-after ending that its intended audience will approve.”
—Kirkus Reviews

 

 “Hip Check is a passionate romance between two independent individuals... At the same time, it is a poignant story of a young girl who has lost her mother, and is given to an uncle who has no idea how to interact with an 8 year old. Watching their relationship grow into something strong and lasting is just as memorable as the romance between Esa and Michelle.”
—Kathy Andrico, ReaderToReader.com

 

 “Does not disappoint...Ms. Martin weaves a wonderful story of compassion...Mixed in is humor and lots of love. She is the one author that I know when I pick up her book that I am going to love it. If you have never read a book by Ms. Martin, you are really missing out on something special.”
—Fresh Fiction

 

Esa Saari is a hockey player for the New York Blades with a bad boy rep both on and off the ice. But when he suddenly becomes the guardian of his eight-year-old niece, Nell, he knows his excessive lifestyle is about to get body checked.

So he hires a live-in nanny. Her name is Michelle Beck, and she gets along great with Nell. What surprises him, though, is that he instantly hits it off with her, too. Becoming romantically involved would be a bad idea, but he’s finding it impossible to ignore the intense chemistry between them.

Michelle, however, takes her job very seriously, and must decide whether to listen to her head or her heart. And Esa’s got to decide if he can give up his bad-boy image for the love of a good woman...

 

 “If you’ve never read any of Deirdre Martin’s New York Blades books, you are so missing out.”
—The Brazen Bookworm

 

 “Deirdre Martin knows how to write a beautiful single title romance.”
—Single Titles

 

 “Contemporary romance doesn’t get much better than this.”
—All About Romance