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Diamonds and Dugouts #1
Stealing Home
Love may be just a game, but the baseball players in Jennifer Seasons' sexy diamonds and dugouts series— they're playing for keeps!Mark Cutter has it a lucrative baseball career, fast cars, and faster women—and all thanks to his priceless good luck charm. At least, that's what he thinks before Lorelei Littleton shows up. Next thing he knows, he's waking up alone, the sexy brunette has vanished, and his good luck charm is gone. More than a little curious about the wicked-hot cat burglar and determined to get his property back, Mark's going to track down the thief and make her pay—big time.Maybe Lorelei feels a tiny bit guilty for stealing Mark's good luck charm, but when it's worth $100,000 and the money could save her niece's life? She's not losing sleep over it . . . but him ? Lorelei can't get the ballplayer with the bad attitude out of her head. And now he's come after her with more than just revenge in his eyes. Lorelei has a turn over the charm and lose the money, or keep it and risk losing everything . . . including her heart.
368 pages, Unknown Binding
First published April 2, 2013
18 people are currently reading
888 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Seasons
39 books128 followersJennifer Seasons started her career writing contemporary romances for Avon and is the author of several popular contemporary and Regency historical romances. Born in California, Jennifer has lived all over the west, and now resides in the mountains of Massachusetts with her husband and their children. A dog and several cats keep them company. A lover of autumn, cozy cardigans, and coffee, Jennifer can often be found writing her novels by hand in notebooks, bundled in said cardigan with a steaming mug of dark roast nearby. When she's not writing, Jennifer enjoys running, riding horses, hiking with her family, gardening, and lounging in a comfy spot with a good book and a homemade chocolate chip cookie or two.
www.jenniferseasonsauthor.com
www.jenniferseasonsauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
September 27, 2013
I love this series! Book 1 is free today at -
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Stealing-Home-D...
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/steal...
My Review:
Stealing Home is the first book in Jennifer Seasons’ Diamonds and Dugouts series. It’s fun, romantic, quirky and sexy… a truly entertaining story!
Cover:I’m a big fan of Contemporary Romance, and this one is just right. It has all the things I most enjoy in my reads, and a terrific supporting cast as well.
Mark Cutter has it all: a lucrative baseball career, fast cars, and faster women—and all thanks to his priceless good luck charm. At least, that's what he thinks before Lorelei Littleton shows up. Next thing he knows, he's waking up alone, the sexy brunette has vanished, and his good luck charm is gone. More than a little curious about the wicked-hot cat burglar and determined to get his property back, Mark's going to track down the thief and make her pay—big time.
Maybe Lorelei feels a tiny bit guilty for stealing Mark's good luck charm, but when it's worth $100,000 and the money could save her niece's life? She's not losing sleep over it . . . but him? Lorelei can't get the ballplayer with the bad attitude out of her head. And now he's come after her with more than just revenge in his eyes. Lorelei has a choice: turn over the charm and lose the money, or keep it and risk losing everything . . . including her heart.
The story line is one that tugs at the heartstrings, and starts a chain of events that can’t be stopped, without someone landing in prison. I enjoyed the way that all played out, and I really enjoyed the time we spent in Mark’s head during his time behind the plate. I’ve never been much of a baseball fan, and don’t know a lot about the sport, but Ms. Seasons didn't get all sport techy and I actually found myself very interested in the game play.
Mark and Lorelei are both great characters, and their chemistry and quick wit made for some great reading. Mark really is the perfect hero… sexy, funny, compassionate - but by no means a pushover… from the start I wanted him to have everything his heart desired. Lorelei annoyed me here and there because she wouldn’t open up and explain why she so desperately needed the money, even though she’d been caught red-handed and had nothing to lose. Lorelei was desperate, so she went to desperate measures to get what she needed. Some of the things she said were laughable, in a totally Mae West cheesy kind of way. But still, I couldn’t help but admire her devotion to her family and her determination to help them.
The bottom line: Stealing Home is a great start to the Diamonds and Dugouts series, and sitting here writing this review, I’ve got a grin on my face thinking of some of the stunts Lorelei pulled, and how Mark fought back. It’s safe to say that I’m looking forward to reading more in the series.
And check this, the ebook is only .99 on Amazon, and worth every penny!
Amazon: Stealing Home by Jennifer Seasons
It's $1.99 at Barnes and Noble and, in my opinion, still worth the price:
Barnes and Noble: Stealing Home by Jennifer Seasons
My thanks to Avon Books and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2014
I liked it...but...seriously...why do people not talk to each other??? Number one pet peeve evah!
Where should I start...I love baseball and for some reason pitchers and catchers have always been my favorites. I love the pressure that these players endure and the leadership they tend to exhibit on and off the diamond. Mark was one such player. He married young, innocent and stayed true to her until she cheated on him. And cheat she did, not just with sex but with his emotions and his soul. Mark learned after that round, he had to harden up, use women for sex only and forever keep his heart and body separate. He began to live up to the ball-playa role and excelled at pleasing himself in the bodies of women. This is thankfully eluded to more than described.
Lorelei is sucked into Mark's ex's labyrinth of lies. She agrees to steal his good luck charm necklace in exchange for money. But when her plans go awry, Lorelei drugs Mark and runs off into the night. Getting caught with his pants down sucked for Mark, but not nearly as much as the huge loss on the field he suffered due to the loss of his necklace. Mark tracked Lorelei down and then the real story began. I really enjoyed parts of this book and then others were so inconsistent.
For example, Lorelei is worried for her brother and niece and yet she conveniently forgets about them when she's having fun, flirting with Mark or drinking beers with Mark's friends. Then, she blurts out random stuff like, "You killed a little girl." And Mark is like, "um, that was odd..." and then they are having sex. Made me scratch my head and then yell at them, "TALK!"
When they do talk, they storm out on each other, then get back together, then storm out, then together, then...you get the idea. That girl began to make my the head spin, I can only imagine the signals Mark was picking up on??? But in the end the HEA came, the side characters were fun and I enjoyed Mark's sister Leslie (a LOT!). I can't wait for her story and the rookie also looks like he is going to be a lot of fun. Enjoy!
July 27, 2013
2.5 stars
I have no idea why I read this book. I think I saw it mentioned on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and, since I usually trust their recommendations, I decided to give it a shot. It's not so much that I would say I didn't like this book, because I didn't not like, but I also just found it really annoying.
Lorelei, the female lead, seriously made me want to buy a Lorelei voodoo doll and stab it repeatedly. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND THINKS IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO STEAL SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE'S BATSHIT CRAZY EX-WIFE??? If you have half a brain you must realize that you're going to get caught. And that the ex-wife was seriously wack-o.
And then Mark, who I genuinely did like a lot of the time, decides to pretty much hold her captive rather than turning her over to the police. Really? You want to deal with this crazy lady while you're in the middle of a highly stressful part of your baseball season? So you hold her captive? Which, PS, made me kind of uncomfortable. The fact that he was holding her captive and the fact that Lorelei just kind of happily went along with it after a few struggles.
Plus Lorelei actually has a good reason for stealing Mark's good luck charm, well as good of a reason one can have for theft. She wants to save her niece's life, it's not like she wants to get new boobs and a trashy wardrobe. I hated that it took her so long to tell Mark this. I also was seriously annoyed by Lorelei's brother and the sick niece, but that's just because I'm a terrible person.
Last complaint, I'm not really sure the author had a complete grasp of the game of baseball. I should have highlighted the parts I was skeptical of, but there were a few words she used and ways she described things that made me think she should have done a little more research or have someone who really knows baseball look over those sections.
Bottom Line: There were just too many things about this book that annoyed me for me to really be able to recommend it. The female lead was stupid and annoying and the male lead, who I kind of liked, did some questionable things. I say skip this.
I have no idea why I read this book. I think I saw it mentioned on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and, since I usually trust their recommendations, I decided to give it a shot. It's not so much that I would say I didn't like this book, because I didn't not like, but I also just found it really annoying.
Lorelei, the female lead, seriously made me want to buy a Lorelei voodoo doll and stab it repeatedly. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND THINKS IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO STEAL SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE'S BATSHIT CRAZY EX-WIFE??? If you have half a brain you must realize that you're going to get caught. And that the ex-wife was seriously wack-o.
And then Mark, who I genuinely did like a lot of the time, decides to pretty much hold her captive rather than turning her over to the police. Really? You want to deal with this crazy lady while you're in the middle of a highly stressful part of your baseball season? So you hold her captive? Which, PS, made me kind of uncomfortable. The fact that he was holding her captive and the fact that Lorelei just kind of happily went along with it after a few struggles.
Plus Lorelei actually has a good reason for stealing Mark's good luck charm, well as good of a reason one can have for theft. She wants to save her niece's life, it's not like she wants to get new boobs and a trashy wardrobe. I hated that it took her so long to tell Mark this. I also was seriously annoyed by Lorelei's brother and the sick niece, but that's just because I'm a terrible person.
Last complaint, I'm not really sure the author had a complete grasp of the game of baseball. I should have highlighted the parts I was skeptical of, but there were a few words she used and ways she described things that made me think she should have done a little more research or have someone who really knows baseball look over those sections.
