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Hale Series #1
The Plan
She had one no boyfriends til she was 25. But he had a plan, one that could change everything.
Vidia’s plan was simple but after meeting the captain of the baseball team, Sire Griffin, she realizes it’s going to be harder than she thought to keep her no boyfriend rule in place. When she finally breaks this rule due to one persistent man, all comes tumbling down. Hearts are broken. Backs are stabbed. The trust is gone.
Fast forward to the present, four years later, Sire gets injured before the season and his physical therapist is the woman he hates. They’re both holding grudges from the past. The mere presence of the other boils their blood.
When the two of them find out what really happened four years ago, will they be able to rekindle the old flame or will it all come crashing down again?
Vidia’s plan was simple but after meeting the captain of the baseball team, Sire Griffin, she realizes it’s going to be harder than she thought to keep her no boyfriend rule in place. When she finally breaks this rule due to one persistent man, all comes tumbling down. Hearts are broken. Backs are stabbed. The trust is gone.
Fast forward to the present, four years later, Sire gets injured before the season and his physical therapist is the woman he hates. They’re both holding grudges from the past. The mere presence of the other boils their blood.
When the two of them find out what really happened four years ago, will they be able to rekindle the old flame or will it all come crashing down again?
563 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2024
169 people are currently reading
1833 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
September 2, 2025
4.5/5
- Howwwww does this book have so few reviews?! LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!!! Even though it’s a thicker book, it was sooo easy to read and I loved it! The found family in this book made me so excited to read the other books in the series.
- This book is definitely giving wattpad vibes in the best way. There wasn’t one minute of this book that was boring because everythingggg happened! Don’t let the cutesy cover fool you! These characters go through it.
- If you’re looking for great banter with a second chance enemies to lovers vibe that’s super easy to read, pick this one up!
- Howwwww does this book have so few reviews?! LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!!! Even though it’s a thicker book, it was sooo easy to read and I loved it! The found family in this book made me so excited to read the other books in the series.
- This book is definitely giving wattpad vibes in the best way. There wasn’t one minute of this book that was boring because everythingggg happened! Don’t let the cutesy cover fool you! These characters go through it.
- If you’re looking for great banter with a second chance enemies to lovers vibe that’s super easy to read, pick this one up!
dnf
October 23, 2025Harry Potter references in 2024? 🍅🍅
July 10, 2024
Once Janiah told me I could be an ARC reader I screamed and got so excited. As I know she put SO much effort into this book and that it was just going to be amazing.
You may think this book could be long but it is worth every single page. This book will keep you at the edge of your seat trying to figure out what happened to them and just needing to figure it out.
I just couldn’t believe it, how amazing this book was. I just can’t put it into words, and I know being an ARC reader I gotta do a good review so I am going to try without spoiling anything😭
This book is a dual pov but it mainly follows sire throughout the book (don’t worry vidia will still show up with her povs🤭). Janiah will literally take you through all of your emotions and wanting to read it to know the entire story and the truth. You’ll also want to know “the plan” in the end😉
This book will ALWAYS stick with me and I can not explain how excited I am for all the other books she gets to write in the future because I know for a fact after this book, I will be reading every single thing she writes.
You may think this book could be long but it is worth every single page. This book will keep you at the edge of your seat trying to figure out what happened to them and just needing to figure it out.
I just couldn’t believe it, how amazing this book was. I just can’t put it into words, and I know being an ARC reader I gotta do a good review so I am going to try without spoiling anything😭
This book is a dual pov but it mainly follows sire throughout the book (don’t worry vidia will still show up with her povs🤭). Janiah will literally take you through all of your emotions and wanting to read it to know the entire story and the truth. You’ll also want to know “the plan” in the end😉
This book will ALWAYS stick with me and I can not explain how excited I am for all the other books she gets to write in the future because I know for a fact after this book, I will be reading every single thing she writes.
April 9, 2025
⚠️SPOILERS⚠️
“You bring me peace.”
If you’re looking for a new author, and want to read a second chance sports romance filled with every emotion possible, this is for you.
“You remembered?”
“A promise is a promise…”
Sports physical therapist, and a stickler for the rules, Vidia Gomez is the gorgeous Afro-Latina who not only captured pretty boy, Sire Griffin’s heart, but he caught hers as well, despite her not wanting to date for another few years.
“I’m hopelessly fucking in love with you.”
A pitcher for the LA Dodgers, and a recovering addict, Sire Griffin is nothing shy of persistent and lovable, who would do anything to keep his family happy, even if it sacrifices his own.
“From our first…
to my favorite…
to the only one I broke…”
From the moment Sire first laid eyes on Vidia, he knew he wanted her. He didn’t care about anything else, or the fact that she was the daughter of an MLB coach; he just wanted… her. Vidia being someone who didn’t want to break her ‘before 25’ rule, is consumed by the stubborn baseball player, and eventually gives into what she wants… him. Sire pays attention to every little detail about Vidia, and Vidia helps him throughout his recovery journey, being the person who he can lean on and be there for him physically and emotionally. The two of them are there for each other through all their moments, the best and the worst, and their chemistry is like none other.
“I wish we didn’t waste those four years hating each other.”
“I never hated you, I could never hate you, my love.”
Sire is a recovering addict. There will be times when he either is struggling to fight the urge to relapse, or will actually give in and relapse. Vidia is perfectly aware of this, and is one of his biggest supporters through it all. There’s also one problem. Vidia recently learned that Sire’s love towards her was just a façade. A plan, if you will. The other problem? That’s only what she thinks. Things between the two go downhill when another baseball player tells Vidia that they all came up with a plan that involved getting with Vidia to get drafted into the baseball team in which her mother coached. What she didn’t know? Sire wanted to be with her long before then, and didn’t care about whatever ‘plan’ anybody came up with. Now, 4 years later, when they’re stuck together, with Vidia being his physical therapist, Sire has to do everything in his power to prove to Vidia that everything between them, 4 years ago, has been nothing but real and legit.
