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Chicago Heartbreakers #1
First Base
It was just a game... until the rules changed.
Photographer Maggie Redford is happy to watch life from the stands. She's already met and lost the love of her life and would rather spend her time snapping shots of Chicago's MLB team. But Maggie's thrown a curveball when the team signs Tommy Mikals, a tattooed hotshot whose talent for making plays is matched by a playboy reputation.
Tommy knows he's on the brink of losing his baseball career for good and that the Cougars are his last shot at redemption. Vowing to give up his party-boy ways, he can't afford any distractions - including one gorgeous team photographer.
When a wild team outing leads to a compromising photo between Maggie and Tommy going viral, suddenly they've become the hottest new celebrity couple. With his reputation and her job on the line, they have no choice but to go along with PR's plan of faking a romance to the world.
But as their pretend relationship plays out in the spotlight, real feelings come into play. Maggie's already loved and lost; Tommy's never learned to can they even make it past first base?
Photographer Maggie Redford is happy to watch life from the stands. She's already met and lost the love of her life and would rather spend her time snapping shots of Chicago's MLB team. But Maggie's thrown a curveball when the team signs Tommy Mikals, a tattooed hotshot whose talent for making plays is matched by a playboy reputation.
Tommy knows he's on the brink of losing his baseball career for good and that the Cougars are his last shot at redemption. Vowing to give up his party-boy ways, he can't afford any distractions - including one gorgeous team photographer.
When a wild team outing leads to a compromising photo between Maggie and Tommy going viral, suddenly they've become the hottest new celebrity couple. With his reputation and her job on the line, they have no choice but to go along with PR's plan of faking a romance to the world.
But as their pretend relationship plays out in the spotlight, real feelings come into play. Maggie's already loved and lost; Tommy's never learned to can they even make it past first base?
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2024
176 people are currently reading
9740 people want to read
About the author
Ally Wiegand
4 books119 followersAlly Wiegand currently resides in Texas. She loves her family, fall, and writing love stories that make your heart squeeze. Ally has dreamed of being a writer since she was a girl. She is a coffee addict, a classic car lover, and a cat mom to two furballs. Her dream is to make readers happy, make them sad – but, most importantly, feel something.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 520 reviews
April 6, 2024
2.75 stars 𝜗𝜚
⟶ this was kinda cute actually ᝰ.ᐟ
💌 tropes — this is a fake dating, sports romance, with no smut.
🌺 thoughts — tbh this sounded like a sweet combo to me bc I love all those things but idk something didn’t click. the characters didn’t have much chemistry and honestly? they didn’t even seem to like eachother at all. (not in the enemies to lovers kinda way)
📖 quote —
”Her energy made me feel at ease, like I had known her for years rather than a few days.” 🎀
now this quote. this, I LOVED. it’s literally the only thing I have highlighted help.!!
you cannot tell me this isn’t giving lover:
have I known you twenty seconds, or twenty years?🤭
🫶🏼romance — tommy and maggie were pretty cutesie 🧸
I don’t actually have many complaints I just didn’t feel very committed to the story or particularly liked many characters. but generally, it is pretty adorable so there’s that <33
🥀 conclusion — would I recommend?probably not ❤️🩹 but taste is subjective so if this sounds like your thing, go for it!! it just wasn’t for me 💛
thank you to netgalley and 8th note press for this arc in exchange for an honest review!!
⟶ this was kinda cute actually ᝰ.ᐟ
💌 tropes — this is a fake dating, sports romance, with no smut.
🌺 thoughts — tbh this sounded like a sweet combo to me bc I love all those things but idk something didn’t click. the characters didn’t have much chemistry and honestly? they didn’t even seem to like eachother at all. (not in the enemies to lovers kinda way)
📖 quote —
”Her energy made me feel at ease, like I had known her for years rather than a few days.” 🎀
now this quote. this, I LOVED. it’s literally the only thing I have highlighted help.!!
you cannot tell me this isn’t giving lover:
have I known you twenty seconds, or twenty years?🤭
🫶🏼romance — tommy and maggie were pretty cutesie 🧸
I don’t actually have many complaints I just didn’t feel very committed to the story or particularly liked many characters. but generally, it is pretty adorable so there’s that <33
🥀 conclusion — would I recommend?probably not ❤️🩹 but taste is subjective so if this sounds like your thing, go for it!! it just wasn’t for me 💛
thank you to netgalley and 8th note press for this arc in exchange for an honest review!!
