The Cleat Retreat

Beauty and the Cleats #0.5

by Kris Butler

The only thing worse than almost dying as a child… surviving.
Now, hear me out. I was very much happy to be alive. It was the constant need to feel grateful for something I had no control over… that grated on me.

I’d become so passive in my own life that when my boyfriend proposed, I couldn’t remember what I liked about him outside of his dimple. I mean, it was cute. But enough to marry someone? Nah.

I hadn’t meant to be a runaway bride, but here I was, all dressed in white and escaping the baseball diamond like my life depended on it. Just a good old cleat retreat.

Landing in my brother’s best friend’s car was a nice surprise. Spending the next twenty-four hours with him…even better. Maybe I could convince him to rid me of my pesky virginity once and for all.

Besides, I knew the score, and he never played for keeps. He was the one who’d coined the term cleat retreat in the first place. A virginal bride and a grumpy, tatted baseball player sharing one bed. What could possibly go wrong?

Photography Credit: Emma Jane Photography
Model Credit: Kaylee Garber

Join the players of the Blue Devils and the Yellowjackets as they play the game of love and baseball. This is an interconnected standalone series, meaning the books can be read in any order. These books will consist of why choose, menage, and MM. Please check the foreward of each book for list of triggers and content.

The Cleat Blake’s prequel (Best read before Pitch Slap)
The Pitch Blake’s story (Why choose)
No Balking Bryce’s story (Menage)
Whiff it Real Ledger’s story (MM)

Genres: Sports, Contemporary, Sports Romance, Romance, M F Romance, Novella, Baseball

120 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2023

About the author

Kris Butler writes under a pen name to have some separation from her everyday life. Writing has become her second love, providing a safe place to normalize mental health through her characters. Kris enjoys writing emotional books with flawed characters, sassy heroines, and all the book boyfriends she loves to drool over. You can find her at home most nights reading with her husband and furbaby, trying to maintain her nerdy sock collection, or playing tabletop games with her friends. Kris loves to talk with readers about her books, even if it’s just them yelling at her for that cliffhanger. If you enjoyed her book, please consider leaving a review. You can find her in her reader group or on social media.

Follow Kris's journey as an author on Instagram (@authorkrisbutler) and Facebook, and join her reader group (Kris Butler's Misfit Penguins) for exclusive content.

If you enjoyed her book, please consider leaving a review.

Reviews

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[claire dovey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good little taster for a bigger story! I am so invested in Blake and Hawke and I cannot wait to see where their story goes.

I received an ARC of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Krys DeCantillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I’m just going to put it out there that this is a tasting not the full enchilada. It was so good that it’s making me want more. I am now a fully invested addict to both Blake and Hawk. I’m not spoiling nothing just know you need to get a big ole bowl of popcorn and watch the drama unfold in this prequel.

[Hollie Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! It is so filled with self discovery, healing, some spicy scenes... it just made me feel good all around!! At first I was sad for Blake, then over the moon happy, then completely devastated, and then gleefully happy!!!
Blake is an amazing woman and I can't wait to read all about her and the guys she's ran into and gonna be with....

[RainChaser · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s so refreshing to have a new series centered around baseball! Cleat Retreat is a fun, sexy teaser for what’s in store for our FMC Blake and will definitely leave you wanting more! If Hawk is anything to go by her men are going to be fire!

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The prequel for Kris Butler's brand new series, 'The Beauty and the Cleats' is a brilliantly written story that's easy to read. I loved meeting Blake and can't wait for her story to continue

[MK · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was NOT ready for this book to be over! I was left wanting more more more! I love Blake’s character so much! She is so relatable in that she wants to make those around her happy and has been willing to give up her wants to do it. She is relatable to anyone who has been searching within themselves for who they are. Enters Hawk, her brothers best friend. 😏 the spice was spicin in this book. It was perfect for the introduction of these characters. Cleat Retreat was an appetizer to Blake’s story and I can not wait to see what happens next!

[Alicia Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Characters personalities were good and chemistry was awesome and hot!

[Steffi De Ceuster ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand why it's a freebie..
When I started it I didn't feel like finishing it, but when I saw it was only 9 or 10 chapters I pulled through.

What annoyed me was how she went along with everything and then left a good guy at the altar.
And then the mud throwing started, like if you had a relationship for 5 years and suddenly you get an epiphany. Everyone said something bad about him, but actually just to justify her actions..
If he was truly a bad guy I would have accepted it all a bit better.

Then suddenly it's all love and rainbows until Bryce mentioned how hurt he would be if they where actually a couple. Like for real? If you see your Best Friend and your sister happy what more do you want?
You never ever have to choose, because their friendship is different then relationship.

Also she is hurt that Hawk moved on, when she moved on before him.. For real?? I get so irritated with that.

What I was curious about was when Hawk will see Blake's new tattoo, but I'm not buying the next one to now it.

