Review: Nothing but Trouble by Rachel Gibson

All right, Nothing but Trouble has been getting a lot of good reviews around blogland... but it wasn't a hit for me... So please, hold back the tomatoes! LOL. Luckily, there's Monroe to balance it out :)

Nothing but Trouble by Rachel Gibson  
published by Avon in April 2010

Trouble...

Chelsea Ross's acting career has been a total bust. The closest she ever came to stardom was her brilliant performance as "Pretty Dead Girl #1." But leaving Hollywood to become the personal assistant to a famous hockey player could be her stupidest career move ever.

More trouble...

Injured superstar Mark Bressler's glory days are over. The bad-boy ex-jock could at least be civil to the pint-sized, pink-haired bombshell who the Seattle Chinooks hired to be his P.A. If Chelsea didn't need the money, she'd be running from the world's biggest jerk as fast as her feet could carry her.

Big trouble!

Chelsea can deal with Mark's rotten attitude and dark moods. The problem is those biceps and that red-hot bod! And when the bad boy starts to put the moves on her, Chelsea knows it's time she banished him to the penalty box... if only she could resist the kind of trouble he has in mind!

Genre: contemporary, sport romance
Series: Seattle Chinooks, Book #5

The Story: Chelsea Ross needs a break from Hollywood. Her career is going no where and she's tired of seeing talentless people making it. Thus, she's visiting her sister Bo who works in the PR department of the Seattle Chinooks. Despite her family pressure, Chelsea is not giving up her dreams. She actually has a plan, but needs some money. Therefore, she accepts to become the personal assistant to Mark Bressler, even though she knows it's going to big challenge - the 10,000$ bonus to last 3 months makes it obvious. Mark Bressler was the captain of the Seattle Chinooks until a car accident ended his career and he can't help but feel bitter that his teammates claimed the Stanley Cup. He wants to be left alone and so far has chased away 3 home care workers... He's determined to do the same with Chelsea. However, this colorful and optimistic woman is determined to fulfill her job...


Nath: What did you think of Nothing but Trouble, Monroe? I thought it was better than Ms Gibson's last release, True Love and Other Disasters, but still a weak book.

Monroe: As you know I'm a huge Rachel Gibson fan and all in all I thought this was a pretty sturdy story! I enjoyed Mark AFTER he got over himself and I truly adored Chelsea! I loved how Chelsea was a free spirit and Mark was the total opposite! Now... does that make this story typical... somewhat yes I think it does but it all pretty much worked for me! =)

Nath: Hmmm, I'm not sure about the solid part, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. I did like Chelsea. I like optimistic characters and she definitively was. I'm glad that she wasn't moping around because her acting career hasn't gone as she wished. Although Chelsea was a bit down on her luck, she had a plan :) She enjoyed life and did her best at being Mark's assistant. I didn't feel that Chelsea was such a free spirit though... I mean, yes, she likes to dress flashy, but that doesn't exactly equal free spirit :) While Mark wasn't as fun a character, it was understandable though considering what he's been through in the past few months. Of course, understanding doesn't mean his attitude endears him to us. However, I felt his character wasn't very consistent and there are things that I don't really get. I think it would have helped if we had more details about his accident. For some reasons, I kept having the feeling it was drunk driving or something like that - but really, it wasn't. Anyway, inconsistency - I find it bizarre that he didn't have more contact with his father and grandmother, even when he was healthy. I found it weird that they didn't move temporarily to take care of him, etc. Mark seems such a loner, but it didn't really fit his personality.

Monroe: It was really odd that he didn’t have more contact with his family and I too wondered about the accident. So in that aspect I felt a bit disconnected from him in the beginning. Like we didn’t know too much about him. I learned to love him once he opened up more and started to like Chelsea. I felt as a reader I got more out of his character.

Nath: I wonder if there was a way for Ms Gibson to make the readers a little bit more sympathetic to him... One thing I do wonder though. Mark was 35 years old already. He might have played a few more years, but realistically, his was at the end of his career... Didn't he think about his future after hockey. I mean, there is a difference between having your career ended abruptly at 20 and 35... I can believe that Mark was very focused and wanted to win the Stanley Cup, but seriously, I find it hard to believe that at 35, he didn't have a back up plan. That his whole life was only woman and hockey.