April 5, 2024
While there were some flaws in my opinion, I thought this was a nice intro to a new world with some possibility when looking ahead. With the book being under 300 pages, the plot happens pretty quickly. I liked the flaws of both characters and how they were addressed. One was the playboy of the MLB who is looking to reform. While our FMC is stuck in a pattern of grief and terrified to open herself up again in case of heartache. What starts as a PR nightmare swiftly becomes an opportunity for them both to get out of their comfort zone and test the waters with each other.
Maggie has her dream job. She is responsible for photos for the Chicago baseball teams social media. She likes it because she can enjoy the sport she loves and look at the beautiful eye candy around her. Key word is look not touch. But that changes when the new player, Tommy, shows up. Tommy who has a reputation for bringing a different woman home every night. Tommy who seems so confident on the field and completely out of Maggie's league. After they find themselves in a compromising position, the PR team comes up with a plan for them to fake date. This is a win win- they can control the narrative and help build up Tommy's new image in a new city. The only problem is that Maggie is wondering why she is signing up for something like this. She hasn't put herself out there in 4 years since tragedy struck. But this is all fake so it doesn't mean anything...or does it?
Tommy is in a new city working on a new image when he finds himself transfixed by Maggie on the team's social media squad. Then he ends being thrown into a fake relationship with her. He realizes that he wishes that this would actually be real between them so decides to turn the tables and treat Maggie like he would a real girlfriend. He is hoping she feels for him what he feels for her. He is hoping she is picking up on the hints he is throwing her way. He finds himself declaring that he wants this to be real between them but will she believe him? Will she open up like she hasn't in so long?
The few challenges I had were how fast everything happened BUT I get it because again it wasn't a very long book. The third act was miscommunication which luckily didn't drag on for too long. Also the spice was a little meh to me BUT once again that is my opinion. I see that this is the start to a series and am curious who will be next??
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Enjoy!!
Maggie has her dream job. She is responsible for photos for the Chicago baseball teams social media. She likes it because she can enjoy the sport she loves and look at the beautiful eye candy around her. Key word is look not touch. But that changes when the new player, Tommy, shows up. Tommy who has a reputation for bringing a different woman home every night. Tommy who seems so confident on the field and completely out of Maggie's league. After they find themselves in a compromising position, the PR team comes up with a plan for them to fake date. This is a win win- they can control the narrative and help build up Tommy's new image in a new city. The only problem is that Maggie is wondering why she is signing up for something like this. She hasn't put herself out there in 4 years since tragedy struck. But this is all fake so it doesn't mean anything...or does it?
Tommy is in a new city working on a new image when he finds himself transfixed by Maggie on the team's social media squad. Then he ends being thrown into a fake relationship with her. He realizes that he wishes that this would actually be real between them so decides to turn the tables and treat Maggie like he would a real girlfriend. He is hoping she feels for him what he feels for her. He is hoping she is picking up on the hints he is throwing her way. He finds himself declaring that he wants this to be real between them but will she believe him? Will she open up like she hasn't in so long?
The few challenges I had were how fast everything happened BUT I get it because again it wasn't a very long book. The third act was miscommunication which luckily didn't drag on for too long. Also the spice was a little meh to me BUT once again that is my opinion. I see that this is the start to a series and am curious who will be next??
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Enjoy!!
July 28, 2024
↳ 3 stars ◝ ˚
this is a sports, fake dating romance, thats closed door (tho it did get steamy in one scene)
the characters.
i didnt particularly love them. it felt like the author was trying to add depth, but then since this is a pretty short book and romance novels NEED to have happy endings, all the issues in their lives were solved within 0.465 seconds. it was also kind of hard to believe tommy's playboy backstory, because his demeanor and the way he acted did not ressemble that at all. as for the side characters, i liked jamil a lot he reminded me of gibsie from binding 13 and gibsie is probably my fave character in that series so i was very happy <3 i had very mixed feelings towards olivia, but she was a good friend towards the middle of the book until the end so i can appreciate that.
the romance.