“I’d do anything she asks, with a smile.”
——
I expected this book to be good. Not because I’m friends with the author (I had interest in this before we became friends); however, I did not expect this book to consume me. This book ate me alive. I laughed. I cried. I giggled. I screamed. Everything. As a debut book, this was phenomenal, and I just know the writing is going to get even better from here. CHECK TRIGGERS before reading, but honestly, I feel like if you give this book a chance, you won’t be disappointed.
Sire Griffin, a pitcher for the LA Dodgers, is nothing but a gentleman. Though he has his struggles with his addiction, he’s still a person anyone would be safe and have fun around. I loved how I not only felt as though I knew Sire personally in the present, but I could also deeply empathize with him from the past. His growth and development is definitely one of my favorites, and I love how genuine he is when it comes to his family and close friends. One thing about Sire is that he protects those he loves and will always put their feelings above his own. Even if he’s not his best, he’ll make sure everyone he cares about is taken care of. Especially when it comes to a certain curly-headed sports physical therapist.
Vidia Gomez, the sports physical therapist for Sire Griffin’s baseball team, has never expected that she would break her ‘before 25’ rule, let alone with the one person she’d never expect to fall for. Not only falling for him, but also being hurt by him, without knowing the full story. She’s always put others’ feelings above her own, just like Sire; however, when things fall apart, you know what they say: hurt people hurt other people. The way we were able to read about Vidia and Sire’s love story just proves that when you truly love and care for someone, those feelings NEVER go away, even when you wish nothing more for them to fade.
——
some quotes i think of all the time:
“I’m one hundred and ten percent sure if she could choose to never have you and also not having to go through that with him, she’d choose to have him put her through hell all over again.”
“It’s me and you till the wheels fall off…”
“And even when they fall, we’re pushing that shit across the finish line.”
“I struggle to breathe without her. I actually couldn’t breathe without you. You saved me, August.”
“You’re still the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen, and I’m still in love with you. Always have been.”
“If the thing I love is baseball, then yeah, it was worth it. If it was her on the line, then absolutely not. I would’ve let him kick my ass and not swing back once.”
*i voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
“You bring me peace.”
If you’re looking for a new author, and want to read a second chance sports romance filled with every emotion possible, this is for you.
“You remembered?”
“A promise is a promise…”
Sports physical therapist, and a stickler for the rules, Vidia Gomez is the gorgeous Afro-Latina who not only captured pretty boy, Sire Griffin’s heart, but he caught hers as well, despite her not wanting to date for another few years.
“I’m hopelessly fucking in love with you.”
A pitcher for the LA Dodgers, and a recovering addict, Sire Griffin is nothing shy of persistent and lovable, who would do anything to keep his family happy, even if it sacrifices his own.
“From our first…
to my favorite…
to the only one I broke…”
From the moment Sire first laid eyes on Vidia, he knew he wanted her. He didn’t care about anything else, or the fact that she was the daughter of an MLB coach; he just wanted… her. Vidia being someone who didn’t want to break her ‘before 25’ rule, is consumed by the stubborn baseball player, and eventually gives into what she wants… him. Sire pays attention to every little detail about Vidia, and Vidia helps him throughout his recovery journey, being the person who he can lean on and be there for him physically and emotionally. The two of them are there for each other through all their moments, the best and the worst, and their chemistry is like none other.
“I wish we didn’t waste those four years hating each other.”
“I never hated you, I could never hate you, my love.”
Sire is a recovering addict. There will be times when he either is struggling to fight the urge to relapse, or will actually give in and relapse. Vidia is perfectly aware of this, and is one of his biggest supporters through it all. There’s also one problem. Vidia recently learned that Sire’s love towards her was just a façade. A plan, if you will. The other problem? That’s only what she thinks. Things between the two go downhill when another baseball player tells Vidia that they all came up with a plan that involved getting with Vidia to get drafted into the baseball team in which her mother coached. What she didn’t know? Sire wanted to be with her long before then, and didn’t care about whatever ‘plan’ anybody came up with. Now, 4 years later, when they’re stuck together, with Vidia being his physical therapist, Sire has to do everything in his power to prove to Vidia that everything between them, 4 years ago, has been nothing but real and legit.
“I’d do anything she asks, with a smile.”
——
I expected this book to be good. Not because I’m friends with the author (I had interest in this before we became friends); however, I did not expect this book to consume me. This book ate me alive. I laughed. I cried. I giggled. I screamed. Everything. As a debut book, this was phenomenal, and I just know the writing is going to get even better from here. CHECK TRIGGERS before reading, but honestly, I feel like if you give this book a chance, you won’t be disappointed.
Sire Griffin, a pitcher for the LA Dodgers, is nothing but a gentleman. Though he has his struggles with his addiction, he’s still a person anyone would be safe and have fun around. I loved how I not only felt as though I knew Sire personally in the present, but I could also deeply empathize with him from the past. His growth and development is definitely one of my favorites, and I love how genuine he is when it comes to his family and close friends. One thing about Sire is that he protects those he loves and will always put their feelings above his own. Even if he’s not his best, he’ll make sure everyone he cares about is taken care of. Especially when it comes to a certain curly-headed sports physical therapist.
Vidia Gomez, the sports physical therapist for Sire Griffin’s baseball team, has never expected that she would break her ‘before 25’ rule, let alone with the one person she’d never expect to fall for. Not only falling for him, but also being hurt by him, without knowing the full story. She’s always put others’ feelings above her own, just like Sire; however, when things fall apart, you know what they say: hurt people hurt other people. The way we were able to read about Vidia and Sire’s love story just proves that when you truly love and care for someone, those feelings NEVER go away, even when you wish nothing more for them to fade.