Bottom Line: There were just too many things about this book that annoyed me for me to really be able to recommend it. The female lead was stupid and annoying and the male lead, who I kind of liked, did some questionable things. I say skip this.
April 3, 2013
Mark Cutter & his filthy mouth are worth 5 stars. The rest...not so much.
I really liked Mark...not just his mouth. His history, his personality, the relationship he has with his friends & his sister...to me, he deserved better than Lorelei and a story that starts out with her doing a terrible acting job all to help her along with her big heist plan.
I know that 95% of what we read in all of our various 'romance' genres tap dances on the line between 'remote chance of this being reality but we'll believe it 'cuz we'd LIKE it to be possible' and 'straight up fantasy no matter how much we'd like it to be true'...but the whole premise of THIS book just made me roll my eyes.
Lorelei's history is tragic & the future isn't looking so good either...still, I just can't buy a girl who works from home writing articles for a gardening magazine suddenly falling into a 'lucky charm' heist plan, rolling with it & believing she'd get away with it.
Never mind the audacity of her being pissed at (and eventually REALLY hurtful towards) the person she tried to steal from, when she didn't get away with it. It's like trying to get into a club with fake ID & then being mad at the bouncer for not letting you in. YOU'RE in the wrong. Suck it up, laugh it off & move on...and, in the case of Stealing Home, be thankful Mark likes your tits, is curious about you & your reason for being a failed criminal/idiot and doesn't want to send you to jail.
Shit, maybe I'm just a super coldhearted bitch 'cuz Lorelei's reasons were, indeed, heartbreaking...I just couldn't buy it & I think when you have a character as well written as Mark is, I just think he deserved a better story.
I really liked Mark...not just his mouth. His history, his personality, the relationship he has with his friends & his sister...to me, he deserved better than Lorelei and a story that starts out with her doing a terrible acting job all to help her along with her big heist plan.
I know that 95% of what we read in all of our various 'romance' genres tap dances on the line between 'remote chance of this being reality but we'll believe it 'cuz we'd LIKE it to be possible' and 'straight up fantasy no matter how much we'd like it to be true'...but the whole premise of THIS book just made me roll my eyes.
Lorelei's history is tragic & the future isn't looking so good either...still, I just can't buy a girl who works from home writing articles for a gardening magazine suddenly falling into a 'lucky charm' heist plan, rolling with it & believing she'd get away with it.
Never mind the audacity of her being pissed at (and eventually REALLY hurtful towards) the person she tried to steal from, when she didn't get away with it. It's like trying to get into a club with fake ID & then being mad at the bouncer for not letting you in. YOU'RE in the wrong. Suck it up, laugh it off & move on...and, in the case of Stealing Home, be thankful Mark likes your tits, is curious about you & your reason for being a failed criminal/idiot and doesn't want to send you to jail.
Shit, maybe I'm just a super coldhearted bitch 'cuz Lorelei's reasons were, indeed, heartbreaking...I just couldn't buy it & I think when you have a character as well written as Mark is, I just think he deserved a better story.
September 29, 2014
Eyes darken, guts tighten, cocks twitch, heat shoots from eyes, arms are like steel bands, electricity flows from fingers, necks tingle from a gaze... it's like X-men fanfic! But, it's not. It's actually trite, mindless, Silhouette-style contemporary romance between a MLB star catcher and a freelance garden magazine writer who has great boobs, 34Ds (yes, we are even told her bra size - I lost track of the number of times her great boobs are mentioned... who is this trying to appeal to???). If you're looking for something entertaining to pass the time while you're stranded in an airport for a few hours, this is the book! otherwise, maybe give it a pass. Move along, there's nothing special here.
A writing sample (from page 15 in my Kindle copy):
Why just spell out the action when you can use extra adjectives!!! He didn't just "walk" out of the bar, he took "long, purposeful strides" - it's not just nighttime, it's "the chilly Colorado night" - he didn't just spot her, "his eyes fell on her curvy figure" - - not a single thing is added to the book with all those extra words. And everything keeps quickening (believe me, these are NOT the only two times that word is used). Maybe a pregnancy will be next!
Let's try re-writing:
There! That's not so bad, is it? Nice, direct, action-packed. And I even kept one of the "quickened"s! I do admit that I am not a writer, so maybe I don't understand. This book is generally well-written and fun, it just has soooo many overdone descriptors.
This is one of those books that builds the romantic tension by setting up the hero and heroine with "secrets" that, for idiotic reasons, they aren't telling each other. It is SO BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS that Mark would completely understand why Lorelei needs money for her niece's surgery - he would GIVE her the money. But does she tell him? OH NOOOOOOOOO she continues to plan to steal from him, alternately despising herself for wanting to steal from him AND despising herself because she can't bring herself to follow through on the dirty deed. It's inane.
Not to mention Lorelei's reaction to conflict. Any conflict. Even ridiculous conflicts, like "I'm falling for him." In the face of conflict, does she:
yes! Option (D) is correct! EVERY TIME. (Yes, she hightails it several times. She sure is a "catch.") I'm sure their relationship will be very successful.
A few baseball games are recounted in detail, and ... I dunno. I am not a fan, but I've seen quite a few games. I've never seen a fistfight ... but oddly Mark seems to feel it's appropriate to get into multiple fights. The entire team seems to be white ... I know, the author doesn't want to introduce too many characters, so maybe the rest of the team isn't mentioned. But we ARE told about back to back games, and the same catcher and pitcher play them all, in their entirety. Okay, fine, the CATCHER can play both games, but the pitcher? Unlikely. I don't understand how the author messed that up. I wonder if she started with a hockey team ("Sapphires and Slapshots!") and changed it last minute.
And other random things that bugged me: Mark is an interesting hero ... except his dyslexia has been done to death in romance... they want the hero to have a secret defect, but he still needs to be sexy and manly... presto! dyslexia! The sex scenes would start out hot, but quickly devolve... repeatedly, he leaves her high and dry... not sexy!
A writing sample (from page 15 in my Kindle copy):
Making his way through the bar with long, purposeful strides, Mark hit the back door and stepped out into the chilly Colorado night. As he scanned the parking lot, anxiety quickened his pulse when at first he didn't see her. Then his eyes fell on her curvy figure near a small red car and he smiled. Anticipation and curiosity quickened his pace as he headed across the parking lot toward her.
Why just spell out the action when you can use extra adjectives!!! He didn't just "walk" out of the bar, he took "long, purposeful strides" - it's not just nighttime, it's "the chilly Colorado night" - he didn't just spot her, "his eyes fell on her curvy figure" - - not a single thing is added to the book with all those extra words. And everything keeps quickening (believe me, these are NOT the only two times that word is used). Maybe a pregnancy will be next!
Let's try re-writing:
Mark made his way through the bar and stepped outside to scan the darkened parking lot. At first he didn't see her, but then he spotted her between two cars, and he smiled. His steps quickened with anticipation as he walked toward her.
There! That's not so bad, is it? Nice, direct, action-packed. And I even kept one of the "quickened"s! I do admit that I am not a writer, so maybe I don't understand. This book is generally well-written and fun, it just has soooo many overdone descriptors.
This is one of those books that builds the romantic tension by setting up the hero and heroine with "secrets" that, for idiotic reasons, they aren't telling each other. It is SO BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS that Mark would completely understand why Lorelei needs money for her niece's surgery - he would GIVE her the money. But does she tell him? OH NOOOOOOOOO she continues to plan to steal from him, alternately despising herself for wanting to steal from him AND despising herself because she can't bring herself to follow through on the dirty deed. It's inane.
Not to mention Lorelei's reaction to conflict. Any conflict. Even ridiculous conflicts, like "I'm falling for him." In the face of conflict, does she:
(A) Find a good time to talk to Mark about it.
(B) Mull over the problem until she finds a solution.
(C) Call a friend for feedback.
(D) Despise herself and hightail it out of town in the middle of the night, without leaving even a good-bye note for Mark. The pain of heartbreak that she feels is reasonable in the face of how awful she thinks she is.
yes! Option (D) is correct! EVERY TIME. (Yes, she hightails it several times. She sure is a "catch.") I'm sure their relationship will be very successful.
A few baseball games are recounted in detail, and ... I dunno. I am not a fan, but I've seen quite a few games. I've never seen a fistfight ... but oddly Mark seems to feel it's appropriate to get into multiple fights. The entire team seems to be white ... I know, the author doesn't want to introduce too many characters, so maybe the rest of the team isn't mentioned. But we ARE told about back to back games, and the same catcher and pitcher play them all, in their entirety. Okay, fine, the CATCHER can play both games, but the pitcher? Unlikely. I don't understand how the author messed that up. I wonder if she started with a hockey team ("Sapphires and Slapshots!") and changed it last minute.
And other random things that bugged me: Mark is an interesting hero ... except his dyslexia has been done to death in romance... they want the hero to have a secret defect, but he still needs to be sexy and manly... presto! dyslexia! The sex scenes would start out hot, but quickly devolve... repeatedly, he leaves her high and dry... not sexy!