unfortunately, the romance was very insta love, which i hate. i need the tension and the things to get the other person to like you. this was the opposite, because after literally 5 minutes of talking to her the mmc was already saying things like “maggie was unlike any woman i had ever seen. she was an explosion of energy.” thats insanity ! how do you know that much about a person just by looking at them 😭 pls tell me how i would love to know your fbi ways. no but seriously it felt so unbelievable. also, at the beginning of the book maggie kept saying things in her pov like oh i shouldnt get close to him ! hes a bad boy 😔 or the feel of his touch on my waist is magnificient ! but i should back away hes a bad boy 😔 like if hes THAT bad get tf away from him?? im just confused because you are a person of free will right?? im glad the main trope was fake dating tho, because i was seriously about to dnf if the whole book kept going like it had in the beginning.
conclusion.
overall, this wasnt bad just average and gave me a bit of second hand embarassement. i would recommend it if u like insta-love, but if u dont pls dont go into this thinking its a slowburn because its definitely not !
my biggest thank u to netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc in exchange for a honest review ! <3
this is a sports, fake dating romance, thats closed door (tho it did get steamy in one scene)
the characters.
i didnt particularly love them. it felt like the author was trying to add depth, but then since this is a pretty short book and romance novels NEED to have happy endings, all the issues in their lives were solved within 0.465 seconds. it was also kind of hard to believe tommy's playboy backstory, because his demeanor and the way he acted did not ressemble that at all. as for the side characters, i liked jamil a lot he reminded me of gibsie from binding 13 and gibsie is probably my fave character in that series so i was very happy <3 i had very mixed feelings towards olivia, but she was a good friend towards the middle of the book until the end so i can appreciate that.
the romance.
unfortunately, the romance was very insta love, which i hate. i need the tension and the things to get the other person to like you. this was the opposite, because after literally 5 minutes of talking to her the mmc was already saying things like “maggie was unlike any woman i had ever seen. she was an explosion of energy.” thats insanity ! how do you know that much about a person just by looking at them 😭 pls tell me how i would love to know your fbi ways. no but seriously it felt so unbelievable. also, at the beginning of the book maggie kept saying things in her pov like oh i shouldnt get close to him ! hes a bad boy 😔 or the feel of his touch on my waist is magnificient ! but i should back away hes a bad boy 😔 like if hes THAT bad get tf away from him?? im just confused because you are a person of free will right?? im glad the main trope was fake dating tho, because i was seriously about to dnf if the whole book kept going like it had in the beginning.
conclusion.
overall, this wasnt bad just average and gave me a bit of second hand embarassement. i would recommend it if u like insta-love, but if u dont pls dont go into this thinking its a slowburn because its definitely not !
my biggest thank u to netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc in exchange for a honest review ! <3
August 25, 2024
3 ˖⁺‧✮
“do you really want the only form of happiness you ever feel to be from a movie?”
“first base” is fake dating, sport romance (baseball).
i don’t think i’ve read any books where main characters are: player and photographer. and it was so cute! 📸
i really enjoyed reading the book, and i don’t even know how, but i finished it in one day. there were so many cute moments between main characters as well as chemistry and dual pov was adding enjoyment!!!
especially, i love the friendships between characters. Olivia and Maggie✨💗(please tell me the next book is Olivia’s!!!)
`✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹
what i didn’t like was miscommunication!!!!! i think this “trope” is pretty common in romance books, and personally, i don’t understand why authors love it so much? the conflict could have been solved in 5 minutes if she just stopped and listened to him.
another thing, which i don’t know where to include, is length of the book. it was short and fast, and as a reader, i wanted more moments at the end or more moments with tension at the beginning, when they just started “dating”. the plot was moving so fast, but i know a lot of people enjoy quick reads.
`✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹
quotes;
“it’s a game of failure and perseverance. a game that starts when the flowers first bloom and ends when the leaves fall from the trees.”
“i turned and took off running back where i came from, thoughts of needing to be a better person this year racing though my head.”
“i hated that i was the one that had made him feel that way. it was odd that some part of me didn’t want it disappoint him.”
“i don’t think it’s possible for me to want you and more than i do now. but i know i’ll wake up tomorrow and prove myself wrong.”