——
some quotes i think of all the time:
“I’m one hundred and ten percent sure if she could choose to never have you and also not having to go through that with him, she’d choose to have him put her through hell all over again.”
“It’s me and you till the wheels fall off…”
“And even when they fall, we’re pushing that shit across the finish line.”
“I struggle to breathe without her. I actually couldn’t breathe without you. You saved me, August.”
“You’re still the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen, and I’m still in love with you. Always have been.”
“If the thing I love is baseball, then yeah, it was worth it. If it was her on the line, then absolutely not. I would’ve let him kick my ass and not swing back once.”
*i voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2023
Tropes: found family, enemies to lovers, second chance romance
These are my inner thoughts while reading
So starting the book I was a little thrown off because I assumed it was going to start in college and then do a time jump but seeing it starting in the future already got me lol. DAMNNNNN what happened between vid and sire that got this man hitting niggas
Sire is a pitcher for the LA dodgers and Vidia is a doctor for the dodgers as well. Sore and Vidia are exs that fell out on bad terms because of a horrible experience. And now they hate each other guts. But they are friendly to each other because their brothers/friend are dating and their one big friend group kinda.. everyone wants them to get back to together and at some point so does sire but Vidia isn’t sure she worth that after letting her anger expose something sire was trying to hide and battle.
The excitement of wanting to know what went wrong🙈😩😩😩like they be bring the worst out of each other…. It clear they both like each other(curious why sire won’t make a move till they official)
I LOVE VIDIA she is the queen of two can play it this game…..THERE NO WAY THIS MAN JUST THROW IN HER FACE🤪 this was real enemy to lovers in my opinion like the way they truly hated each other but with some pushes from there friends they was able to sit down and start anew…
I can appreciate them not just jumping back into their relationship again picking up from four years ago but actually starting all the way over it just give that fresh fresh start.
After learning what went down four years ago you can understand what lead them to where they are now but sire is willing to give it another chance because he is in love with Vidia still and it was a beautiful love story. I love reading the baseball scenes made me feel like i was in the dug out with them.
The book is long but once you get into it you can’t put it down you just want to keep reading to see what happens next.
Another note: I love the relationship between sire and his siblings like they was too funny with each other plus hazel who got bored of them pretty fast🤣(side not Hazel is my favorite) but they are one big family(even with august clingy self)🤪
These are my inner thoughts while reading
So starting the book I was a little thrown off because I assumed it was going to start in college and then do a time jump but seeing it starting in the future already got me lol. DAMNNNNN what happened between vid and sire that got this man hitting niggas
Sire is a pitcher for the LA dodgers and Vidia is a doctor for the dodgers as well. Sore and Vidia are exs that fell out on bad terms because of a horrible experience. And now they hate each other guts. But they are friendly to each other because their brothers/friend are dating and their one big friend group kinda.. everyone wants them to get back to together and at some point so does sire but Vidia isn’t sure she worth that after letting her anger expose something sire was trying to hide and battle.
The excitement of wanting to know what went wrong🙈😩😩😩like they be bring the worst out of each other…. It clear they both like each other(curious why sire won’t make a move till they official)
I LOVE VIDIA she is the queen of two can play it this game…..THERE NO WAY THIS MAN JUST THROW IN HER FACE🤪 this was real enemy to lovers in my opinion like the way they truly hated each other but with some pushes from there friends they was able to sit down and start anew…
I can appreciate them not just jumping back into their relationship again picking up from four years ago but actually starting all the way over it just give that fresh fresh start.
After learning what went down four years ago you can understand what lead them to where they are now but sire is willing to give it another chance because he is in love with Vidia still and it was a beautiful love story. I love reading the baseball scenes made me feel like i was in the dug out with them.
The book is long but once you get into it you can’t put it down you just want to keep reading to see what happens next.
Another note: I love the relationship between sire and his siblings like they was too funny with each other plus hazel who got bored of them pretty fast🤣(side not Hazel is my favorite) but they are one big family(even with august clingy self)🤪
January 12, 2024
I don’t ever write book reviews but I want to start by saying congratulations to Janiah for publishing her first book and thank you for letting me be an arc reader for your first book.
Let me start by saying I LOVE Sire and Vidia, one of my top book couples of course, I am happy to say that they were my first read of 2024.
Sure struggles with addiction and the way it was handled and portrayed in this book were honestly perfect, the back stories of these two characters had me clutching my head in ACHEE Janiah went in for the kill… I also loved how the book was mainly written from Sire’s POV as we don’t usually see that in romance books.
The past chapters were so fun to read, they show how much these two have grown since college, even if they hate each other now, the love was never really gone and I loved that, these two have gone through hell and back and I was pleased with the ended as it did them justice.
Now let’s talk about my favorite character of all AUGUST were there any other characters?? Because all I saw was August. HAHA jk I loved August's character, he truly is my favorite golden retriever with attachment issues, I read this book for Sire and vid but stayed for the king that is August Hale, august and Sire's relationship is one of the things I loved most about this book.
They are a power duo and I love them so much. “It’s me and you til the wheels fall off.” A smile spreads across my face, and I hug him back. “And even when they fall, we’re pushing that shit across the finish line” like they are just too cute😭
The way august cares for his brother after everything he’s been through, even after Sire put him through so much with his addiction august never left his side and I loved that about them.
This book was truly worth the wait Janiah, and it was a long journey, we had to threaten you a few times to not stop writing this book. (I was so serious with my threats.) In the end, she didn’t give up and she honestly killed it, you’re an amazing writer Janiah and I can’t wait for the rest of the series.
(Especially Sage)
Now for my favorite quote.
“I got my girl back.” AH
The Plan
Janiah Benitez
Out January 14!!
Read
July 26, 2024DNF for now. 500+ pages and its looking like there is a lot of fluff. Plus Sire is such an unlikeable character.