September 29, 2013
It's a sports-related (major league baseball catcher) romance with two interesting characters who have been thrown some challenging obstacles to overcome. It's a little outlandish, but a quick and fun read. I'm going to give the second book a chance as well (major league short stop). The third book in this series is due out later this fall (the pitcher's story).
November 1, 2013
Yes - I read a tacky romance novel. It was free on my Nook and I thought - why not!
It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be :-)
It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be :-)
April 8, 2013
Kitty's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
5 Stars
Ah, Spring … baseball season. Hot jocks with even hotter libido’s and Stealing Home had no shortage on either of them! Jennifer Seasons mixed a little mystery with a lot of hot baseball players and came up with a home run. What a fun time I had reading “Stealing Home”! It was a fast-paced, fun book filled with intrigue, sex, hot bodies and, my favorite, baseball.
When Lorelie Littleton pretends to seduce and then drug Mark Cutter just to steal his good luck charm for his ex-wife, life becomes a little complicated and even more frustrating. How is she ever going to get the charm to Dina and collect the $100,000 when he won’t let her out of his sight? How is she going to keep her hands off of that hot body? She needs the money and doesn’t care how she gets it or who she hurts in the process. Then she really gets to know Mark and realizes that everything that Dina said about the alcohol-chugging, drug-using, womanizer was just totally false. Now, the decision she is dreading – give Mark his lucky charm back and loose the $100,000 or give it to Dina and loose the love of her life?
Mark Cutter is tired of playing the “game” off the field. He’s tired of woman throwing themselves at him, he’s tired of going out trolling.
But, after he got burned with Dina, there is no way he is ever going to trust a woman that much again. Then he meets “Fonda Peters” and he thinks, just maybe, he could have a good time with a girl that didn’t throw herself at him, didn’t have an agenda and had a rack on her that lit up his life. Well, two out of three wasn’t bad. When he realizes that “Fonda Peters” drugged him and stole his lucky charm, he is pissed. Time to find out who she really is, get his charm back and get her out of his life. What he doesn’t plan on is her refusing to give it back. Oh well, he’ll just make her life really complicated and not allow her to leave his apartment, go to his games, meet his friends and family then maybe, she’ll realize that he’s not giving up on getting his charm back. Too bad that he started falling in love with her even though he knew there was something she wasn’t telling him, something more that she was hiding from him.
When the truth finally comes out, Mark steps up to the plate, big time, and really hits a home run. Lorelei has no choice but to return home and help take care of her niece but Mark follows and turns her life really upside down and confuses her more than she was before. When she learns of what Mark has done, she can’t help but finally face the truth that she was in love with him and wanted nothing more then to spend the rest of her life with him.
I have never read Jennifer Seasons before but I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the “Diamonds and Dugout” series. Hopefully, we’ll see more of Mark’s sister Leslie and his team-mate, John Crispin in the next book. The story was very well written. There really isn’t a lot of baseball references so if you are not into baseball but into hot jocks, you’ll enjoy the book. The writing was fresh and fast, a definite page turner and Mark was so sweet trying to win Lorelei back that you can’t help but cheer him on – both on and off the field.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
5 Stars
Ah, Spring … baseball season. Hot jocks with even hotter libido’s and Stealing Home had no shortage on either of them! Jennifer Seasons mixed a little mystery with a lot of hot baseball players and came up with a home run. What a fun time I had reading “Stealing Home”! It was a fast-paced, fun book filled with intrigue, sex, hot bodies and, my favorite, baseball.
When Lorelie Littleton pretends to seduce and then drug Mark Cutter just to steal his good luck charm for his ex-wife, life becomes a little complicated and even more frustrating. How is she ever going to get the charm to Dina and collect the $100,000 when he won’t let her out of his sight? How is she going to keep her hands off of that hot body? She needs the money and doesn’t care how she gets it or who she hurts in the process. Then she really gets to know Mark and realizes that everything that Dina said about the alcohol-chugging, drug-using, womanizer was just totally false. Now, the decision she is dreading – give Mark his lucky charm back and loose the $100,000 or give it to Dina and loose the love of her life?
Mark Cutter is tired of playing the “game” off the field. He’s tired of woman throwing themselves at him, he’s tired of going out trolling.
But, after he got burned with Dina, there is no way he is ever going to trust a woman that much again. Then he meets “Fonda Peters” and he thinks, just maybe, he could have a good time with a girl that didn’t throw herself at him, didn’t have an agenda and had a rack on her that lit up his life. Well, two out of three wasn’t bad. When he realizes that “Fonda Peters” drugged him and stole his lucky charm, he is pissed. Time to find out who she really is, get his charm back and get her out of his life. What he doesn’t plan on is her refusing to give it back. Oh well, he’ll just make her life really complicated and not allow her to leave his apartment, go to his games, meet his friends and family then maybe, she’ll realize that he’s not giving up on getting his charm back. Too bad that he started falling in love with her even though he knew there was something she wasn’t telling him, something more that she was hiding from him.
When the truth finally comes out, Mark steps up to the plate, big time, and really hits a home run. Lorelei has no choice but to return home and help take care of her niece but Mark follows and turns her life really upside down and confuses her more than she was before. When she learns of what Mark has done, she can’t help but finally face the truth that she was in love with him and wanted nothing more then to spend the rest of her life with him.
I have never read Jennifer Seasons before but I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the “Diamonds and Dugout” series. Hopefully, we’ll see more of Mark’s sister Leslie and his team-mate, John Crispin in the next book. The story was very well written. There really isn’t a lot of baseball references so if you are not into baseball but into hot jocks, you’ll enjoy the book. The writing was fresh and fast, a definite page turner and Mark was so sweet trying to win Lorelei back that you can’t help but cheer him on – both on and off the field.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
August 24, 2013
I loved this book! Very fun and witty writing. Can't wait to read more from Jennifer Seasons.
April 20, 2013
Originally posted at Reading Reality
It's April and that means baseball season is just around the corner.
When the "boys of summer" start to play, can baseball romances be far behind?
Lorelei Littleton and Mark Cutter are both trying to steal home in Jennifer Seasons' first trip at bat in her new Diamonds and Dugouts series. It's just that neither of them starts out thinking that way.
Mark Cutter is the star catcher for the Denver Rush, the fictional Major League Baseball team based in, of course, Denver. Cutter is still young, but old enough to have gotten tired of the traveling life of late nights, lots of parties, and very easy plastic bimbos. Especially since his ex-wife used to be one.
He's starting to hunger for something real, he just doesn't know it yet.
Lorelei Littleton has way too much real in her life. A lot of very real medical bills and nowhere near enough money to pay them with.
Her beloved niece needs a life-saving open heart operation, and Lorelei's brother doesn't have medical insurance to cover it. That's not all. He's still paying for his late wife's medical bills after her death, and his own surgery. There's nothing but pain and tragedy there.
Logan's done his best, but rodeo riders are bad health risks, especially with only one kidney. His life sounds like one of those sad country music songs.
Lorelei's answer is to do something dangerous, and maybe live a little. Mark Cutter's ex-wife wants someone to steal Cutter's good luck charm. She says she'll pay a cool $100,000 for it. That's enough money to pay for her niece's surgery.
What Lorelei doesn't count on is the charm of the man she's supposed to steal from...and that there is a very good reason Mark Cutter divorced the witch.
But his ex has finally done something good for him after all the pain she caused him...she sent this luscious would-be thief into his life. Lorelei is the most real woman Mark Cutter has seen since he became a star player. He'll do anything to keep her near him. She's his new good luck charm!
Escape Rating B-: The story all hinges on a series of misunderstandammits, and they are doozies! Mark's ex-Dina lies like the proverbial cheap rug to Lorelei to get her to steal from Mark. That's the one lie that makes sense. After that, the story keeps going based on Mark and Lorelei never telling each other anything resembling the truth.
It wouldn't work at all except they are so hot for each other they can't make themselves keep away, even when common sense says they should. The enemies-into-friends angle manages to work.
Both Mark and Lorelei have pretty big secrets. Lorelei hides that she's doing this in order to get money for her niece's surgery. Mark's problem is his insecurity about his dyslexia. He's hidden it all his life, and he's very afraid to trust anyone. His last experience at trusting someone ended in divorce, so he's pretty gunshy.
At the same time, everyone around them knows they are falling for each other. Her need for the money, and his need to keep his new good luck charm around give them both an excuse to stay together when logic would say otherwise.
This one is for people who like hot sports romances, especially about baseball players. It was fun and frothy, just like the mochas that Lorelei loves to drink.
It's April and that means baseball season is just around the corner.
When the "boys of summer" start to play, can baseball romances be far behind?
Lorelei Littleton and Mark Cutter are both trying to steal home in Jennifer Seasons' first trip at bat in her new Diamonds and Dugouts series. It's just that neither of them starts out thinking that way.
Mark Cutter is the star catcher for the Denver Rush, the fictional Major League Baseball team based in, of course, Denver. Cutter is still young, but old enough to have gotten tired of the traveling life of late nights, lots of parties, and very easy plastic bimbos. Especially since his ex-wife used to be one.
He's starting to hunger for something real, he just doesn't know it yet.
Lorelei Littleton has way too much real in her life. A lot of very real medical bills and nowhere near enough money to pay them with.