Thank you NetGalley and 8th Note Press for approving my request in exchange for an honest review
“do you really want the only form of happiness you ever feel to be from a movie?”
“first base” is fake dating, sport romance (baseball).
i don’t think i’ve read any books where main characters are: player and photographer. and it was so cute! 📸
i really enjoyed reading the book, and i don’t even know how, but i finished it in one day. there were so many cute moments between main characters as well as chemistry and dual pov was adding enjoyment!!!
especially, i love the friendships between characters. Olivia and Maggie✨💗(please tell me the next book is Olivia’s!!!)
`✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹
what i didn’t like was miscommunication!!!!! i think this “trope” is pretty common in romance books, and personally, i don’t understand why authors love it so much? the conflict could have been solved in 5 minutes if she just stopped and listened to him.
another thing, which i don’t know where to include, is length of the book. it was short and fast, and as a reader, i wanted more moments at the end or more moments with tension at the beginning, when they just started “dating”. the plot was moving so fast, but i know a lot of people enjoy quick reads.
`✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹
quotes;
“it’s a game of failure and perseverance. a game that starts when the flowers first bloom and ends when the leaves fall from the trees.”
“i turned and took off running back where i came from, thoughts of needing to be a better person this year racing though my head.”
“i hated that i was the one that had made him feel that way. it was odd that some part of me didn’t want it disappoint him.”
“i don’t think it’s possible for me to want you and more than i do now. but i know i’ll wake up tomorrow and prove myself wrong.”
Thank you NetGalley and 8th Note Press for approving my request in exchange for an honest review
March 18, 2024
3.5🌟
Thank you Netgalley and Ally Wiegland for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I loved this! It was so cute and the things they would say to each other were so cute and wholesome. This book is fade to black so there are no descriptive scenes but I was okay with it because the story was great! I love this concept it's very unique and I loved our fmc because she had a lot of depth emotions as she discovered how to love someone again. Our mmc was fine but I feel like his "bad boy" reputation was nonexistent and we didn't really see much development from him. Overall I loved this it was a cute, fluffy, and short pallet cleanser!
Thank you Netgalley and Ally Wiegland for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I loved this! It was so cute and the things they would say to each other were so cute and wholesome. This book is fade to black so there are no descriptive scenes but I was okay with it because the story was great! I love this concept it's very unique and I loved our fmc because she had a lot of depth emotions as she discovered how to love someone again. Our mmc was fine but I feel like his "bad boy" reputation was nonexistent and we didn't really see much development from him. Overall I loved this it was a cute, fluffy, and short pallet cleanser!
April 9, 2024
The set up was so much fun, who doesn't love a fake dating sports romance? This was a really easy, quick and fun read.
I enjoyed reading about both the characters, Tommy and Maggie each had their own backstories and depth that were more developed as the story progressed. They were both really sweet, so much so that I actually struggled to believe Tommy's "playboy" past...
Unfortunately, I also really struggled with the insta love. It is something I just can't overlook and really makes it difficult for me to root for these characters and believe in their relationship. Having someone head over heels in love with someone like 5% in is far too early for me personally. I needed more build up and tension. The 3rd act breakup was also slightly weak in my opinion, it just seemed like the classic misunderstanding / miscommunication which is fine in theory but I don't think it really adds much to the story as a whole.
Overall, if you are in need of a fun and easy sports romance I would definitely recommend.
Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I enjoyed reading about both the characters, Tommy and Maggie each had their own backstories and depth that were more developed as the story progressed. They were both really sweet, so much so that I actually struggled to believe Tommy's "playboy" past...
Unfortunately, I also really struggled with the insta love. It is something I just can't overlook and really makes it difficult for me to root for these characters and believe in their relationship. Having someone head over heels in love with someone like 5% in is far too early for me personally. I needed more build up and tension. The 3rd act breakup was also slightly weak in my opinion, it just seemed like the classic misunderstanding / miscommunication which is fine in theory but I don't think it really adds much to the story as a whole.
Overall, if you are in need of a fun and easy sports romance I would definitely recommend.
Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 2, 2024
“First Base” by Ally Wiegand was a cutesy baseball romance that’s so sweet you’ll need to see the dentist.🦷
It follows Maggie, a sports photographer, and Tommy, the newest baseball star and playboy, centred around a fake romance trope. It’s a sweet story that also tackles some deeper themes for our characters. It’s a quick and easy read.