Monroe: One thing that bothered me was the main plot about how she didn’t tell him about the bonus money. I mean like really... was that an issue?!?!? It was part of her pay. He claimed that was the only reason she stuck around but if he said that he could also say that about her wages in general ya know?!?! So I think the plot could’ve been a bit deeper than that.

Nath: I don't think the bonus money was such a big deal either; however, it was obvious the author wanted it to be. Personally, I don't understand why Chelsea kept it secret or why he'd be so angry about it. Like you say, it would be part of her wages and he knew she was getting paid. Seriously, did he think that she initially stayed for his sunny disposition? That part didn't make much sense to me either. Personally, I felt the ending was rushed. There were a couple of issues such as the breast reduction, Chelsea's acting career, Bo and Jules relationship... and instead of wrapping those loose ends, Ms Gibson focused on a conflict that shouldn't have been a conflict and popped up out of no where :(

Monroe: As for unresolved issues. I felt the only thing I wanted elaborated more was for Bo and Jules story.

Nath: Perhaps they'll be the secondary relationship in the next book as well? What did you think of the whole Derek thing? I don't know, a kid finding his way to a superstar home - I can believe... but to actually get access to that home and even have the superstar train you? It wasn't very realistic, although I liked the interaction between the kid and Chelsea LOL.

Monroe: Ok... the Derek thing... Yes very unrealistic but then again I don’t always look at realistic things when it comes to my books ya know?!?! So that didn’t bother me one bit BUT I will say I read into that MUCH more than what care out. I thought the woman that emailed him about having sex with Mark and him not calling and the Derek thing would’ve been related. I almost thought Derek (while emailing) was the woman trying to trick him. Remember Mark saying he (at first) didn’t remember a Derek??? So I thought that there would be some crazed fan plot…WRONG! Lol But hey it would’ve made for a good twist! ;)

Nath: LOL, you totally read too much into the whole Derek thing! I don't need everything to be realistic, but in a contemporary setting, it's harder to suspend disbelief ^_^; I felt Ms Gibson had an idea with Derek, but she just didn't carry it out. Either she should have taken out the whole Derek episode and focused more on Mark and Chelsea or she should have integrated Derek and kids more into the storyline.

Sigh, am I too harsh? LOL.

Monroe: No, I see all your points!! Are you too harsh or am I too sweet? LOL The world may never know! ;)

Nath: LOL, we need Ames!! She'd be the voice of reason! LOL. So, final say?

Monroe: Overall I thought this was an enjoyable read! Do I like it better than her other hockey books? No, but it did give me my fix of contemp romance like RG always seems to do. There are some areas I felt could’ve gotten more attention like his accident; his family. Like what is Chelsea got to meet them? And maybe we learned about his past and accident through his grandmother? Oh and I kinda wanted to see time go by and her move back to Cali before he came to his senses! lol

Nath: LOL, that would have been a whole different book, Monroe! :) Nothing but Trouble was a fluffy read. This is sometime a good thing, but not in this case. I personally felt that Ms Gibson had a good premise. I think it's always interesting to see how an athlete copes with a career-ending injury, but in this case, it's even more dramatic for Mark, because it was an accident not involving hockey. I would have liked to see Ms Gibson focuses more on that. I felt that Nothing but Trouble lacked depth and as a result, it was pretty superficial. It was a C+ for me.

Monroe: Yes Nothing but Trouble was a fluffy read but I have to say that it overall worked for me. I didn’t read too much into the down plays of the book b/c I thought the ups overshadowed them! =) So I guess we differ in that aspect but hey…makes for good reviews! Lol HOWEVER that being said I have to give Nothing but Trouble a B-.

Review: Double Play by Jill Shalvis

Here it is, Monroe's first buddy review as a part of the Breezing Through team :) I hope everyone enjoys it!!


Double Play by Jill Shalvis
published by Berkley Sensation in July 2009

Getting to first base is a cinch... but getting home will take a grand slam...

Pace Martin is the ace pitcher for the Pacific Heat. He's got the arm, the experience, and the wins. He's also got the pain, the pressure, and the possible end of his career looming over him. The last thing he needs now is a distraction, even if it comes in the form of a tough, beautiful, tell-it-like-it-is writer who sees past his defenses.

Holly Hutchins knows a good story when she sees one, and the tall, dark, and slightly attitude-challenged Pace Martin fits the bill. But when she realizes there's more at stake than just a win, she starts to see the handsome, broad-shouldered jock in a different light.