Her beloved niece needs a life-saving open heart operation, and Lorelei's brother doesn't have medical insurance to cover it. That's not all. He's still paying for his late wife's medical bills after her death, and his own surgery. There's nothing but pain and tragedy there.
Logan's done his best, but rodeo riders are bad health risks, especially with only one kidney. His life sounds like one of those sad country music songs.
Lorelei's answer is to do something dangerous, and maybe live a little. Mark Cutter's ex-wife wants someone to steal Cutter's good luck charm. She says she'll pay a cool $100,000 for it. That's enough money to pay for her niece's surgery.
What Lorelei doesn't count on is the charm of the man she's supposed to steal from...and that there is a very good reason Mark Cutter divorced the witch.
But his ex has finally done something good for him after all the pain she caused him...she sent this luscious would-be thief into his life. Lorelei is the most real woman Mark Cutter has seen since he became a star player. He'll do anything to keep her near him. She's his new good luck charm!
Escape Rating B-: The story all hinges on a series of misunderstandammits, and they are doozies! Mark's ex-Dina lies like the proverbial cheap rug to Lorelei to get her to steal from Mark. That's the one lie that makes sense. After that, the story keeps going based on Mark and Lorelei never telling each other anything resembling the truth.
It wouldn't work at all except they are so hot for each other they can't make themselves keep away, even when common sense says they should. The enemies-into-friends angle manages to work.
Both Mark and Lorelei have pretty big secrets. Lorelei hides that she's doing this in order to get money for her niece's surgery. Mark's problem is his insecurity about his dyslexia. He's hidden it all his life, and he's very afraid to trust anyone. His last experience at trusting someone ended in divorce, so he's pretty gunshy.
At the same time, everyone around them knows they are falling for each other. Her need for the money, and his need to keep his new good luck charm around give them both an excuse to stay together when logic would say otherwise.
This one is for people who like hot sports romances, especially about baseball players. It was fun and frothy, just like the mochas that Lorelei loves to drink.
April 13, 2013
My review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/04/10/...
I love my sports romance books so when I saw that Avon Impulse was starting a new series with a new author, I was super excited.
Lorelei is desperate for some cash to help pay for the life saving surgery her niece needs. When she is approached to steal something from baseball’s apparent bad boy, she is willing to do just about anything. But stealing Mark’s good luck charm is not going to be the easy task she originally thought, especially after Mark catches her and demands she stick by his side until it’s returned.
Mark is just a little tired of having women throw themselves at him. He thought Lorelei was different, but he was quickly proved wrong. Not willing to lose his good luck, Mark keeps Lorelei close until he can get back his charm. The more time he spends with her, the more he finds that he might have been right about her the first time.
Although this book definitely had its corny moments, I really enjoyed the story overall. My love of sports romances was sated beautifully in this book, as we got a lot of moments to see Mark play, feel his love of the game, and see the effects that his career had on his life. I adored it. I’m not usually a big baseball fan, but I was definitely a Mark fan at the end of this!
I liked that Mark was a little fed up with the way his life was portrayed in the media, that he was ready to look into settling down, but was also aware of just how difficult that task would be given his lifestyle. I could tell he wanted more, and it came across well in the story. I felt bad for him, especially as we discovered more and more about his bat-shit crazy ex. I definitely wanted Lorelei to do a little bit more groveling at the end, because I felt like Mark deserved it.
I had a little bit of a harder time connecting with Lorelei. I was able to see where she was coming from in relation to her niece, as I would do anything to save my son’s life. However, I also thought she was extremely wishy-washy with her feelings toward Mark, Mark’s ex (who hired her to steal), and the fellow ballplayers. She seemed to be in constant limbo, not really knowing who to believe, who to trust. Even after Mark showed her with actions that he wasn’t the man his ex-wife and the tabloids made him out to be, Lorelei still hemmed and hawed about trusting him.
I really enjoyed the supporting cast of characters in this story. I’m anxious to read more about the other ballplayers. I was also a big fan of Lorelei’s brother, and I hope that we get to see more about him in future stories. Maybe even get the chance to see him find love again.
All in all I thought this was a great debut book by Seasons. I loved the way baseball played such an important role in the overall story. I loved Mark and his fellow players, and can’t wait to see more of them in coming books. For me, the biggest disappointment was Lorelei and her indecisive ways.
I give Stealing Home a B-
I love my sports romance books so when I saw that Avon Impulse was starting a new series with a new author, I was super excited.
Lorelei is desperate for some cash to help pay for the life saving surgery her niece needs. When she is approached to steal something from baseball’s apparent bad boy, she is willing to do just about anything. But stealing Mark’s good luck charm is not going to be the easy task she originally thought, especially after Mark catches her and demands she stick by his side until it’s returned.
Mark is just a little tired of having women throw themselves at him. He thought Lorelei was different, but he was quickly proved wrong. Not willing to lose his good luck, Mark keeps Lorelei close until he can get back his charm. The more time he spends with her, the more he finds that he might have been right about her the first time.
Although this book definitely had its corny moments, I really enjoyed the story overall. My love of sports romances was sated beautifully in this book, as we got a lot of moments to see Mark play, feel his love of the game, and see the effects that his career had on his life. I adored it. I’m not usually a big baseball fan, but I was definitely a Mark fan at the end of this!
I liked that Mark was a little fed up with the way his life was portrayed in the media, that he was ready to look into settling down, but was also aware of just how difficult that task would be given his lifestyle. I could tell he wanted more, and it came across well in the story. I felt bad for him, especially as we discovered more and more about his bat-shit crazy ex. I definitely wanted Lorelei to do a little bit more groveling at the end, because I felt like Mark deserved it.
I had a little bit of a harder time connecting with Lorelei. I was able to see where she was coming from in relation to her niece, as I would do anything to save my son’s life. However, I also thought she was extremely wishy-washy with her feelings toward Mark, Mark’s ex (who hired her to steal), and the fellow ballplayers. She seemed to be in constant limbo, not really knowing who to believe, who to trust. Even after Mark showed her with actions that he wasn’t the man his ex-wife and the tabloids made him out to be, Lorelei still hemmed and hawed about trusting him.
I really enjoyed the supporting cast of characters in this story. I’m anxious to read more about the other ballplayers. I was also a big fan of Lorelei’s brother, and I hope that we get to see more about him in future stories. Maybe even get the chance to see him find love again.
All in all I thought this was a great debut book by Seasons. I loved the way baseball played such an important role in the overall story. I loved Mark and his fellow players, and can’t wait to see more of them in coming books. For me, the biggest disappointment was Lorelei and her indecisive ways.
I give Stealing Home a B-
July 21, 2016
Sports themed romances are one of my secret loves. I don’t keep track of teams, I don’t understand the different types of sports. I don’t even understand the appeal of watching sports for fun (just ask my boss, who sighs at me during football season)! However, I do love reading about built and hunky men who drip with sweat and testosterone. I blame Jaci Burton and the cover of The Perfect Play. Ever since then, if I come across anything sports and romance related, I gobble them down like Dove bars.
Despite her kooky and quirky actions and thoughts, Lorelei was in some ways still a traditional romance heroine. She was willing to sacrifice all for family, she secretly wanted someone to love her for herself, and she waffled back and forth between trust and despair when it comes to the hero. Despite the cover, I could have sworn this was a historical novel from the 90′s!
My problem manifested itself in the last few chapters, when moderately insane Lorelei became psychotic. Her personality did a complete turnaround, going from sensible and determined to whiny and irrational. Now I know she was upset because of her niece’s circumstances, but that is no call to go off the rail and start making unfounded accusations toward Mark, a man you claim to love.
What makes it worse–for me anyway–was Mark’s response. He feels guilty and upset that he can’t figure out how to fix the mistake he made with Lorelei. Yet there was no mistake made! And I mean it literally: Mark had done nothing. He hadn’t said anything inconsiderate or hurtful; he hadn’t even hurt her physically. If anything, he did more than you would have thought considering she had stolen from him (more than once) and lied to him repeatedly. It was never clearly explained why Mark let her get away with this behavior or if it was, I totally missed it. I finished the book–it felt stupid not to with only five or so chapters remaining–but it ended on a flat note. There were no more high points.
Stealing Home, up until the last few chapters, was not a bad read. It was funny, with a good sense of comedic timing similar to Rachel Gibson, and in no way a serious read. It was pure entertainment. The writing and pacing were on point and the story was a unique take on close contact developing into something more. I liked the small glimpses of basebell the author provided too. I never felt the sports parts came across as overwhelming or inaccurate. Of course, I am sports illiterate, so I wouldn’t have known if the author described something wrong or not. But the tidbits seemed plausible. I would definitely read another romance by this author, although I may not buy it until I read it first.
*review copy provided by publisher for honest review
Despite her kooky and quirky actions and thoughts, Lorelei was in some ways still a traditional romance heroine. She was willing to sacrifice all for family, she secretly wanted someone to love her for herself, and she waffled back and forth between trust and despair when it comes to the hero. Despite the cover, I could have sworn this was a historical novel from the 90′s!
