Stroke Rate

Name: Stroke Rate
Author: Ailis Lake

by Ailis Lake

Genre: Romance LGBTQ+ M-M Romance

54 pages

A dimpled smile and a suggestive joke, has River Arroyo knowing one thing for certain…he’s in trouble.

River
It’s been four years since tragedy struck Coach River Arroyo, and the life he thought he would have was shattered. Haunted by his past, River chose a solitary existence, pushing everyone away. Adrift and lonely, River is floundering, afraid he has lost his spark for life forever. River’s only friend sends him videos of a young swimmer desperately seeking a new coach, sparking a flicker of hope that life might, after all, be worth living.

Chris
Semi-pro swimmer Christopher Page’s camera worthy smile makes it seem as if he has it all: a promising swim career, a wealthy family, and a face that captivates everyone he meets. Except the pool feels more like a jail cell, his family hides their atrocities behind their wealth, and his smile is a mask to cover the painful secret no one knows. Chris has never allowed anyone in, but one glance at his new, tall, and severely freckled coach has every locked door inside Chris creaking open.

Over a summer of training, these two find solace and safety in one another, but what happens when their carefully constructed refuge is tested? Is the shelter they created strong enough to weather the storm? Is River ready to live after so much loss? Is Chris willing to be vulnerable and finally tell his truth? Or will both of them let the trauma of their pasts ruin the future they so desperately deserve?

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