Pace and Holly begin a seductive game, but in the face of unexpected betrayal and challenges, they'll have the courage to swing for the fences...

Genre: contemporary romance, sports romance
Series: The Pacific Heat, book #1

Nath: So Monroe, what did you think of Double Play? I was pleasantly surprised by it, I liked it better than I expected :)

Monroe: I really enjoyed this book as well. I couldn’t help but compare it to Rachel Gibson’s See Jane Score (which btw is one of my favs) and it was neck and neck there for a while and I ALMOST thought it would beat RG out, BUT the ending made me rethink that.

Nath: I agree with you. It’s hard not to compare Double Play and See Jane Score given that in both, the heroine is a reporter and the hero, a jock. Then, there were the superstitious tidbits LOL. I think that anyone who enjoys sport romances and/or See Jane Score should give Double Play a go. I thought there was a good balance between the sport and romance and I liked that there was no big ending-career injury and the focus wasn’t on the hero being too old and having to consider retirement. Yes, those issues were addressed, after all, Pace is 31 years old, but they weren’t the focus and I’m glad. One of my favorite aspects of this book is that Pace actually played baseball for 75-80% of the book! LOL.

Monroe: I love sports romances and this one for me is right up there close to the top. This was my first baseball sport to read about and I have to say that Pace gave my hockey men a run for their money! Pace...oh Pace...how dreamy is this guy. He has a tough exterior, cocky but not too pompous and oh how he has a heart of gold. I mean he couldn’t even totally shrug Holly off when she was so persistent about an interview and it was clear that he wasn’t giving her one.

Nath: You described Pace very well, he is definitively a winner and he does have a heart of gold... I liked him a lot. It was nice that he was quite down-to-earth. Sure, he enjoys his status as a professional player, but he doesn't have such an inflated ego. In short, he wasn't a jerk and that, I appreciated.

What did you think of Holly? I liked her as well. I thought that yes, she was insistent as a reporter, but not in a bad way. She was thoughtful and again, very down to earth. She respected the players even though she was trying to find secrets. They weren’t a mean to an end, she treated them like genuine people instead of stories. I thought that the topics of her articles were quite interesting and if someone in real life would write those, I would gladly read it.

Monroe: I really loved Holly. I would have to say she was one of my fav heroines! Is she insecure?... Sure but you would never know it by how forward and blunt she is. I loved that she knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to show it. She was totally up front about her feelings for Pace and when he pushed she pushed right back! Holly surprised me MANY times by how quick she was on her toes around all the guys and she seemed to feel right at home!

Nath: I wouldn't say Holly is my favorite heroine – I don’t think that any heroine who is a reporter could be ^_^; However, she does have personality characteristics that I admire. I like that she didn't lie to herself. That she admits she had feelings for Pace, but didn't push him. It was more a case of : "I like you, deal with it, I have already." I think that if Pace hadn't reciprocated her feelings, she would have dealt with it and eventually, overcome the crush and move on.

Aside from two likable main characters who share great chemistry, I thought Double Play had a nice cast of secondary characters as well. I liked that the Heat players got along well and that the story didn't focus on youngster coming and older player panicking. There was great camaraderie between the players and we also got to see their entourage – their publicist, manager, etc. LOL, I loved the fact that the players were so superstitious and made Pace and Holly kiss so they would win, but they would baby-sit them so they wouldn’t have sex, LOL :) And the fact that Pace was angry on Holly’s behalf for being used? Awww!

Monroe: Oh ya I loved all the players! How they treated Pace and Holly and their kissing but NO SEX rule cracked me up!

Oh and how far along were you when you figured out the story? I wasn't too far into it before I realized that the drugs were either coming from Tucker or Red. And when he drank Ty's drink I just KNEW he was going to get tested and it would come back positive. One thing they did sneak in on me was that Jeremy was the leak. He really didn’t have a big role in the book and so I didn't figure it would’ve been him.

Nath: LOL, I cheated. I always read the end ^_^; So I didn't have to figure things out. Although, seriously, it was very easy to figure who was supplying. It was harder to figure out who leaked the news. I thought that both issues were weak though and the news leak was a little bit superfluous. It would have been more effective to focus on one. I'm glad that Pace believed in Holly for that part. As for Jeremy, I think that was to set up the next book and perhaps his own.