[The_Book_Brat · Rating 5 out of 5]

*MF(will be RH)
*Contemporary
*Multi-PoV
*baseball setting
*virgin FMC
*runaway bride
*onebed
*brothers best friend
*fast burn 🔥
Smutty short
Oooo there’s so many good tropes packed into this prequel 😁
I like the intricate back story you get for BB our FMC and honestly she’s so relatable in finding herself just going through the motions and trying to please everybody else! 😬
Escaping her wedding and current lifestyle Blake ends up in the arms of her brothers best friend Hawke….and wow does every girl needs a brothers best friend like him 😍😍 he knows he shouldn’t but he can’t help himself in showing her what it’s all about 🔥🌶️🔥 yet reality comes a knocking in the morning and all the feelings they finally realised becomes shattered 😩 sooo many emotions in just ten chapters!
I do like how this becomes a journey of self discovery for Blake though and I cannot wait to see how that goes in the next book after learning of her plans at the end of this 😆

[AnnaRobyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Swoon 🫦🫦🫦
LMAO 🤣🤣
Banter 😉😉😉

Sports Romance / Brothers Best Friend / Virgin Bride / HEA

This is the prequel to the Beauty and the Cleats Series. Blake has been coddled all her life due to an illness. Her brother donated bone marrow to save her life for which she is most grateful but feels emotionally trapped. Their family is heavily into the baseball world, brother is a player, dad is a coach. Her boyfriend of several years makes a grand proposal gesture at a stadium and she’s frozen, upset at being the center of attention. She squeaks out yes to the proposal but her heart is saying no. On the wedding day she decides that she can’t go through with it and her brother calls his best friend Hawk to hide Blake away while he does damage control. Blake got her first kiss from Hawk years ago and she’s always had a soft spot for him. Hawk also felt something for Blake but he would never break the Bro-Code and go after his best friend’s little sister. Hawk has a brilliant idea to hide her in plain site, at the hotel where all the guests are staying. She begs him to take her v-card and they have a wild night together. The next morning her brother finds them in bed together … you’ll have to read the book for the rest. It’s a fun story and I’m off to download the next book.

[Samantha Hickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait for more!!

The Cleat Retreat is a prequel novella to the Beauty and the Cleats. Blake's story will be a why choose in Pitch Slap.

I love everything Kris Butler writes so much!!!

This novella has me so excited for what comes next! Blake has been thru so much and is such a people pleaser and never does anything for herself. Until she is about to get married and realizes she can't do it so her brother helps her get away and his best friend Hawk helps her. Blake has crushed on Hawk for so long and being stuck with him in a hotel room isn't easy and things get heated. But, when her brother busts in, things go down the drain so fast.

My emotions were all over with this, I swear!!! And I can already tell I'm gonna love Hawk and I'm hoping those guys from the airport are the ones that will be in her harem 😉

Like always, Kris has me hooked and I can't wait for more!!

[Deb Barringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cleat Retreat, by Kris Butler, is a charming and entertaining prequel to Pitch Slap--the first standalone in her new Beauty and the Cleats collection. Although not lengthy, it is filled to the brim with action, adventure, self discovery, hot sex and forbidden romance. The storyline is fast-paced and very well written. The characters are well developed and engaging. Hawk is amazing, and I can't wait to read more about this guy. We see Blake start to break out of her shell, and I have a feeling that this is only the beginning for her. Overall, The Cleat Retreat is a fantastic introduction to what I suspect will be a phenomenal series!

[Laurenloveslit81 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this was such a tease! It was a quick read to introduce us to her new Beauty and The Cleats series and this got me so excited to read it. This book will be RH, but this novella just focuses on Blake and Hawk.

I’m a sucker for a brother’s best friend story so I was loving the dynamic between these two. The night they spent together was so hot and I can’t wait to see more of them in action! (We also got a quick little peak at the rest of her guys to amp up the excitement!)

I’m not usually a baseball romance reader but I’m such a fan of Kris Butler’s that I knew I was going to love it and I wasn’t wrong! I can’t wait for the full story!

[megreadsalot23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚾️The Cleat Retreat ⚾️
Prequel novella for The Beauty and the Cleats @authorkrisbutler new series

NOW AVAILABLE ON KU

TROPES:
- virgin FMC - first time
- Runaway bride
- brother’s best friend
- only one bed

*check sensitive topics within the first few pages of the book*

I don’t know if I have ever read a novella that read like a full novel and wasn’t rushed (even when the events going on were a whirlwind). I loved Blake and Hawk’s chemistry… like i doodled Blake and Hawk’s name with little hearts around them. I can’t wait for the rest of their story.

NEXT BOOK ON DECK: The Pitch Slap, which is Blake’s story. It will be a Why Choose Baseball Romance.