My problem manifested itself in the last few chapters, when moderately insane Lorelei became psychotic. Her personality did a complete turnaround, going from sensible and determined to whiny and irrational. Now I know she was upset because of her niece’s circumstances, but that is no call to go off the rail and start making unfounded accusations toward Mark, a man you claim to love.
What makes it worse–for me anyway–was Mark’s response. He feels guilty and upset that he can’t figure out how to fix the mistake he made with Lorelei. Yet there was no mistake made! And I mean it literally: Mark had done nothing. He hadn’t said anything inconsiderate or hurtful; he hadn’t even hurt her physically. If anything, he did more than you would have thought considering she had stolen from him (more than once) and lied to him repeatedly. It was never clearly explained why Mark let her get away with this behavior or if it was, I totally missed it. I finished the book–it felt stupid not to with only five or so chapters remaining–but it ended on a flat note. There were no more high points.
Stealing Home, up until the last few chapters, was not a bad read. It was funny, with a good sense of comedic timing similar to Rachel Gibson, and in no way a serious read. It was pure entertainment. The writing and pacing were on point and the story was a unique take on close contact developing into something more. I liked the small glimpses of basebell the author provided too. I never felt the sports parts came across as overwhelming or inaccurate. Of course, I am sports illiterate, so I wouldn’t have known if the author described something wrong or not. But the tidbits seemed plausible. I would definitely read another romance by this author, although I may not buy it until I read it first.
*review copy provided by publisher for honest review
April 18, 2013
I really, really enjoyed this book! This was one of those books that at around 1am, there was this part that struck me so funny, I'm giggling and couldn't stop, all the while hoping I didn't wake my husband.
Lorelei Littleton will do ANYTHING to save a beloved family member. Including taking a woman's story about her scoundrel ex-husband at face value and agree to break into his home to steal one of his most prized possessions.
Only she didn't expect that the picture that was painted for her would seem so different from the reality.
But it was too late. Because she was already in too deep. And her reasons too important. She has to succeed, no matter the cost.
Mark "the wall" Cutter. Major league baseball's hottest catcher. After his divorce, he's gotten rather used to an endless stream of mindless, faceless, no strings attached women. But lately he finds he's a bit bored with his lifestyle. That's when he notices Lorelei. And gets the rug pulled out from under him.
And he is BEYOND angry.
Unfortunately, he's a bit attracted too. So he decides to take matters into his own hands.
This was just a fun, endearing, and sweet story! A little edgy, but not over the top. Steamy in parts, but not overdone. I loved the banter between Mark and Lorelei and literally fell in love with all of the characters. I'm hoping that we will see some of these characters again in later novels.
This book gets the esteemed place of honor of having THE BEST pick up line I have read to date. I laughed out loud and couldn't stop. The heart and personality of this story really reached out and pulled my right in. The unexpected depth and challenges these characters had to face only made me love them even more.
Highly recommend this story and anxiously waiting for the next in this series!
Lorelei Littleton will do ANYTHING to save a beloved family member. Including taking a woman's story about her scoundrel ex-husband at face value and agree to break into his home to steal one of his most prized possessions.
Only she didn't expect that the picture that was painted for her would seem so different from the reality.
But it was too late. Because she was already in too deep. And her reasons too important. She has to succeed, no matter the cost.
Mark "the wall" Cutter. Major league baseball's hottest catcher. After his divorce, he's gotten rather used to an endless stream of mindless, faceless, no strings attached women. But lately he finds he's a bit bored with his lifestyle. That's when he notices Lorelei. And gets the rug pulled out from under him.
And he is BEYOND angry.
Unfortunately, he's a bit attracted too. So he decides to take matters into his own hands.
This was just a fun, endearing, and sweet story! A little edgy, but not over the top. Steamy in parts, but not overdone. I loved the banter between Mark and Lorelei and literally fell in love with all of the characters. I'm hoping that we will see some of these characters again in later novels.
This book gets the esteemed place of honor of having THE BEST pick up line I have read to date. I laughed out loud and couldn't stop. The heart and personality of this story really reached out and pulled my right in. The unexpected depth and challenges these characters had to face only made me love them even more.
Highly recommend this story and anxiously waiting for the next in this series!
June 17, 2013
Great, New Baseball Series...Jennifer Season's writing reminds me of the AMAZING Rachel Gibson... Mark was friggin adorable and funny, and Lorelei was snarky and fun! What a start to a great new series!!
Full Review
I am SO glad I picked up STEALING HOME by Jennifer Seasons the other afternoon. I was in the mood for a quick, light-hearted romance and I got that and SO MUCH MORE!! As most of you know, I am a HUGE Rachel Gibson fan, and when I first started STEALING HOME, I got that same feeling that I get when reading RG, that happy anticipation of what's to come, knowing that I am going to love every minute. I got that feeling, and I have to say, I enjoyed STEALING HOME so much!
Lorelei, our heroine, was hysterical! She reminded me a lot of Annabelle from SEP's MATCH ME IF YOU CAN. She had a HUGE heart and did what needed to be done to survive, even if she had to use "Fonda" and the girls to get it done!
Mark "The Wall"...well...I think his name just says it all! He was tough, but so charming and had that Southern Gentleman Smile that would come out once in a while and make all your lady parts do a little dance. He was a guy who had been through a lot and was looking for something "real"...ya gotta respect that. He just has to jump through a whole lotta hoops to finally get his woman!
The secondary characters are adorable! Mark's sister Leslie was a little fire cracker, and I hope she gets her own book! The men of the Denver Rush were such a fraternity with their ribbing and pranks, I LOVED them all!! These bad boys really did have hearts of gold!!
I am so looking forward to PLAYING THE FIELD, book two, releasing in July!
Full Review
I am SO glad I picked up STEALING HOME by Jennifer Seasons the other afternoon. I was in the mood for a quick, light-hearted romance and I got that and SO MUCH MORE!! As most of you know, I am a HUGE Rachel Gibson fan, and when I first started STEALING HOME, I got that same feeling that I get when reading RG, that happy anticipation of what's to come, knowing that I am going to love every minute. I got that feeling, and I have to say, I enjoyed STEALING HOME so much!
Lorelei, our heroine, was hysterical! She reminded me a lot of Annabelle from SEP's MATCH ME IF YOU CAN. She had a HUGE heart and did what needed to be done to survive, even if she had to use "Fonda" and the girls to get it done!
Mark "The Wall"...well...I think his name just says it all! He was tough, but so charming and had that Southern Gentleman Smile that would come out once in a while and make all your lady parts do a little dance. He was a guy who had been through a lot and was looking for something "real"...ya gotta respect that. He just has to jump through a whole lotta hoops to finally get his woman!
The secondary characters are adorable! Mark's sister Leslie was a little fire cracker, and I hope she gets her own book! The men of the Denver Rush were such a fraternity with their ribbing and pranks, I LOVED them all!! These bad boys really did have hearts of gold!!
I am so looking forward to PLAYING THE FIELD, book two, releasing in July!
January 15, 2014
Lorelie Littleton's niece is dying from a heart defect, so she takes up the offer of major league baseball catcher Mark Cutter's ex-wife to steal his lucky charm in return for $100,000 that she plans to use for her niece's operation. Mark figures out who stole it (she picks him up in a bar, goes back to his place where she drugs him and leaves with the charm) by tracing her through his ex-wife's credit card purchases (she was staying in a hotel compliments of the ex-wife while on her "mission"). He basically kidnaps her, hoping she'll hand over the charm and they spend the next several weeks together. Of course, they fall in love, but both have major trust issues and the road to love is rocky.
I loved the references to what a rowdy sports town Philly is (Mark works for the Denver Rush and dreads going to Philly for games). The interplay between the characters is fun and the supporting characters (Mark's sister and teammates, as well as Lorelie's brother) are well drawn.
This was a freebie book and it was much better than the average freebie. I'll read more in this series by this author.
I loved the references to what a rowdy sports town Philly is (Mark works for the Denver Rush and dreads going to Philly for games). The interplay between the characters is fun and the supporting characters (Mark's sister and teammates, as well as Lorelie's brother) are well drawn.
This was a freebie book and it was much better than the average freebie. I'll read more in this series by this author.
December 10, 2018
I just recently heard about this book and was very intrigued by it. So I started reading it asap! And I was not disappointed. It was good.
It starts out with Lorelei needing money to save her niece so she makes a deal with a baseball players ex-wife to steal his good luck charm for enough money to help her niece. The plan is simple enough, but when Lorelei meets Mark, things start to get very complicated.
I did like this book, however there are several things that very much bugged me about it. It felt somewhat dumb that Lorelei wouldn't admit to why she stole the good luck charm in the first place once she got caught. That made me so mad at her, and not like her at all when I was reading those parts of the book. Otherwise I did enjoy the book. But I have to say it wasn't anything that will want to keep reading about, it was something quick and easy just to pass the time. And I really didn't have a whole lot to say about the book, so I will stop here for now. For a short read to just pass the time, it was interesting.
It starts out with Lorelei needing money to save her niece so she makes a deal with a baseball players ex-wife to steal his good luck charm for enough money to help her niece. The plan is simple enough, but when Lorelei meets Mark, things start to get very complicated.