I also had a few other quirks… First, there was a lot of emphasis on Holly and Pace's backgrounds and how it shaped their lives... However, I didn't feel it. I thought it was an excuse and Ms Shalvis used it too conveniently to explain away some of Holly and Pace’s habits or character traits. Also, the sequel baiting at the beginning of the book was too blatant. I don't mind sequel baiting, as long as it's done with subtlety. However, in this case, it was bam – in your face: here are the other players and their "storylines/background that is going to shape their story." It's really a minor thing, but still it annoyed me.

Monroe: I didn’t have too many problems with this book; in fact I found it rather addicting and hard to put down! However, I have to agree with you on some points. I too felt the backgrounds of their childhoods were a bit off. I felt the author maybe thought she needed to explain them so we would understand more about how the characters have grown into who they are but I felt it really wasn't needed, especially Holly’s background with her mother. It was all a bit awkward to me and I think she should’ve either wrote it more into the story or just totally left it out all together (more the latter of the two).

Nath: I agree with you. I felt that the backgrounds stories were definitively off. Like you, I think the authors should have worked the background stories more into the book or not use it at all. Seriously, I didn't see what was the big deal between Pace and his father. As for Holly, her background story with her life wasn’t very consistent. For example, Holly was once very poor and it seems to have marked her to the point where she’s a bit cheap. In that case, would she really rent a condo by the month and move out when she wants to? I mean, in her situation, I would want some security and have my own place, somewhere a little more permanent to reassure me... Also, wouldn’t she go for something cheaper? I just didn’t feel it.

Anything else that bothered you?

Monroe: This is a little bit of a spoiler, but the end kinda bothered me. Ok so their at the game and after they won its this big 'Yay moment' and Pace climbs over the fence to get to Holly and reporters are all there and he goes to propose and her response is "Oh you don’t need to propose. I just need you"...WTF?!? Like you’re all hyped up and excited...they won the game, he got the girl, etc. and she says THAT!!! I don’t know maybe I'm being picky but I felt a little deflated after she said that. I was talking about it with a friend and she said it did kind fit Holly character to react that way, and maybe it did... I just didn’t like it! LOL

Nath: Hmm, I didn't really mind the ending, but I see why it would bother you… it kind of killed the mood a little ^_^; Me, I was more bothered by the reporter/cameraman that said: "Oh sorry, you're trying to get laid." Ugh. Also, it seemed like an awkward moment to end the book - this was his comeback from the surgery right? (Wasn't that a bit quick?) So they still don't know yet whether they'll make the series, let alone if they won, right? Of course, if she ended the book at the other moments, it might have been a bit too cliched... but I felt that it was strange.

Overall though, I enjoyed Double Play a lot. I liked the main characters, enjoyed their chemistry and the palpable sexual tension. I’m giving it a B, it was fun and quick, but not ground-breaking.

Monroe: B+ from me! I overall really liked this book and besides the very few faults it had I think Id reread this book! It had a great feel to it and was SUPER addictive! Yet another great one from Jill Shalvis...

I REALLY hope they put Wade with Sam in the second book. I know that would be an interesting book. When Sam told Holly about getting stuck in the elevator and them finding things to do to pass the time...LMAO!

Nath: Did you read the excerpt at the end? Pretty sure the next book is going to be Wade and Sam’s story :) and as a bonus, we might see Tia :)

Review: Hard and Fast by Erin McCarthy

Nath and I both read and enjoyed Flat-Out Sexy last year so we decided to buddy review the sequel. Note, there are spoilers.

Grad student Imogen Wilson realizes she's hit on the perfect thesis for her sociology degree. If she follows the so-called "rules" on how to get a man, can she steer her way into the world and hearts of stock race car drivers, and establish their dating— and mating—patterns?

Although sexy and reckless racer Ty McCordle is the ideal test subject, Imogen knows that for the sake of science, she can't give in to her growing attraction for him. Yet he's the one who's chasing after her, and Imogen realizes that she actually wants to be caught. A southern gentleman like Ty will satisfy all her curiosity—and make all the risks worthwhile...

Nath: I don't really know how I feel about this one... I like the idea of Ty and Imogen together, because they are so different. Opposite attracts is a cute theme and I enjoy it. Thing is, there wasn't much to their story no? Got together for sex, had great sex, fell in "love", conflict and resolution. Too much of the book was about them having sex and the conflict and resolution were really rushed at the end.