February 13, 2025
3.5⭐️
Started reading this not knowing the FMC was Afro-Latina so that was a bonus I loved (I didn’t read anything about this book before reading it). However, the Spanish at times wasn’t the best which is why I didn’t rate it any higher. I don’t know if they did it on purpose to make her a “no sabo” kid but I doubt it.
I also didn’t rate it any higher because at the beginning when she’s describing her best friend who’s Dominican/Puerto Rican , she says “Hazel is lighter than us, probably because of her Puerto Rican side…” which was weird to me as a black Puerto Rican. As if there aren’t white/light skinned Dominicans or black/dark skinned Puerto Rican.
Overall though? I really enjoyed the book.
Started reading this not knowing the FMC was Afro-Latina so that was a bonus I loved (I didn’t read anything about this book before reading it). However, the Spanish at times wasn’t the best which is why I didn’t rate it any higher. I don’t know if they did it on purpose to make her a “no sabo” kid but I doubt it.
I also didn’t rate it any higher because at the beginning when she’s describing her best friend who’s Dominican/Puerto Rican , she says “Hazel is lighter than us, probably because of her Puerto Rican side…” which was weird to me as a black Puerto Rican. As if there aren’t white/light skinned Dominicans or black/dark skinned Puerto Rican.
Overall though? I really enjoyed the book.
July 11, 2025
Well…that’s two days worth of reading I’m not getting back. This felt like a really bad Wattpad book (and I don’t mean that in a good way).
March 20, 2024
HE LEARNED SPANISH FOR HER 🥹🫶.This was without a doubt such a cute damn book. The sibling dynamics were both hilarious and heartfelt. I loved how reassuring Sire was to Vid despite dealing with his own struggles. I also appreciate that their struggles didn’t magically disappear by being together, and that therapy was introduced. This did give me a bit of reader’s whiplash bc there was a lot, and I mean A LOT, going on at every point of this story. Good debut and I’m excited to read more by these author!
-And if you care to know, this is a long book but it’s not a slow burn in the tradicional sense 😌
-Second chance
Fmc: Afro Dominican
Mmc: Black
In addition to the TWs at the begging, I would add that the miscarriage scene is very long and not just a mention. There were also a couple sentences that tiptoed on fatphobia.
-And if you care to know, this is a long book but it’s not a slow burn in the tradicional sense 😌
-Second chance
Fmc: Afro Dominican
Mmc: Black
In addition to the TWs at the begging, I would add that the miscarriage scene is very long and not just a mention. There were also a couple sentences that tiptoed on fatphobia.
July 25, 2024
Thank you beautiful for the gifted copy and pretty pr package, you’re simply the best!
TROPES
⚾ Second Chance
⚾ Sports Romance
⚾ Millionaire MMC
⚾ Forced Proximity
This was such an enjoyable read, I felt all the highs and lows Sire & Vidia went through and l was rooting for them the whole way.
Those tropes up there are some of my favorite so it was only expected for me to swoon and obsess over this book.
The writing is top tier and just the way the story unfolds will keep you hooked until the very last page.
Sire is a dream, like at one point l wanted him for myself, but l could never do that to my girl Vidia. I love her to damn much.
I highly recommend you give this book a try babes, because it’s just that good!!
TROPES
⚾ Second Chance
⚾ Sports Romance
⚾ Millionaire MMC
⚾ Forced Proximity
This was such an enjoyable read, I felt all the highs and lows Sire & Vidia went through and l was rooting for them the whole way.
Those tropes up there are some of my favorite so it was only expected for me to swoon and obsess over this book.
The writing is top tier and just the way the story unfolds will keep you hooked until the very last page.
Sire is a dream, like at one point l wanted him for myself, but l could never do that to my girl Vidia. I love her to damn much.
I highly recommend you give this book a try babes, because it’s just that good!!
January 28, 2024
after about a year and a half i got to finally see this book come to life and it was def more than okay, sire and vid are lit my babies i love them more than everything i actually love every single character more than i love myself. give me about 5-7 business days to recover from the extended epilogue pls.
January 15, 2024
I want to start by thanking Janiah for choosing me to be a ARC reader🫶🏾🩷.
This book had me giggling, kicking my feet, crying, and screaming at these characters😅. I want to applaud Janiah real quick. Thank you, for portraying a raw, real relationship. Their hardships, their mental battles. Sire and Vidia are my babies. I will never stop recommending this gem🥰. Their banter 🤌🏾 (I will never not get enough). The way Sire will literally do and sacrifice anything for Vidia, omg!!! ( I have heart eyes)
Pls read The Plan - you will not regret it!!
I want to spoil but I am not, lol. 😭
You will bawl your eyes at their memorable quotes😩 ok ok go read it!!!!!!
This book had me giggling, kicking my feet, crying, and screaming at these characters😅. I want to applaud Janiah real quick. Thank you, for portraying a raw, real relationship. Their hardships, their mental battles. Sire and Vidia are my babies. I will never stop recommending this gem🥰. Their banter 🤌🏾 (I will never not get enough). The way Sire will literally do and sacrifice anything for Vidia, omg!!! ( I have heart eyes)
Pls read The Plan - you will not regret it!!
I want to spoil but I am not, lol. 😭
You will bawl your eyes at their memorable quotes😩 ok ok go read it!!!!!!
March 23, 2024
5. Fucking. Stars. This book was everything.
Thank you Janiah for letting me read this has an arc! And I’m so sorry this review is so late 😔 reading slumps are ass.
Anyway, sire is the MAN. And vid, omg. I love them so so much, ESPECIALLY August omg!!! words genuinely can’t explain how match I love this book. Thanks for writing this Janiah 🫶🏻. I’m honestly so bad at giving long and thought out reviews, you might think this book is long but trust me when I say it’s worth every dam page. The side characters, the romance ( like it’s was honestly so fucking good.. sire was top tier! ) , the sibling dynamic.. omg. the whole entire plot was good! And the damm heartaches I got… thanks for that 🙂.