I did like this book, however there are several things that very much bugged me about it. It felt somewhat dumb that Lorelei wouldn't admit to why she stole the good luck charm in the first place once she got caught. That made me so mad at her, and not like her at all when I was reading those parts of the book. Otherwise I did enjoy the book. But I have to say it wasn't anything that will want to keep reading about, it was something quick and easy just to pass the time. And I really didn't have a whole lot to say about the book, so I will stop here for now. For a short read to just pass the time, it was interesting.
April 17, 2015
I have to say at times I had some issues with this book. I didn't always care for the heroine. But as a whole the story wasn't too bad. I loved the hero and I understand why the heroine did what she did. I just couldn't always agree with it. I will give her book next book a try because I did enjoy some things in this one.
July 2, 2014
The writing wasn't great and it was cheesier than I anticipated even for a quick-who-cares-if-it's-good kind of read.
I was annoyed by the ridiculous back and forth contradictions more than anything. "Get on with it" frequently popped into my head as I was reading.
Just too ridiculous...
I was annoyed by the ridiculous back and forth contradictions more than anything. "Get on with it" frequently popped into my head as I was reading.
Just too ridiculous...
tbr-later
December 24, 20149/26/2013: $0.99 on Kindle
February 7, 2022
Yeah, this was pretty awful. You could sort of fall for Mark, but the female lead?!?! Just painful. Many times I told myself to just stop reading, it wasn't worth my time but felt I should read the whole thing before I could really say I gave it a chance.
First off, there were so many awful and unlikely interactions between Mark and Lorelei. One of those interactions would be enough to write someone off forever, let alone multiple ridiculous encounters.
Believe me, I get that if I'm reading this genre book, I'm in for a bit of the 'outlandish' or 'unrealistic' plot twist, but this was too much.
Seriously, how much 'trauma' can you inflict on a female character to try to win her some points....
-niece with a congenital defect that needed surgery - you got me
-sister -in law who died during childbirth - pretty upsetting
-brother had to give up bull riding to care for said child and after losing a kidney??- seriously
but let's not forget,
-her parents died in a barn fire...which her mother accidentally set...because she had untreated schizophrenia?!
I just can't with this. So ridiculous. What kind of person in their right mind would fall in love with a woman who not only stole from him but also drugged him? Oh yeah, now I remember, he is broken too, thanks to having severe dyslexia that has left him practically illiterate. I still can't stop rolling my eyes!
I love reading steamy books about sports players, but let's be honest. Lorelei belongs in jail and poor Mark has a broken picker.
First off, there were so many awful and unlikely interactions between Mark and Lorelei. One of those interactions would be enough to write someone off forever, let alone multiple ridiculous encounters.
Believe me, I get that if I'm reading this genre book, I'm in for a bit of the 'outlandish' or 'unrealistic' plot twist, but this was too much.
Seriously, how much 'trauma' can you inflict on a female character to try to win her some points....
-niece with a congenital defect that needed surgery - you got me
-sister -in law who died during childbirth - pretty upsetting
-brother had to give up bull riding to care for said child and after losing a kidney??- seriously
but let's not forget,
-her parents died in a barn fire...which her mother accidentally set...because she had untreated schizophrenia?!
I just can't with this. So ridiculous. What kind of person in their right mind would fall in love with a woman who not only stole from him but also drugged him? Oh yeah, now I remember, he is broken too, thanks to having severe dyslexia that has left him practically illiterate. I still can't stop rolling my eyes!
I love reading steamy books about sports players, but let's be honest. Lorelei belongs in jail and poor Mark has a broken picker.
June 26, 2018
Only two reasons why I finished this book even though it infuriated me much of the time: 1) Didn't want to add another DNF to my list, and 2) I love baseball and am desperately trying to find another series to continue to get my fix.
The h annoyed me. The writing annoyed me. The misogyny annoyed me. The added drama annoyed me. It was all so overdone.
The worst part was the tension build-up with no follow through. Like the time H and h are at a restaurant, sniping at each other ("You really want to know what I think?" "I dare you to tell me what you think."), when the waitress comes over with their food and the subject changes. WHAT?!?! Finish this argument! You built up to a confrontation so don't shy away from it! This happens way too many times to count.
The h and H both have secrets, but about 75% of the way through the book it's hinted that the h doesn't want to get close to the H, not because of the thing we've been reading about all this time but because of the secret secret. The one that she doesn't even talk to her brother about. Why? Why introduce something new like that, and then not follow up on it? (It's seriously never mentioned again.)
If you like baseball and romance, I recommend you stay away from this hot mess and instead check out the Balls in Play series by Kate Stewart.
The h annoyed me. The writing annoyed me. The misogyny annoyed me. The added drama annoyed me. It was all so overdone.
The worst part was the tension build-up with no follow through. Like the time H and h are at a restaurant, sniping at each other ("You really want to know what I think?" "I dare you to tell me what you think."), when the waitress comes over with their food and the subject changes. WHAT?!?! Finish this argument! You built up to a confrontation so don't shy away from it! This happens way too many times to count.
The h and H both have secrets, but about 75% of the way through the book it's hinted that the h doesn't want to get close to the H, not because of the thing we've been reading about all this time but because of the secret secret. The one that she doesn't even talk to her brother about. Why? Why introduce something new like that, and then not follow up on it? (It's seriously never mentioned again.)
If you like baseball and romance, I recommend you stay away from this hot mess and instead check out the Balls in Play series by Kate Stewart.
September 24, 2017
Ehh. This was disappointing. I was super pumped to read a baseball romance, because I love baseball, and I love catchers especially. But there were several things I disliked about this book.
First, it didn't feel like the author really understood the ins and outs of baseball at all. That was frustrating. People (generally) don't slide at first, for example. It was like she's watched a lot but never played.
Second, some of the dialogue was so unbelievable that it took me out of the story. Not even the sexy dialogue, just the dialogue in general. Not super realistic.
Finally, what's up with the obsessive gendering and possessiveness? I felt like I was reading an SJM book.
Redeemer? Mark. He was great. But Lorelei annoyed me for most of the book. Just communicate with each other, idiots!
Anyway, I enjoyed parts of this, but was disappointed on the whole.
First, it didn't feel like the author really understood the ins and outs of baseball at all. That was frustrating. People (generally) don't slide at first, for example. It was like she's watched a lot but never played.
Second, some of the dialogue was so unbelievable that it took me out of the story. Not even the sexy dialogue, just the dialogue in general. Not super realistic.
Finally, what's up with the obsessive gendering and possessiveness? I felt like I was reading an SJM book.
Redeemer? Mark. He was great. But Lorelei annoyed me for most of the book. Just communicate with each other, idiots!
Anyway, I enjoyed parts of this, but was disappointed on the whole.
January 24, 2014
Lorelei Littleton needs money and she needs it fast. Her young niece’s life is on the line, but Lorelei’s job as a writer for a magazine isn’t going to bring her the amount of money she needs. Neither will her brother’s job. So, when baseball player Mark Cutter’s ex-wife makes her an offer, Lorelei cannot refuse. All she has to do is steal Mark’s good luck necklace.
Mark Cutter has it all – lots of women, lots of money and a great career. When he meets a beautiful woman at a local bar, he’s immediately attracted to her and takes her home. The next day, he wakes up alone and his good luck necklace is gone. He intends to track down the woman and get his property back.
When Mark finds Lorelei, she refuses to give up the necklace. She insists she needs the money, but Mark isn’t letting this go. His game is suffering without his good luck charm and the team is losing. He decides to keep her prisoner in his condo until she returns the necklace. As they each wait for the other to crack under the pressure, they somehow become more attracted to each other. It doesn't take long for the sparks to fly.
I’m always looking for sports romances, especially ones that center around baseball. So, when I saw this series, I jumped at it. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. First, I absolutely loved the hero. Mark is a great character, but I had a huge problem with the heroine. She drugged and stole from the hero and acted like she had the right to do this. I know she wanted the money for a good reason, but she could simply have told Mark and I bet he would have given her the money.
Lorelei seemed to have a bad case of reverse snobbery. She resented everything Mark had and felt perfectly justified in taking it. I could understand it more if she had a history with Mark or if he did something to someone she knew, but he didn’t. She bought everything his angry ex-wife had to say – someone else she didn’t know. Again, if the ex-wife was a friend or someone, I could see Lorelei buying it. However, she didn’t know the Cutters personally. Then, she’s ticked off because Mark wouldn’t let her go until she gave him back his necklace. She was lucky he didn’t have her arrested – drugging and stealing are illegal. The necklace did not belong to her (or the ex-wife for that matter.)
Now, all is not lost for this series, though. Lorelei was the only character who I had a problem with. I loved all the others and I liked the author’s writing style. I plan to try the next book in the series. I bought all three at the same time, so the next two are already on my Kindle. I’m willing to give the rest of the series a chance because this author has a lot of potential and the next stories are about other characters in the series. I just needed the heroine in this one to be more likeable. The hero sure was.
Mark Cutter has it all – lots of women, lots of money and a great career. When he meets a beautiful woman at a local bar, he’s immediately attracted to her and takes her home. The next day, he wakes up alone and his good luck necklace is gone. He intends to track down the woman and get his property back.