Ames: I had a tough time for the first half of the book. I thought the sex scenes were drawn out and Imogen really got on my nerves. She constantly questioned why and it kind of reminded me of a little child.  "Why?"  Over everything!  After the camping trip though, things did pick up - Imogen relaxed and started to go with Ty's flow.

I enjoyed the book, but I do agree with you - the conflict and resolution at the end did feel rushed. But they needed to have that conflict. It addressed the fact that they did fall in love kind of fast and it deals with Ty's dyslexia and Imogen's...I don't want to say uptightness...but her analness I guess. LOL

I liked how they were opposites. It worked for them. Ty's risk taking with Imogen's tendency to observe and think everything through, they balanced each other out.

Nath: See, I think I'm the opposite of you. I had a tougher time with the second half of the book, because I thought it was too rushed. I think the pacing of the book is off - slow in the beginning and fast at the end. If the book was a bit longer, it would have worked better.

Ames: I agree that the pacing was a bit off.  There was a slow build up and then boom, conflict and resolution and its over. In and of itself, that's ok, because really, who wants to read about a long drawn out conflict? I think just coupled with the slow beginning for me, it creates an unevenness. But the book is still enjoyable to read! Don't get me wrong about that.

Again, that conflict was needed. Things had been smooth sailing for Imogen and Ty and they needed something to test their love, to prove to each other that yeah they can argue, they don't really have a lot in common but that they love each other and in the end, that's what matters most. They know who the other person is, even if they don't know all the details of each other's lives, they know what lies inside. And that's why I enjoyed Hard and Fast. It's not perfect, but damn it's enjoyable.

Nath: Oh, of course, nobody wants a long conflict, but it needs to be well-balanced in order to work and I absolutely agree with you that they needed a conflict and you're right, it addresses the fact that their relationship developed very quickly... but they way it was done, it really screamed "CONFLICT NEEDED" and so it was thrown in just to make the story "interesting." I don't think it was well-balanced and served the storyline well.

Ty having dyslexia was interesting and unexpected; however, I don't think Ms McCarthy fully explore that characteristic of Ty. I can understand why she wouldn't want to blow it out of proportion and make dyslexia the focus... because it's been done previously with varied degree of success. At the same time, I think it was an important aspect to Ty and the way it was handled, I felt like it was an afterthought, "Oh, by the way, I have dyslexia."

Ames: I don't think Ty's dyslexia was under-explored. He came up with coping mechanisms that allowed him to function and he was scared to make himself vulnerable to Imogen by revealing his "weakness" to her. The way Ms. McCarthy handled it was fitting with Ty's personality. I kind of think Imogen got too mad at Ty over it though. Yeah he didn't reveal it to her right away, but why would he?

Another thing - I hate nicknames in books - but Emma Jean and Engine were cute. I love the dynamic between Ty and Imogen. Nothing gets me better than witty dialog and banter, and these two had it in spades. And I thought it was really sweet of Ty to memorize those lines from Shakespeare.

Nath: I don't mean that Ty's dyslexia itself was under-explored. I actually thought it was done well. In many instances, I was like: maybe if he wrote it or someone spelled it to him... and then, I realized that it wouldn't work. It's like wow, reality check here. What I meant is that I think that Ty's dyslexia was part of the conflict, not the main focus, but important and I felt it wasn't dealt properly as an issue between the couple... but then, the whole conflict wasn't, so I guess this is a bit of a moot point.

I liked the fact that Ty wasn't ashamed of his disorder. Sure, he's not advertising it on top of his lungs - but it's kind of understandable. In his position, a lot of people would take advantage of it. At the same time, he has come to terms with it and there is no awkwardness that is often present with other characters with dyslexia. That I found refreshing.

I actually thought that it was very cute that Ty called her Emma Jean :) Engine was also cute LOL :)

I liked Hard and Fast, but then, like many, not as much as Flat-Out Sexy. I really liked the first part, but I kind of lost interest by the end. I thought nothing was happening... like we said, I think the pacing was totally off. As a result, I'm giving it a C+.

Ames: I enjoyed Hard and Fast, but like you, not as much as Flat-Out Sexy. I found Imogen annoying in the first half of the book, and the first half went kind of slow for me. But things picked up towards the middle and that's when I really got into the story and enjoyed it. I'm giving it a B-.