I honestly can’t wait for August book and sages… literally can’t wait for all any of her books. I need them like now ( only joking hahaah)
Thank you Janiah for letting me read this has an arc! And I’m so sorry this review is so late 😔 reading slumps are ass.
Anyway, sire is the MAN. And vid, omg. I love them so so much, ESPECIALLY August omg!!! words genuinely can’t explain how match I love this book. Thanks for writing this Janiah 🫶🏻. I’m honestly so bad at giving long and thought out reviews, you might think this book is long but trust me when I say it’s worth every dam page. The side characters, the romance ( like it’s was honestly so fucking good.. sire was top tier! ) , the sibling dynamic.. omg. the whole entire plot was good! And the damm heartaches I got… thanks for that 🙂.
I honestly can’t wait for August book and sages… literally can’t wait for all any of her books. I need them like now ( only joking hahaah)
June 3, 2025
This is a good book I like the aspect but my god I hate Sire with a passion. He’s an asshole and I don’t like how he spoke to Vidia or his siblings. That was a huge turnoff I get that you are going through your addiction but my god I can’t stand him. I also get you hate Vidia but ugh he’s so arrogant it gets to a point where I didn’t even want to read the book. I finished it and it could have been shorter. I like that Sire apologized for being an asshole and honestly Austin deserves better because what. Anywho I’m 50/50.
January 1, 2025
As much as I love a lengthy book unfortunately this did not deliver for me. I felt disconnected with the main characters and although they came through with personal development individually (Sire) and that was portrayed realistically , I DNF'ed at 77%. :(
This book lacked something for me. The only thing i looked forward to at every turn was Isabelle's cute cameos and August and Sire's banter but the main characters together seemed a bit off to me.
This book lacked something for me. The only thing i looked forward to at every turn was Isabelle's cute cameos and August and Sire's banter but the main characters together seemed a bit off to me.
January 13, 2024
Janiah I am soo proud of you for publishing your book. This is a huge accomplishment and you deserve everything this world has to offer you. I have always said this but you have a way with words and I’m happy other people will start to realise this. I also want to say thank you for letting me be an arc reader for your book.
My rating is going to be 4 stars don’t get wrong I loved this book but I normally give five stars to fantasy and mafia romance because they are favourite genre 😅
Let’s get into it then:
The tropes in this book (that I got from it) are FOUND FAMILY, friends to enemies to lovers, and second chance romance.
You can already tell by the cover but this book is a baseball romance so if you are looking for a sports romance that is fun easy to read then DEFINITELY pick this book up!!
Now let’s take about sire and v
I loved them. The way their characters were written was amazing and v having communication issue and sire helping her work through it was soo relatable.
Sire is a recovering addict and the way this topic was handled and talked about was done very well.
I like second chance romance so I already knew I was going to like sire and v but the way janiah wrote the story was just amazing she didn’t rush into them being back together it was more of a slow burn and janiah made us the readers, feel like we were there every step of the way.
Sire and v are solemates Idc they just are, they get each other like soulmates do.
Ok now let’s talk about my favourite character august!!
He is just hilarious he is sire brother and sage twin and if u read this book and don’t like him then sorry but we are going to have to talk because how.
He is legit like a fun golden retriever he is soo cute and I love that hazel is the complete opposite to him but they work. Opposite attract🤷♀️.
I love sire and august bromance and that one quote where sire goes “I can’t live without you” ughhh my heart.
I love when mmc have bromances it just makes the story so much better.
Janiah wrote this bromance soo well because it shows the real bond of sibling whether it’s blood sibling or not because after everything sire put august through august was still there for him. No matter what. I think that is why I loved him the most.
I also love hazel and v friendship it’s soo nice and I love that hazel was team v and disliked sire because he “hurt” v.
I can’t forget about lisette and sage.
Lisette is hilarious I love that her coping mechanism is dark humour it is another thing I found relatable like she really says whatever comes into her mind.
Sage is adorable like she just is.
That’s the characters let’s talk about the book.
They book changes from present to past so that we can see everything , the transitions was very smooth so as readers you will not have a hard time reading this book.
This transition allows readers to see why sire and Vidia hate each other the way they do in the present and I believe they needed this breakup in the past to happen, they needed to grow before they could get back together 🤷♀️.
But they way and the reason the broke up was just soo sad like did they really have to go through what they went through.
Another thing I like about this book was that janiah used the title in her writing, I love it when authors do that.
Overall, The book was very easy to read and overall a nice cute sport romance. It is long but I guarantee you once you pick it up you will want to keep reading. SO PICK IT UP.
Favourite quote:
“I struggle to breathe without her. I actually couldn’t breath without you”
My rating is going to be 4 stars don’t get wrong I loved this book but I normally give five stars to fantasy and mafia romance because they are favourite genre 😅
Let’s get into it then:
The tropes in this book (that I got from it) are FOUND FAMILY, friends to enemies to lovers, and second chance romance.
You can already tell by the cover but this book is a baseball romance so if you are looking for a sports romance that is fun easy to read then DEFINITELY pick this book up!!
Now let’s take about sire and v
I loved them. The way their characters were written was amazing and v having communication issue and sire helping her work through it was soo relatable.
Sire is a recovering addict and the way this topic was handled and talked about was done very well.
I like second chance romance so I already knew I was going to like sire and v but the way janiah wrote the story was just amazing she didn’t rush into them being back together it was more of a slow burn and janiah made us the readers, feel like we were there every step of the way.
Sire and v are solemates Idc they just are, they get each other like soulmates do.
Ok now let’s talk about my favourite character august!!
He is just hilarious he is sire brother and sage twin and if u read this book and don’t like him then sorry but we are going to have to talk because how.
He is legit like a fun golden retriever he is soo cute and I love that hazel is the complete opposite to him but they work. Opposite attract🤷♀️.