When Mark finds Lorelei, she refuses to give up the necklace. She insists she needs the money, but Mark isn’t letting this go. His game is suffering without his good luck charm and the team is losing. He decides to keep her prisoner in his condo until she returns the necklace. As they each wait for the other to crack under the pressure, they somehow become more attracted to each other. It doesn't take long for the sparks to fly.
I’m always looking for sports romances, especially ones that center around baseball. So, when I saw this series, I jumped at it. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. First, I absolutely loved the hero. Mark is a great character, but I had a huge problem with the heroine. She drugged and stole from the hero and acted like she had the right to do this. I know she wanted the money for a good reason, but she could simply have told Mark and I bet he would have given her the money.
Lorelei seemed to have a bad case of reverse snobbery. She resented everything Mark had and felt perfectly justified in taking it. I could understand it more if she had a history with Mark or if he did something to someone she knew, but he didn’t. She bought everything his angry ex-wife had to say – someone else she didn’t know. Again, if the ex-wife was a friend or someone, I could see Lorelei buying it. However, she didn’t know the Cutters personally. Then, she’s ticked off because Mark wouldn’t let her go until she gave him back his necklace. She was lucky he didn’t have her arrested – drugging and stealing are illegal. The necklace did not belong to her (or the ex-wife for that matter.)
Now, all is not lost for this series, though. Lorelei was the only character who I had a problem with. I loved all the others and I liked the author’s writing style. I plan to try the next book in the series. I bought all three at the same time, so the next two are already on my Kindle. I’m willing to give the rest of the series a chance because this author has a lot of potential and the next stories are about other characters in the series. I just needed the heroine in this one to be more likeable. The hero sure was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2013
I mean really...I saw baseball player. That's just about all I needed to know that I had to read this book. Well, that and my BFF said it was great! Stealing Home was sweet, but definitely very sexy too!
Mark Cutter is absolutely divine. He's a star catcher and can have any woman he wants. Mark is charming, sweet, sexy, and a bit funny at times too. The problem is, he has a bitter ex-wife. She's out to get him. That's how he meets Lorelei. She needs some quick cash to help out her family. So, she takes a deal from Mark's ex. However, she never expected to fall for the guy. What starts out as a lie, turns into love. This couple has major chemistry. Mark and Lorelei were sexy, sexy. Looking at the cover, you may not think that this is a sexy book, but it sure did get my heart rate up!
Overall, I really liked this one. I've also read the second book in the series, which features one of Mark's teammates, JP. I really liked that one too and will be posting my review for that one soon. But, the book I really want, is Mark sister Leslie's book. I loved getting to know her in this book and can't wait to see who she ends up with. I have my fingers crossed for someone in particular, so I can't wait to see if I'm right. If you're looking for a fast, sexy read, check this one out! You can't go wrong with sexy baseball players. Am I right?!?!
Quotes:
~She was falling for the catcher with the fast hands.-Loc 2444
~Men like him didn't make love-they had sex. They didn't fall in love-they made women fall in love with them. And when they were bored or things got too real they bailed. Plain and simple.-2598
~"...The truth is, I'm crazy for you. Totally, completely, hopelessly in love with you. And I hope you can forgive me."-3996
Mark Cutter is absolutely divine. He's a star catcher and can have any woman he wants. Mark is charming, sweet, sexy, and a bit funny at times too. The problem is, he has a bitter ex-wife. She's out to get him. That's how he meets Lorelei. She needs some quick cash to help out her family. So, she takes a deal from Mark's ex. However, she never expected to fall for the guy. What starts out as a lie, turns into love. This couple has major chemistry. Mark and Lorelei were sexy, sexy. Looking at the cover, you may not think that this is a sexy book, but it sure did get my heart rate up!
Overall, I really liked this one. I've also read the second book in the series, which features one of Mark's teammates, JP. I really liked that one too and will be posting my review for that one soon. But, the book I really want, is Mark sister Leslie's book. I loved getting to know her in this book and can't wait to see who she ends up with. I have my fingers crossed for someone in particular, so I can't wait to see if I'm right. If you're looking for a fast, sexy read, check this one out! You can't go wrong with sexy baseball players. Am I right?!?!
Quotes:
~She was falling for the catcher with the fast hands.-Loc 2444
~Men like him didn't make love-they had sex. They didn't fall in love-they made women fall in love with them. And when they were bored or things got too real they bailed. Plain and simple.-2598
~"...The truth is, I'm crazy for you. Totally, completely, hopelessly in love with you. And I hope you can forgive me."-3996
November 20, 2013
Check out the full review and much more at The Brunette Librarian's Blog
Mark Cutter is one the biggest baseball players in the sport today. He has the money, he has the women, he has the fame. It isn’t until a woman he meets in a bar steals his lucky charm that he actually even begins to question that life may not be as wonderful as he thinks it is.
Enter the mysterious woman who stole said lucky charm - Lorelei. Desperate to get her niece the surgery she needs, Lorelei finds a way to get the money; by stealing hot shot Mark’s lucky charm and giving it to his evil ex-wife. It isn’t until she gets to know Mark that she realizes the robbery may not be as easy as she once thought. As she slowly falls in love with Mark, Lorelei finds herself with conflicting feelings of right and wrong and realizes things may not be as black and white as she once thought.
This book sounds kind of convoluted but it really isn't. Lorelei needs that money and even though she sounds like a bad person, you the reader love her. She’s kind of like a Robin Hood, trying to save her family. If she has to steal from the rich, so be it. Mark is kind of a dumb jock but evolved throughout the romance to become the man Lorelei needed.
The Diamonds and Dugouts Series is easily going to become a favorite of many romance readers. Filled with laugh out loud moments and solid characters, you find yourself drawn into the story and emotionally connected to the characters. A great read for a summer afternoon, be sure to checkout the sequel, "Playing the Field" with the same great characters and amazing chemistry!
Mark Cutter is one the biggest baseball players in the sport today. He has the money, he has the women, he has the fame. It isn’t until a woman he meets in a bar steals his lucky charm that he actually even begins to question that life may not be as wonderful as he thinks it is.
Enter the mysterious woman who stole said lucky charm - Lorelei. Desperate to get her niece the surgery she needs, Lorelei finds a way to get the money; by stealing hot shot Mark’s lucky charm and giving it to his evil ex-wife. It isn’t until she gets to know Mark that she realizes the robbery may not be as easy as she once thought. As she slowly falls in love with Mark, Lorelei finds herself with conflicting feelings of right and wrong and realizes things may not be as black and white as she once thought.
This book sounds kind of convoluted but it really isn't. Lorelei needs that money and even though she sounds like a bad person, you the reader love her. She’s kind of like a Robin Hood, trying to save her family. If she has to steal from the rich, so be it. Mark is kind of a dumb jock but evolved throughout the romance to become the man Lorelei needed.
The Diamonds and Dugouts Series is easily going to become a favorite of many romance readers. Filled with laugh out loud moments and solid characters, you find yourself drawn into the story and emotionally connected to the characters. A great read for a summer afternoon, be sure to checkout the sequel, "Playing the Field" with the same great characters and amazing chemistry!
March 22, 2015
Maybe 3.25. It's almost Opening Day and I'm in for some baseball reading!
Lorelei was too much of a flip-flop for me. Ok, I get that she's desperate, but come on! The scheme she's come up with to get Mark Cutter's, catcher for the Denver Rush, lucky charm/necklace is going too far. And then she's going to trust a batshit crazy ex-wife to come through with the money?!?! Yeah, right. So, that's how Lorelei and Mark meet, a heist gone bad. Well, not really bad, Lorelei does get the necklace, she's just not quite sure she should go through with the entire plan. Good thing, too.
Mark tracks her down, guess she didn't cover her tracks as well as she thought, and holds her prisoner until she gives the necklace back. One thing leads to another and she may or may not be a "prisoner" for entirely different reasons. In any case, she's a well cared for "prisoner" who soon learns that all is not as it appears. However, she still isn't any further in getting the money she desperately needs. I took issues with her "it's not fair that you have more than me and therefore you don't really need what you have as much as I do" attitude. She's not really jealous of Mark's wealth because he has it, it's just that she needs more than what she has. She realizes her thought process is illogical, but she can't seem to stop herself using it to justify her actions. I'll give her points for realizing she's being illogical.
There's way more to Mark Cutter than you'd expect and as each layer from his past unfolds you find yourself cheering for him more and more. I think that under different circumstances Lorelei would be perfect for him. He figures the same and goes about trying to change those circumstances. Will he eventually succeed before everything blows up?
Lorelei was too much of a flip-flop for me. Ok, I get that she's desperate, but come on! The scheme she's come up with to get Mark Cutter's, catcher for the Denver Rush, lucky charm/necklace is going too far. And then she's going to trust a batshit crazy ex-wife to come through with the money?!?! Yeah, right. So, that's how Lorelei and Mark meet, a heist gone bad. Well, not really bad, Lorelei does get the necklace, she's just not quite sure she should go through with the entire plan. Good thing, too.
