Once Upon a Twilight!: Book Spotlight: Love and Cola Wars | Heidi Loney | Expert

LOVE AND COLA WARS, a YA contemporary romance set in an alternate world!

Love and Cola Wars
Author: Heidi Loney
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Romance
Released: April 14th 2014

In a parallel world, the city of Toronto has privatized all aspects of public life, including schools, where the ultimate rivalry is between the two biggest cola corporations in the world.

Sixteen year old Coco Caro is a good girl from a good Coca Cola home. Just as summer is closing, she meets Vincente Moreno, an up-and-coming Olympic fencer who attends her rival high school, Pepsi Co. At first, Coco has no idea who Vincente is or where he comes from. But when she discovers his identity, Coco must choose her loyalties: avoid Vincente at all costs or see him in secret.

Enter into the picture Cody Warwick, handsome Microsoft college junior and fencing aficionado. Cody has the world eating out of his hands, but Coco knows there is more to him than meets the eye. When her father wants her to entertain Cody at his annual Coke barbeque, Coco must play the dutiful daughter against her better judgment. And when a group of student activists challenge the status-quo at Coke High, Coco questions her own core values.

Meanwhile, Vincente has troubles of his own. Coco’s cousin, fencing star Silvino Rodrigues, challenges Vincente to a fencing bout, for which Vincente forgoes because of his personal set of principles. Eventually, Vincente must use his training skills and daring to defend Coco’s honour in an ultimate fencing blow-out.

Filled with swoon-worthy romance and kick-ass sword fighting, LOVE AND COLA WARS is a satirical love story set in a parallel world of cola and corporations.

Looking down over the pool, he saw a beautiful young woman standing in profile, her long, dark hair cascading over light coffee-coloured shoulders. His jaw became slack and open. All of the moisture in his mouth suddenly dried up. He felt anxious, with an urge to flee, but he couldn’t move. His legs seemed fused to the deck with cement. He was staring at the girl when she turned and caught his eye. It was Coco.

She’s here, he thought. Thank you, Marcos. Thank you for dragging me. She didn’t look away, but kept his gaze for a moment before returning to her conversation. Was she playing it cool, he wondered?

The Latin band in the gazebo was playing an instrumental version of Marc Antony’s ‘Need to Know’. Vincente ditched the drinks, dropped the hood from his head and walked down the stairs of the deck. He forgot about Marcos as he walked towards Coco. She saw him across the pool.

Music and the cacophony of the crowd were all around him. Coco excused herself from her companion and came around to his side of the pool. They didn’t take their eyes off one another, and surprisingly, considering how close to the lip they walked, neither of them fell into the pool. Then he was right in front of her, looking into her golden eyes.

“Vincente, I’m so glad to see you.” She beamed. “I never got your number, and then my dad was giving me a hard time. Hey, what happened to your eye?”

She examined it closely, lightly touching the butterfly strip across his eyebrow. Vincente was terribly embarrassed.

“Ugh, I got into a fight last week, just after we met,” Vincente said. “Someone from school?”

“Just a guy.”

“Okay, tough guy,” she said. “Hey, how did you find out about the party?”

“Marcos got wind of it. This is my first year at the Coke BBQ. You seem to have been to this thing before?”

“Every year, actually. My father is the one that throws it.”

And now Vincente knew the truth.

“Oh, sorry. That’s really embarrassing,” he said.

Vincente thought that maybe he should have enlightened her, but he didn’t want to ruin the moment. He could tell her later, he thought.

Coco laughed. “No worries. Hey, do you want to dance?

“Sure, but I’m not that good.”

“That’s okay. I can lead.”

Coco took Vincente’s hand and led him down to the temporary dance floor in front of the gazebo. Her father had had it laid out just for this occasion. Above the dance floor, the decorating team had strung numerous strands of twinkly lights between two trees. People were sitting and keeping warm at two fire pits surrounded by logs.

Coco found a spot that was clear of the other dancers on the floor. Vincente put one hand on Coco’s slim hips and his other hand on her shoulder. Adjusting his hand, she moved it slightly higher onto her waist. He felt like an idiot for being so awkward. Beginning to sway to the music, she pulled him in a little bit closer.

“You see, it’s not that difficult,” she said.

Coco’s skin was so soft to the touch and she smelled amazing, like the sweet fragrance of wild roses. Being near her was potent.

“You’re right. I just need to get the hang of it, I guess.”

The beautiful sky and moon that now rose, the cool night air, and the beauty of Coco enveloped Vincente. The chill created goose pimples on Coco’s flesh.

“Are you cold?” he asked.

“No, you seem to be warm enough for the two of us,” she said.

“You smell great,” he said, immediately regretting it. But then she said, “So do you.” He held her close, this almost stranger, feeling guilty for not revealing his true self to her. When the song ended, Coco suggested they sit by the fire and warm up. Like a gentleman, he offered his hoodie, and she accepted.

Heidi Loney is a Toronto based Young Adult Author. Her dystopian novel, Ravenous (Ancestry, Book 1), is currently available in both Kobo and Kindle e-book formats. Heidi’s satirical Upper MG/YA novel, Love and Cola Wars is now available on Kindle and Kobo. She is currently writing Ancestor (Ancestry, Book 2) to be released later in 2014. Before becoming a novelist, Heidi studied theatre and worked as a costumer for 15 years in many of Toronto’s theatres.

Heidi’s other passion is politics, and you can find her tongue-in-cheek posts on Toronto city politics blog, leftwingpinko.ca.

Heidi lives in the city with her husband Jack and two (mostly) darling children.