I love sire and august bromance and that one quote where sire goes “I can’t live without you” ughhh my heart.
I love when mmc have bromances it just makes the story so much better.
Janiah wrote this bromance soo well because it shows the real bond of sibling whether it’s blood sibling or not because after everything sire put august through august was still there for him. No matter what. I think that is why I loved him the most.
I also love hazel and v friendship it’s soo nice and I love that hazel was team v and disliked sire because he “hurt” v.
I can’t forget about lisette and sage.
Lisette is hilarious I love that her coping mechanism is dark humour it is another thing I found relatable like she really says whatever comes into her mind.
Sage is adorable like she just is.
That’s the characters let’s talk about the book.
They book changes from present to past so that we can see everything , the transitions was very smooth so as readers you will not have a hard time reading this book.
This transition allows readers to see why sire and Vidia hate each other the way they do in the present and I believe they needed this breakup in the past to happen, they needed to grow before they could get back together 🤷♀️.
But they way and the reason the broke up was just soo sad like did they really have to go through what they went through.
Another thing I like about this book was that janiah used the title in her writing, I love it when authors do that.
Overall, The book was very easy to read and overall a nice cute sport romance. It is long but I guarantee you once you pick it up you will want to keep reading. SO PICK IT UP.
Favourite quote:
“I struggle to breathe without her. I actually couldn’t breath without you”
April 28, 2025
Such a good book with characters that felt like they had real depth and real connections to each other as friends, family and partners.
The format of going back in time to four years ago and then being back in the present quite frequently took some getting used to but I honestly can't think of another way to drip feed the reader Vidia and Sire's backstory without doing this or dropping it all at once and it losing some of its impact.
I liked all of the characters shown in this book for their own reasons. They each handled things in their own way and were distinct from one another but worked well together. Vidia and Sire's characters both developed and grew as they figured out what they needed to do in order to move past everything and get to where they wanted to be together. I generally liked their dialogue, from when they hated each other to when they didn't. There were some really sweet speeches in there between the two of them and the some hard moments interspersed with some levity. It was lovely to see characters actively work on themselves and have honest, real flaws (not rom-com flaws), they really grew individually and together.
I will say though, oftentimes the side characters stole the show, particularly August and Sage. This book has made me want to know more about them and what will happen with them considering I now feel like I know Vidia and Sire really well.
My only complaint is the slight plot hole that can be seen in the epilogue (which doesn't take away from the main book at all) surrounding Hazel and August but hey, maybe this will be explained in another book.
Quite a long read but a satisfying one.
The format of going back in time to four years ago and then being back in the present quite frequently took some getting used to but I honestly can't think of another way to drip feed the reader Vidia and Sire's backstory without doing this or dropping it all at once and it losing some of its impact.
I liked all of the characters shown in this book for their own reasons. They each handled things in their own way and were distinct from one another but worked well together. Vidia and Sire's characters both developed and grew as they figured out what they needed to do in order to move past everything and get to where they wanted to be together. I generally liked their dialogue, from when they hated each other to when they didn't. There were some really sweet speeches in there between the two of them and the some hard moments interspersed with some levity. It was lovely to see characters actively work on themselves and have honest, real flaws (not rom-com flaws), they really grew individually and together.
I will say though, oftentimes the side characters stole the show, particularly August and Sage. This book has made me want to know more about them and what will happen with them considering I now feel like I know Vidia and Sire really well.
My only complaint is the slight plot hole that can be seen in the epilogue (which doesn't take away from the main book at all) surrounding Hazel and August but hey, maybe this will be explained in another book.
Quite a long read but a satisfying one.
March 31, 2025
The Plan by Janiah Benitez
The Hale Series #1
What a book to start off baseball season with. This is our first read by Janiah Benitez and we will definitely be reading more from her. This is a professional baseball second chance romance that starts in college for Sire and Vidia (the team’s doctor). We learn about their past and what draws them together even with Vidia’s no boyfriends until 25 rule. Character development in this book is STRONG not only with the main characters but the supporting roles as well. This is on the slow burn side of things as we start the book in the present day where the FMC & MMC hate each other and as we learn their current stories we see how the past shaped them as individuals and as a former couple. The plot twists work hard to make you think Sire & Vidia will never find a HEA. Be sure to check trigger warnings here as there are some topics that are discussed that could be more than someone looking for a sports romance read wants to dive into, but we thought they were written well. There’s some great spice in this book but it’s blended into the plot- if you’re a sunflower girlie, buckle up 😉
If you’re someone who loves enemies to lovers, second chance, found family, and a man who is down bad this needs to be on your TBR. We are throughly impressed by this young author and are looking forward to The Hale Series Book #2 Without Fault
4 ⭐️ 2 🌶️
The Hale Series #1
What a book to start off baseball season with. This is our first read by Janiah Benitez and we will definitely be reading more from her. This is a professional baseball second chance romance that starts in college for Sire and Vidia (the team’s doctor). We learn about their past and what draws them together even with Vidia’s no boyfriends until 25 rule. Character development in this book is STRONG not only with the main characters but the supporting roles as well. This is on the slow burn side of things as we start the book in the present day where the FMC & MMC hate each other and as we learn their current stories we see how the past shaped them as individuals and as a former couple. The plot twists work hard to make you think Sire & Vidia will never find a HEA. Be sure to check trigger warnings here as there are some topics that are discussed that could be more than someone looking for a sports romance read wants to dive into, but we thought they were written well. There’s some great spice in this book but it’s blended into the plot- if you’re a sunflower girlie, buckle up 😉
If you’re someone who loves enemies to lovers, second chance, found family, and a man who is down bad this needs to be on your TBR. We are throughly impressed by this young author and are looking forward to The Hale Series Book #2 Without Fault
4 ⭐️ 2 🌶️
August 16, 2024
📖: the plan⚾️🩵🪼
review:
Sire and Vidia—college sweethearts, were once each other’s everything. Lies and a tragic situation split them apart. Sire is a baseball player for the LA Dodgers while Vidia is a physical therapist for the same team. When the two become reacquainted, the two can’t deny how gradually old feelings start to rise. Through chaos, pain, laughs, and love the two find their way back together. I tend to stray away from dual timeline stories, but the way the author laid out her timeline made it flow perfectly. The love between Sire and Vidia and so pure and soft. The way Vidia nurtured Sire given his trauma warmed my heart. I believe they are truly soulmates and they simply needed time to realize that they belong together.