Mark tracks her down, guess she didn't cover her tracks as well as she thought, and holds her prisoner until she gives the necklace back. One thing leads to another and she may or may not be a "prisoner" for entirely different reasons. In any case, she's a well cared for "prisoner" who soon learns that all is not as it appears. However, she still isn't any further in getting the money she desperately needs. I took issues with her "it's not fair that you have more than me and therefore you don't really need what you have as much as I do" attitude. She's not really jealous of Mark's wealth because he has it, it's just that she needs more than what she has. She realizes her thought process is illogical, but she can't seem to stop herself using it to justify her actions. I'll give her points for realizing she's being illogical.
There's way more to Mark Cutter than you'd expect and as each layer from his past unfolds you find yourself cheering for him more and more. I think that under different circumstances Lorelei would be perfect for him. He figures the same and goes about trying to change those circumstances. Will he eventually succeed before everything blows up?
February 25, 2014
I'm torn on this book. It's pretty good but it could be so much better.
I think the beginning was amazing. It drew me in, it made me want more, it made me excited, it was awesome. The beginning was very well-written, too. The dialogue was perfect there, and the narrative was so good.
But I feel like Jennifer Seasons stopped caring somewhere in the middle this book. I felt like she was slacking a little in her writing until it just got pretty unbearable. The dialogue definitely got worse the farther in I got. And the narrative was just sloppy.
I liked Lorelei in the beginning. I did not like her later on. Especially when she so readily retracted her statement of love for Mark when her niece was in the hospital. That was a bit on the emotionally abusive side.
I don't understand why Mark didn't just tell her he had set up that fund for Michelle. That made no sense. And making his dyslexia so dramatic irritated me. Not the whole "he had it so bad couldn't read" thing but the secretiveness behind it and his ex-wife being a super bitch about it. That was just unnecessary.
And his sister's use of "y'all" to refer to a single person? What the hell was that? I'm from Southern Louisiana and "y'all" is used to refer to more than one person. I've never heard it used to talk to one person. Ugh, made me want to slap her.
If the beginning wasn't so great, I would have given this a much lower rating. Everything about the beginning was just so fantastic; it makes up for the rest of the book, for sure.
I think the beginning was amazing. It drew me in, it made me want more, it made me excited, it was awesome. The beginning was very well-written, too. The dialogue was perfect there, and the narrative was so good.
But I feel like Jennifer Seasons stopped caring somewhere in the middle this book. I felt like she was slacking a little in her writing until it just got pretty unbearable. The dialogue definitely got worse the farther in I got. And the narrative was just sloppy.
I liked Lorelei in the beginning. I did not like her later on. Especially when she so readily retracted her statement of love for Mark when her niece was in the hospital. That was a bit on the emotionally abusive side.
I don't understand why Mark didn't just tell her he had set up that fund for Michelle. That made no sense. And making his dyslexia so dramatic irritated me. Not the whole "he had it so bad couldn't read" thing but the secretiveness behind it and his ex-wife being a super bitch about it. That was just unnecessary.
And his sister's use of "y'all" to refer to a single person? What the hell was that? I'm from Southern Louisiana and "y'all" is used to refer to more than one person. I've never heard it used to talk to one person. Ugh, made me want to slap her.
If the beginning wasn't so great, I would have given this a much lower rating. Everything about the beginning was just so fantastic; it makes up for the rest of the book, for sure.
September 29, 2013
New Author for me. great potential. strong h/h. great romance. hero-strong sexy all around good guy. female-strong smart, loyal to family. i loved the interaction between them. very steamy sex.
Story starts with Lorelie deciding to case a baseball player. one she thinks is a womanizing rich playboy baseball player. She needs to steal his lucky charm and sell it to his ex wife. She needs the money for an operation for her dying neice. Then the antics ensue. She turns out to be his lucky charm and he holds her hostage and makes her go to games until she returns his charm. It developes into a wonderful sweet romance with lots of hot sex. There were some minor discrepancies like how he locked her in his condo whick lock from the outside.
About three quarters of the way in, the charm is no longer an issue between them. The reasons become more emotional and based on their back history. The scenes on their own were good. written well. some nice awww moments. but the story arc felt stilted. The reasons they kept themselves from falling in love, i just could understand! It didnt work for me. And then the end was very out there! Like where did That come from!
I still loved the hero but the choppy plot at the end made it three stars instead of four. I am still interested in reading more from this author. Great potential.
Story starts with Lorelie deciding to case a baseball player. one she thinks is a womanizing rich playboy baseball player. She needs to steal his lucky charm and sell it to his ex wife. She needs the money for an operation for her dying neice. Then the antics ensue. She turns out to be his lucky charm and he holds her hostage and makes her go to games until she returns his charm. It developes into a wonderful sweet romance with lots of hot sex. There were some minor discrepancies like how he locked her in his condo whick lock from the outside.
About three quarters of the way in, the charm is no longer an issue between them. The reasons become more emotional and based on their back history. The scenes on their own were good. written well. some nice awww moments. but the story arc felt stilted. The reasons they kept themselves from falling in love, i just could understand! It didnt work for me. And then the end was very out there! Like where did That come from!
I still loved the hero but the choppy plot at the end made it three stars instead of four. I am still interested in reading more from this author. Great potential.
July 13, 2013
This was an interesting premise for a romance. Lorelei steals his lucky charm on for his ex-wife's revenge and for cash for her family (much needed) and Mark tracks her down and blackmails her into staying with him until she gives the charm back. Hijinks ensue.
I liked the premise and the book. However, it must be said that a LOT of the angst could have been solved with a simple conversation and an explanation of motivations, primarily on Lorelei's behalf. I actually checked if this book was a mid-series book as some of the reasons given for Lorelei not sharing information felt like they had a back story, but you never get given it and as such it makes a little less sense as to why she doesn't just explain.
I liked Mark, more so than Lorelei. I thought he was a good guy. (Interesting for me, his main issue / secret has cropped up in the hero's of a few books I've read recently - I'm wondering if it's a trend.)
I did check out the next book but for me it felt like the wrong character to do next. I wanted either Drake or Peter as they seem more established and interesting as opposed to the rookie. But I'll likely grab the sample at some point to try.
I liked the premise and the book. However, it must be said that a LOT of the angst could have been solved with a simple conversation and an explanation of motivations, primarily on Lorelei's behalf. I actually checked if this book was a mid-series book as some of the reasons given for Lorelei not sharing information felt like they had a back story, but you never get given it and as such it makes a little less sense as to why she doesn't just explain.
I liked Mark, more so than Lorelei. I thought he was a good guy. (Interesting for me, his main issue / secret has cropped up in the hero's of a few books I've read recently - I'm wondering if it's a trend.)
I did check out the next book but for me it felt like the wrong character to do next. I wanted either Drake or Peter as they seem more established and interesting as opposed to the rookie. But I'll likely grab the sample at some point to try.
September 24, 2014
Livro chatíssimo!!!
A narrativa inteira é arrastada pela péssima premissa do livro: a mocinha precisa desesperadamente de dinheiro para poder ajudar a salvar a vida de sua sobrinha e, para isso, ela aceita roubar o colar da sorte de Mark, um jogador de baseball.
Se ela conseguir o colar, a ex esposa de Mark lhe pagaria 100.000, o suficiente para a cirurgia de Michelle, a sobrinha.
Para conseguir o colar, Lorelei, a mocinha, seduz Mark num bar e ele acaba a levando para sua casa. Lá, Lorelei o droga e consegue roubar o colar.
Mark, ao perceber que seu colar da sorte foi roubado fica desesperado e consegue achar Lorelei, e ao achá-la, ele a ameaça: ou ele irá levá-la a polícia por ter o roubado e drogado, ou ela vai para a casa dele e fica sob sua vigilância até que ela devolva o colar.
Lorelei não está disposta a devolver o colar, pois ela precisa do dinheiro, mas ela também não quer parar na cadeia, assim, ela vai para a casa de Mark.
E o final todo mundo já sabe, eles se apaixonam e blábláblá.
Não recomendo não, me deu mais dor de cabeça do que prazer. Parecia uma novela mexicana do pior tipo.
A narrativa inteira é arrastada pela péssima premissa do livro: a mocinha precisa desesperadamente de dinheiro para poder ajudar a salvar a vida de sua sobrinha e, para isso, ela aceita roubar o colar da sorte de Mark, um jogador de baseball.
Se ela conseguir o colar, a ex esposa de Mark lhe pagaria 100.000, o suficiente para a cirurgia de Michelle, a sobrinha.
Para conseguir o colar, Lorelei, a mocinha, seduz Mark num bar e ele acaba a levando para sua casa. Lá, Lorelei o droga e consegue roubar o colar.
Mark, ao perceber que seu colar da sorte foi roubado fica desesperado e consegue achar Lorelei, e ao achá-la, ele a ameaça: ou ele irá levá-la a polícia por ter o roubado e drogado, ou ela vai para a casa dele e fica sob sua vigilância até que ela devolva o colar.
Lorelei não está disposta a devolver o colar, pois ela precisa do dinheiro, mas ela também não quer parar na cadeia, assim, ela vai para a casa de Mark.
E o final todo mundo já sabe, eles se apaixonam e blábláblá.
Não recomendo não, me deu mais dor de cabeça do que prazer. Parecia uma novela mexicana do pior tipo.
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