However, I didn’t feel like the author hit a home run with this novel. The characters and the plot felt very surface-level, with me wanting a bigger connection to the characters. The third act of miscommunication I could have also done without. I’m not a huge fan of this trope in general, but it was just meh. 🫤
Overall, this is a short review of a short book of under 300 pages. It was an okay read, and I did have some moments that left me smiling, but it won’t leave a lasting impression, and I don’t think I’ll ever reach for it to read again. However, this is my opinion, and if you like light and fluffy sports romance, then this could be one for you.
𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝟴𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗰 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.
It follows Maggie, a sports photographer, and Tommy, the newest baseball star and playboy, centred around a fake romance trope. It’s a sweet story that also tackles some deeper themes for our characters. It’s a quick and easy read.
However, I didn’t feel like the author hit a home run with this novel. The characters and the plot felt very surface-level, with me wanting a bigger connection to the characters. The third act of miscommunication I could have also done without. I’m not a huge fan of this trope in general, but it was just meh. 🫤
Overall, this is a short review of a short book of under 300 pages. It was an okay read, and I did have some moments that left me smiling, but it won’t leave a lasting impression, and I don’t think I’ll ever reach for it to read again. However, this is my opinion, and if you like light and fluffy sports romance, then this could be one for you.
𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝟴𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗰 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.
April 1, 2024
(DNF at 20%)
I’m sorry, I really tried, but I just could not continue this. The number of times I got second-hand embarrassment from this book is wooow…😬😬
"𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙮. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙪𝙥-𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧—𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛.." YOU LITERALLY EXCHANGED LIKE WHAT?? 10 WORDS??? WHAT DO YOUUUU KNOW ABOUT HER???
I’m an insta-love hater till I die, so when he already thought about her this way (see quote) on page 17 YES!! SEVENTEEN!!! I cringed a lot. 😬✋🏼
So I’m really proud of myself for continuing this instead of DNF at that exact moment.
(At the end, I wish I had just DNFed it earlier on.)
And yes, I’ll add this to my read shelf. After all those goosebumps I got from this book, I gave myself the right to add it to my reads!! 😔✋🏼
I’m also in a review writing slump, so this is definitely not one of my favorite reviews that I have written. If I’m in the mood for it, I’ll rewrite it sometime. It’s 1 a.m., and my brain is not working really well today, so if you found some errors, no, you didn't. <333
𝚂𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎: 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝙼𝚈 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚈𝙾𝚄𝚁 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚛 𝚗𝚘𝚝.🫂
!!𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝟴𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 & 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗰 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄!!
April 10, 2024
Are you kidding me?! This was SO CUTE. What an incredible debut novel. This book was heartwarming, sweet, and emotional in all the best ways. I read First Base in one sitting because I was hooked on Maggie + Tommy’s story from the very beginning. These MC’s were both easy to connect with, and so lovable. I empathized with each of them. Having a front row seat as they healed themselves and found true happiness made my heart so happy.
⚾️ Baseball Romance
❤️ Fake Dating
🚪Closed Door
💕 Dual POV
✨ He Falls First
Thank you NetGalley and 8th Note Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
⚾️ Baseball Romance
❤️ Fake Dating
🚪Closed Door
💕 Dual POV
✨ He Falls First
Thank you NetGalley and 8th Note Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
March 12, 2024
This was so cute! It’s a fake dating baseball romance where the main characters are player and photographer (which I haven’t read before but loved! It should definitely be more common!).
It was a very good quick and cute romance read. Gets into it super far and could easily be read in one sitting. I would have but for some reason I decided to start reading it at midnight. I could definitely see this being a good romance to get you out of a slump as well.
It actually deals with a kinda emotional subject as well which I don’t want to spoil. It’s pretty obvious what happened once you start reading but that doesn’t make it any less sad. However, there is a happy ending to book as a whole in case anyone was wondering.
The two things that I didn’t love about this were that it was so short and Ty at there was miscommunication at the end. I wished there had been more scenes and moments because I loved the characters and the couple. However I do know that a lot of people love short and sweet romances more than long ones so if that you this would be perfect for you. The moments that were there were super adorable. The miscommunication trope is not one that I love, but because this book was so short, it got resolved pretty fast and so it wasn’t as obnoxious or agonizing as usual so the fact that the book was short, in this case actually helped it.
