Love-40: A Novel

Rene Pierre Lacroix survived a rough childhood at the hands of his father, waking daily to defeat and despair until his father's mysterious death from gunshot wounds. His escape through it all was tennis. Known by his fans as Train, he is retired from a successful world pro career and is now a teaching pro in southern California. A playboy bachelor, devilishly handsome, and hypnotically charming, he leaves the country club wives begging for their next very private lesson. Marcel Jackson, a highly ranked college player from Louisiana, has no choice but to enter the two-hundred-thousand-dollar Pacific Palisades Open to pay for his mother's lifesaving cancer treatments. But only with the guidance and polishing of Train can he hope to have a chance to win. Train agrees to take on the challenge. While training in California, Marcel meets and falls hopelessly in love with Annie, already engaged to be married. Can Train and Marcel raise the trophy and win against all odds? Can Marcel find a way to Annie's heart? Amidst the backdrop of the palm trees and beaches of Santa Barbara, California, and the bayous, food, and music of Lafayette, Louisiana, we follow them on their incredible journey. Unbridled passion and grueling competition shape this story of desire and determination. Will they discover what really matters most in the game of life?