Nath: I thought Imogen was okay. She's a peculiar character and it's nice to see a nerdy female for once :) However, I thought the whole matter about her thesis subject was boring and seriously, in the end, it's Tamara who came up with one.... LOL, the way Tamara presented it, it was so funny because it did really sound like a thesis subject :)

What do you think is going to happen in the future books? When Tamara got sick near the end of the book - it said that she was nauseous - I was like, here we go again, somehow, Elec went from sterile to not and she got pregnant... I'm glad it was just a case of food poisoning.

Ames: When Tamara was sick, I was afraid she was miraculously pregnant, so I'm glad that was just food poisoning. But then, what was the point? Ah well.

Nath: I don't know if there is a point ^_^; There is very little information on this series (which I find frustrating)... but I was wondering if Evan would get his book, although I think the next book is going to be Ryder and Suzanne. I want to know if the person in Ryder's bed was Suzanne, but I guess not.

Ames: I think the next book is going to be Ryder and Suzanne. I'm not sure if the woman in Ryder's bed was Suz or not. If not, I feel bad for her, because they obviously still love each other.

That one scene, when Suz was telling Ryder that she was going back to work because the alimony was almost dried up and he offered her another year or two, that scene really touched me. I was just like, "awwww!"

I don't know how I feel about Evan getting a book. We don't really know him at this point, so I don't really care. LOL

Nath: Yeah, I feel the same for Suz... if she wasn't the one in bed with Ryder... I wonder why they divorced when it's obvious they still love each other. At the same time though, can't really blame Ryder for having sex.... but yeah, hoping that it is Suz, but I doubt it.

That was indeed a very nice scene - which further reinforced the point that Ryder still loves Suz. So wake up, kids! It came at the right moment though, because I was actually wondering why Suz wasn't working?

As for Evan, true, we don't know him very well so far, but he's been appearing in the book with more than a cameo role, don't you think? In the first book, he had to mouth out and insult Tamara's dead husband. In this one, he gets punched LOL :)

Ames: I think it'll be good for Suz to see Ryder with someone else. So I'm hoping that woman wasn't her.

But someone getting punched doesn't scream sequel bait to me. LOL

Nath: No? LOL :) He's the character on the peripheral, not part of the obvious pairings, that steers up trouble. It does scream sequel bait to me :P

What do you think people?

Review: Strike Zone by Kate Angell

This book is one that I’ve anticipated a lot, because I like the author’s style. Her books are usually quick, funny and entertaining reads and this one is no exception. My buddy reviewer is Kris from The Reading Spot.


Strike Zone by Kate Angell
published by Dorchester (Love Spell) in April 2008

Faced with the love of her life waiting at the altar, thrill-seeking adventure guide Taylor Hannah lost her nerve and ran. Three years later, the gutsy blonde is back in Richmond to reclaim handsome Rogues pitcher Brek Stryker before he makes another trip down the aisle. From dressing as a giant baseball to pummeling the other team’s mouthy mascot, this former fiancée is pulling out all the stops. Trouble is, her ball player refuses to believe she’s finally ready to play by his rules. Stryke hasn’t forgiven the woman who left him on their wedding day, but he can’t ignore the chemistry that sizzles every time he and Taylor meet. The fireworks between them could light up the ball park, but Stryke won’t lose his heart again unless he knows the score. If Taylor steps into his strike zone, she’d better be ready to go past third base and all the way home.

Genre: sport romance, contemporary romance
Series: The Richmond Rogues, Book #3

The Story: Three years ago, Taylor Hannah’s parents died in a plane crash. Then, a few months later, she was supposed to get married to Rogues’ start pitcher Brek Stryker... however, she left him at the altar. Now, three years later, after reading his engagement announcement, Taylor wants closure and to apologize, therefore she returns to Richmond… and sparks still erupt between them. The last thing Brek wants is to see Taylor again, to feel the sparks and to remember… but you rarely get want you want.

The secondary storyline involves Taylor’s little sister and Sloan McCaffrey, the Rogues’ reliever. Sloan is attracted to Taylor and decides to sign on one of the trip she guides… Although his mind is attracted to Taylor, his body responds to Eve, the non-thrill seeking, cynic with a sharp tongue sister. Of course, Eve is not interested in a man who only dates the same women 3 times… but being around Sloan is fun and it makes her forget that she’s the passive sister.


Nath: This was definitively a light and fun read. It took me only one evening to finish it and I know it took even less time for Kris!