[Jillian Locke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this prequel to the Beauty and the Cleats standalone's. This gave us great insight into Blake and her past. It was great getting to see her grow up into the person she was always meant to be and breaking out of her comfort. I cannot wait for the first book to see how things come back together and what happens with her career! The emotions were strong in this novella, that you felt like you were going through everything yourself too. But I definitely need me some more Hawk! IYKYK yum!! Highly recommend this prequel to what is going to be an amazing series of standalone's.

[Michelle Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Kris Butler’s Prequel Novella to her new Beauty and the Cleats series! I appreciate receiving this as an ARC! We are introduced to FMC Blake, I love that you get a lot of her backstory. Then there is Hawk, the brother’s best friend!
This Novella is such a delicious tease into what’s to come! There is healing, self discovery, some spice 🌶️!
I have so many hopes and dreams for the books to come! If work did not get in my way, this would have been a one day read! Kris Butler you have done it again!

[Layla - Talk To Me About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think Kris should write novellas. They're just too damn good, and I need the rest of this series ASAP!

This is a story of Blake, how she learnt to find her voice and go after what she wants and needs in life.

I loved the introduction to Hawk, and I'm also looking forward to learning about the others in the next book.

(I received an ARC copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review)

[Amanda J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had me in the dugout, out in the right field, and hitting a home a run with my emotions! I was unprepared for how much I would love this story, and these characters, Blake and Hawk, were amazing. Not to mention her brother, like come on, we all need a family member like that. Even though this story was a quick read, it packed a punch. And, it will leave you wanting more. I am definitely feeling that need right now, I highly recommend this read!

[Miranda May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE Blake!!! We meet her as her world is closing in around her, and she decides that it’s time to start living for her. Her encounter with Hawk is delicious, and the drama that follows is divine. Chef’s kiss, really. This prequel is a good setup for the world that Kris is diving into, and I’m here for it. I’m really looking forward to seeing how things work out for Blake and the men that will become her harem. This was just enough of a tease to have me dying for the next book!!

[Chaotic Nexus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start

I actually love the main character in this. She feels guilty for being so sick (not sure what her condition is), but she feels like she owes the people who took care of her. I understand the guilt because I live with something similar. I think it's important for her to strike out on her own and stop being an extra in her own life instead of the main character. Looking forward to more

[Livinintechnicolor (Alpha Addict) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prequel Home Run!!
I gobbled up this prequel. I fell in love with all the characters and I’m so excited to see them through the series Ms Butler has planned. Blake and Bryce have the most endearing sibling relationship!! And Hawk just stole my heart. What a great intro. I’m already anxiously waiting for the next book!!

5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this little novella! Absolutely cannot wait for the following books! Bee's journey of self discovery and growth was refreshing to read. Her brother is a complete sweetheart and I loved the interaction at the tattooist 🤣
I also want to know what the blue book is she and the mystery man reached for at the airport?
P.s hawk better be in the following book. He's stolen my heart 😍

[Dian Kinsman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a short prequel to her new series A Beauty and her Cleats. It starts 3 years before the first full book in the series and features baseball princess Blake. Here you get to know Blake, her history with her family, Hawk, and baseball. It's an excellent tease into the story and leaves you craving more.

[Valarie Gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Good!!!!

I really enjoyed reading Cleat Retreat! This book gave me all the feels! I seriously couldn't stop reading til the very last page

Reasons I enjoyed this book:

Action-packed

Entertaining

Great world building

Original

Page-turner

Steamy

Tear-jerker

Unpredictable

Wonderful characters

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic for a teaser. This sets up the story in such a way you really get the style of the tale told but only glimpes and I can't wait for the full book. The fact the characters wanted each other for so long makes my heart ache. I don't know what that's like but it is described really well I think. Love it!

[Booksfordays40 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This prequel novella introduces us to Blake and Hawk and gives us a hook into the series. Its a tease. I can’t wait to see how their story plays out. I know there will be more added to the relationship in the next book, and I can’t wait. The prequel gives us the background we want and sets us up to crave the rest of the story!

[Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book! I normally don't like short stories or novellas. But I had no issues with this one. I'm not sure if it technically qualifies as a novella. I was ready to jump into book 1 only to discover it doesn't release until next year.

I loved both main characters and especially liked the self-discovery Blake goes on. I can't wait to see how their story is resolved.

[ChristiLovesBooks_smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cleat Retreat was so good!

The Cleat Retreat, book 0.5 of the series Beuaty & The Cleats, by Kris Butler @authorkrisbutler. Kris is an absolute favorite author of mine.

I thoroughly enjoyed this prequel about Blake growing up! And her one-night stand with Hawk! 🥵 Tropes: MF, Baseball & Contemporary. No HEA.

[Sandy Demuynck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very happy and curious about Kris Butler writing a baseball series.

Cleat Retreat is a fun teaser for the series where we meet Blake and see how her story continues.

With spice and so many emotions.

This book is the perfect introduction of the characters.