* tropes:
⁃ black love
⁃ sports romance
⁃ physical therapist x baseball player
⁃ second chance romance
⁃ college lovers
⁃ found family
⁃ forced proximity
⁃ man obsessed
* plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
* characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫/5
* spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
* overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.8/5 ~ 6 if I could
moments:
- Vid’s sobriety gift for Sire🥹
⁃ Via and Sires naps
⁃ Sire buying Bid piña coladas before their physical therapy sessions😭
⁃ Jealous Sire😝
⁃ The lanterns visit inspired by Vid’s love for tangled
review:
Sire and Vidia—college sweethearts, were once each other’s everything. Lies and a tragic situation split them apart. Sire is a baseball player for the LA Dodgers while Vidia is a physical therapist for the same team. When the two become reacquainted, the two can’t deny how gradually old feelings start to rise. Through chaos, pain, laughs, and love the two find their way back together. I tend to stray away from dual timeline stories, but the way the author laid out her timeline made it flow perfectly. The love between Sire and Vidia and so pure and soft. The way Vidia nurtured Sire given his trauma warmed my heart. I believe they are truly soulmates and they simply needed time to realize that they belong together.
* tropes:
⁃ black love
⁃ sports romance
⁃ physical therapist x baseball player
⁃ second chance romance
⁃ college lovers
⁃ found family
⁃ forced proximity
⁃ man obsessed
* plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
* characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫/5
* spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
* overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.8/5 ~ 6 if I could
moments:
- Vid’s sobriety gift for Sire🥹
⁃ Via and Sires naps
⁃ Sire buying Bid piña coladas before their physical therapy sessions😭
⁃ Jealous Sire😝
⁃ The lanterns visit inspired by Vid’s love for tangled
April 22, 2025
Book Review: The Plan by Janiah Benitez
The Plan by Janiah Benitez is a gripping second-chance sports romance that delves into themes of love, betrayal, and personal growth. The story follows Vidia, a determined woman with a strict “no boyfriends until 25” rule, and Sire, a persistent baseball player who challenges her resolve. Their initial connection is intense, but misunderstandings and external manipulations lead to a painful separation. Years later, fate brings them back together when Vidia becomes Sire’s physical therapist, forcing them to confront their past and the lingering feelings between them. Benitez crafts a narrative rich in emotional depth, exploring the complexities of trust and the power of second chances. The dual perspectives provide insight into both characters’ struggles and growth, making their journey all the more resonant. For readers seeking a heartfelt romance with realistic challenges and a satisfying resolution, The Plan delivers a memorable experience.
Trigger Warnings:
• Miscarriage (detailed scene)
• Emotional manipulation
• Family estrangement
• Substance abuse and addiction
• Injury and recovery
• Mentions of fatphobia
Tropes:
• Enemies to lovers
• Second chance romance
• Found family
• Sports romance
• Dual POV
• Slow burn
The Plan by Janiah Benitez is a gripping second-chance sports romance that delves into themes of love, betrayal, and personal growth. The story follows Vidia, a determined woman with a strict “no boyfriends until 25” rule, and Sire, a persistent baseball player who challenges her resolve. Their initial connection is intense, but misunderstandings and external manipulations lead to a painful separation. Years later, fate brings them back together when Vidia becomes Sire’s physical therapist, forcing them to confront their past and the lingering feelings between them. Benitez crafts a narrative rich in emotional depth, exploring the complexities of trust and the power of second chances. The dual perspectives provide insight into both characters’ struggles and growth, making their journey all the more resonant. For readers seeking a heartfelt romance with realistic challenges and a satisfying resolution, The Plan delivers a memorable experience.
Trigger Warnings:
• Miscarriage (detailed scene)
• Emotional manipulation
• Family estrangement
• Substance abuse and addiction
• Injury and recovery
• Mentions of fatphobia
Tropes:
• Enemies to lovers
• Second chance romance
• Found family
• Sports romance
• Dual POV
• Slow burn
February 19, 2024
Overall Rating: 4/5
~
Janiah has DONE IT!!
This book is a long one but it was keep you interested. You want to find out what exactly caused them to break up and how that caused them to be on bad terms. As you read and connect with them and the story, you can tell that deep down they still love each other but the hurt has consumed their thoughts that they have these random moments of "Wow! I think I do miss them" and they overthink and debunk it and previsualize why they ended in the first place.
I love how well Janiah incorporated these tropes into this story:
- Found Family
- Second Chance
- Forced Proximity
I am super proud of Janiah and her debut novel! I cannot wait what her second book has in story. You can tell that she put her heart and soul into this and I am so happy that she made this incredible story for everyone to get their hands on.
I highly recommend giving this book a try. Whether you are a normal romance reader like myself or if you are more the mystery/thriller type of reader, I definitely recommend to give this book a try.
(I was given the amazing opportunity to read this as an ARC. My review is strictly my honest opinion) 🩷
~
Janiah has DONE IT!!
This book is a long one but it was keep you interested. You want to find out what exactly caused them to break up and how that caused them to be on bad terms. As you read and connect with them and the story, you can tell that deep down they still love each other but the hurt has consumed their thoughts that they have these random moments of "Wow! I think I do miss them" and they overthink and debunk it and previsualize why they ended in the first place.