Kris: I picked it up to read while I was eating lunch and could not put it down. I think I finished it in about 2 hours. It was a lot of fun. I had a few LOL moments. My favorite was Psycho at the dog adoption event. I could picture that so well.

Nath: LOL, so true! I thought the mascot fights were quite funny, especially the second one where Taylor won :) The first one with Psycho yelling her what to do… I think one of the most hilarious part of the book was when Sloan came to crash Addie's b-day party and Eve wondered what gift he brought. LOL, definitively a LOL moment.

I really enjoyed the Taylor and Brek’s storyline. I like their chemistry and I wondered how Brek was going to dump his fiancée without looking like a jerk. I have to say though, I wish Taylor and Brek had their own book. This was also a complaint I had with Squeeze Play and Curve Ball as well. In my opinion, Ms Angell had enough material with one couple, she didn’t need to squeeze in another.

Kris: I was okay with the two stories in the book. Though with the large timeline like there was, she could have done a couple more scenes during rehab or somewhere else in the story to make you feel the time pass more.

I totally did not see the Hillary (the fiancée) thing coming. That was a nice surprise.

Nath: Definitively could have added a few scenes, though perhaps not about rehab. I think she meant to keep the book fun and light. I can't see rehab being fun, witty and light LOL :) So perhaps them on a date or something, although I can’t see how she could have fit those scenes in… Sigh.

As for the Hillary thing – I didn’t see it coming either. I mean, I knew she wasn’t as innocent and nice as she looked. The clue was when she came up to Taylor to ask her advices about loving Brek... That’s really just plain mean and “in your face, he’s mine now.”

Kris: I was giving her the benefit of the doubt and wondering if she was abused at some point. So I guess I fell for it.

Nath: That would totally have not fit the fun and light mood, LOL. Personally, where she’s concerned, I think that Brek was wearing blinders. True, Ms Angell explains his "blindness" very well and it fits, but I can’t see a professional baseball star pitcher getting engage with a woman without ever having sex with her. You just know something is wrong when she denies you sex… and her reasons were not even “I want to wait for our wedding night” or something like that. She just didn’t feel comfortable ^_^; In the end, I would have liked to see what happened to Hillary, Stu and whether or not her father won the election.

As for Sloan and Eve, I enjoyed their relationship till the third date. Afterwards, I think that their storyline was rushed and they got together too quickly. Their storyline definitively suffered from lack of pages.

Kris: Though I think Hillary and Stu’s fate was mentioned in passing, I would have liked to have seen or heard a little more about that as well.

Sloan cracked me up with his arrogance. He was a good balance for Eve. This book was very much about opposites attracting. I do not think that they got back together too quickly. They were apart for like 3-4 months before they got back together. If she was still pining for him at that point then she needed to talk to him or get over him.

Nath: True, there were 3 or 4 months between their fight and reconciliation. However, you don’t feel those 3 or 4 months go by and that’s why I felt it was rushed. Adding more scenes to their storyline would have made it more believable in my opinion. I felt that they had the beginning of something together, but I don’t think they were involved enough for Sloan to change so completely in order to win her back. I mean Sloan doing small things and changing a bit would have been enough, but going the whole 9 yards – buying a house and adopting dogs? I think it was a little too much.

One thing I’m glad Ms Angell did not do is having all the previous heroines be pregnant LOL :) Also, she didn’t plug them too much in the storyline. The guys, they were unavoidable, being part of the same team… but it’s nice that wives are just mentioned in this book. Only Jacy has a bigger part and again, it was well justified.

Kris: I like she did not try to force the other wives and characters in so that you could see them again. Though I like to see characters from other books I do not like forced scenes. I need to track down the other book and read that one too. I read Psycho’s story but not the other one.

Nath: So story-wise, Ms. Angell did really good; however, baseball-wise, not so good. As Dear Author’s review of this book pointed out, there are a lot of baseball facts wrong in this book.

Kris: If you are a total baseball fan then you would probably catch those things and I think it would detract because it seems that Ms Angell did not do her research well enough. You would think that she would do a lot more research if she is doing a series around baseball, but I guess not.

Since I am not a baseball fan and any mistakes were totally over my head, this book was a lot of fun for me. So I would probably grade it a B+ to A- somewhere in there.

Nath: So total baseball fans, you’ve been warned. If you’re just a regular reader or have a high tolerance level, then go ahead, because this book was really fun. I’m giving this book a B+… and I’ll be reading the next, hoping that it’s Rhodes book!