I love how well Janiah incorporated these tropes into this story:
- Found Family
- Second Chance
- Forced Proximity
I am super proud of Janiah and her debut novel! I cannot wait what her second book has in story. You can tell that she put her heart and soul into this and I am so happy that she made this incredible story for everyone to get their hands on.
I highly recommend giving this book a try. Whether you are a normal romance reader like myself or if you are more the mystery/thriller type of reader, I definitely recommend to give this book a try.
(I was given the amazing opportunity to read this as an ARC. My review is strictly my honest opinion) 🩷
January 4, 2025
This book was so good and was definitely my best read of 2024 . Like it was so good it made me think maybe I do wanna get married in the future💀. The love ,the angst and the protectiveness shown in the couples were so raw and beautiful. I love how it touched on so many subjects such as ptsd, addiction and hardships in a relationship. I also love the side characters (August my king 🥹) and their relationships as well. I loved seeing so many different characters with different personalities put together, would deffo recommend.
I don’t think I have anything bad to say about it honestly, can’t wait for the next book 🤭
I don’t think I have anything bad to say about it honestly, can’t wait for the next book 🤭
January 12, 2025
I did not finish this book. DNFed at 43%. I didnt understand why a romance novel was over 400 pages, but I have read and loved romance books long so I was excited to give it a chance.
Pros:
1. The author was/is 18-19 writing this book. Amazing props to you, the author because I can only imagine the difficulty, the love, the care you put into your work.
2. The banter between Sire and August (brothers) is amazing. I loved their back and forth.
Cons
1. The main FMC
2. Sire as a character was so annoying to me.
3. Didn’t need to be this only, so much back and forth. Very choppy scenes.
Overall, I think the book has so much potential. It just wasn’t for me.
Pros:
1. The author was/is 18-19 writing this book. Amazing props to you, the author because I can only imagine the difficulty, the love, the care you put into your work.
2. The banter between Sire and August (brothers) is amazing. I loved their back and forth.
Cons
1. The main FMC
2. Sire as a character was so annoying to me.
3. Didn’t need to be this only, so much back and forth. Very choppy scenes.
Overall, I think the book has so much potential. It just wasn’t for me.
June 9, 2025
4⭐️/5⭐️ 2.5🌶️/ 5🌶️
♡ What to expect: second chance, heartbreaking scenes, found family, baseball player x doctor
♡ What happens when four years after a breakup you meet your ex? Not an easy situation for sure - because four years ago you thought that person will be the love of your life, until a night that ended all.
♡ For Vid and Sire is not easy to face the consequences of what they did in college. Now they hate each other, but we all know the feelings are still there, deep down. Jealousy? I'm in!
♡ This story isn't only a love story. It's more complicated than a simple "enemies to lovers". This books is about healing, recovering from addictions, trauma, bad childhoods, heartbreaking. It's about two people who found each other and never fully let go. When I tell you I cried at some chapters! It's this beautiful written.
(I really recommend to check the Trigger Warnings first and be ready for some sad backgrounds.)
♡ Number of pages: 563 pages, Kindle Edition
♡ Read: 1st - 4th May 2025
♡ What to expect: second chance, heartbreaking scenes, found family, baseball player x doctor
♡ What happens when four years after a breakup you meet your ex? Not an easy situation for sure - because four years ago you thought that person will be the love of your life, until a night that ended all.
♡ For Vid and Sire is not easy to face the consequences of what they did in college. Now they hate each other, but we all know the feelings are still there, deep down. Jealousy? I'm in!
♡ This story isn't only a love story. It's more complicated than a simple "enemies to lovers". This books is about healing, recovering from addictions, trauma, bad childhoods, heartbreaking. It's about two people who found each other and never fully let go. When I tell you I cried at some chapters! It's this beautiful written.
(I really recommend to check the Trigger Warnings first and be ready for some sad backgrounds.)
♡ Number of pages: 563 pages, Kindle Edition
♡ Read: 1st - 4th May 2025
July 4, 2024
I can not put into words how much I love this book. This book gave me so many laughs so much joy and even a few tears. I loved the beautiful representation that healing and addiction is not just black-and-white and that love does not count mistakes and is forever forgiving I enjoyed these characters so much. I’m so excited that they are getting their own books, because their dynamic is one I forever want to read about these characters stories were truly so healing. I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves them a good romance book and a sweet love story.
December 31, 2025
Mamma...it's giving Wattpad nonsense. Sire punching his manager (aka his brother!) after suggesting that he needs to go to physical therapy after an arm injury- my brother in Christ, it looks like we need to tack on some mental health therapy too. And everyone likes rolling their eyes too damn much. The only good parts were chapters written in Vidia's POV (that is, if you can get through the lightskin agenda), but unfortunately, it's all in the past. This book was made for someone, and that someone is not me. DNF at 30%
May 2, 2025
What a journey!! I tried starting this book a few times then decided I better wait for the right time to read it because of its length but also the characters really need time and focus to get to know them. This is not a quick binge read these characters will have you pressed 🥴🥴 but also realistically stubborn people 😂😂
Well done! Looking forward to the rest of the series and glad I didn’t just give up and shelf it.
Well done! Looking forward to the rest of the series and glad I didn’t just give up and shelf it.
January 15, 2024
The Plan was absolutely adorable, funny, and sweet! It felt a bit long at times but I absolutely enjoyed reading this and I’m not typically a fan of modern romance. The smut scenes were *chefs kiss* and the angst of the enemies to lovers felt so realistic. Would highly recommend if you want a realistic and relatable romance between two realistic people!!
February 19, 2024
I have so many fucking feelings about this book. Like it's beautiful, stunning, painful. I am a little bit mad that Kindle Unlimited did not open up in the Trigger warning's page and all of the deep subjects it touched on took me by surprise.
But the story touches each one with the care it needed. This couple was too cute.
But the story touches each one with the care it needed. This couple was too cute.
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