The MMC Tommy Mikals was so thoughtful and supportive. I loved how much he cared for Maggie and how much he made it clear that he loved her and that wasn’t. I loved that he was so open and honest. He shared his feelings in return was a really good listener when Maggie needed to share things. He was super understanding and patient with Maggie. So helpful and sweet. he did all of the little things and treated her as if she was his whole world. He’s definitely book boyfriend material and the type of guy we’re all looking for in a real boyfriend. It helps too that he is a hot athlete lol.
I also loved Maggie the FMC. She had such a fun energy. I love how her brain thought and considered, and looked at the world around her. It was cool to see that from like a photographers perspective as she found the perfect moment and everything. I loved watching her grow trust and open up herself to him as well as to others. I loved her friendship with Olivia. Olivia was a great best friend and it seemed like they had a great relationship. That was definitely one part where I was sad that the book was so short because I wish that, it had been longer so that I could’ve had more scenes with Olivia. I loved their friendship so much. Watching Maggie heel was an awesome journey to be on, and I also loved watching her stand up for herself and stand up for Tommy. I loved when she’d support him and comfort him and when she made sure Tommy’s dad stayed in line.
Overall, I feel like these two made a great super adorable couple. I loved all of their cute moments together. To be honest and never really felt like they were “fake dating“ because we got both of their point of views (if you know me, you know I love dual POV for romance) and in both of their point of views, they were always talking about how they felt things for the other and what they thought of the other, so it never really seemed fake, which also helped since it was so short. I loved the characters of Adam and Jamil. Again, I wish the book could just been longer so there could’ve been more scenes with them. I would’ve loved to seen not only their friendship with Tommy expanded on and some like bro moments but also would’ve loved to see Jamil‘s relationship with Maggie because that was super cute and kind of like a brother sister thing that could’ve been something that made the book even better if there had been enough page time.
In the end, this was a super short, super cute, super sweet, fake dating sports romance book that I would definitely recommend to anybody looking for something like this or trying to get out of a slump or just needing that like quick read to get them back on track. I think this was a super good book, especially for the authors debut. I can’t wait to read more of her books. As I hope Jamil and/or Olivia get their own as well!
Thank you to the author and to NetGalley for the eARC!
It was a very good quick and cute romance read. Gets into it super far and could easily be read in one sitting. I would have but for some reason I decided to start reading it at midnight. I could definitely see this being a good romance to get you out of a slump as well.
It actually deals with a kinda emotional subject as well which I don’t want to spoil. It’s pretty obvious what happened once you start reading but that doesn’t make it any less sad. However, there is a happy ending to book as a whole in case anyone was wondering.
The two things that I didn’t love about this were that it was so short and Ty at there was miscommunication at the end. I wished there had been more scenes and moments because I loved the characters and the couple. However I do know that a lot of people love short and sweet romances more than long ones so if that you this would be perfect for you. The moments that were there were super adorable. The miscommunication trope is not one that I love, but because this book was so short, it got resolved pretty fast and so it wasn’t as obnoxious or agonizing as usual so the fact that the book was short, in this case actually helped it.
The MMC Tommy Mikals was so thoughtful and supportive. I loved how much he cared for Maggie and how much he made it clear that he loved her and that wasn’t. I loved that he was so open and honest. He shared his feelings in return was a really good listener when Maggie needed to share things. He was super understanding and patient with Maggie. So helpful and sweet. he did all of the little things and treated her as if she was his whole world. He’s definitely book boyfriend material and the type of guy we’re all looking for in a real boyfriend. It helps too that he is a hot athlete lol.
I also loved Maggie the FMC. She had such a fun energy. I love how her brain thought and considered, and looked at the world around her. It was cool to see that from like a photographers perspective as she found the perfect moment and everything. I loved watching her grow trust and open up herself to him as well as to others. I loved her friendship with Olivia. Olivia was a great best friend and it seemed like they had a great relationship. That was definitely one part where I was sad that the book was so short because I wish that, it had been longer so that I could’ve had more scenes with Olivia. I loved their friendship so much. Watching Maggie heel was an awesome journey to be on, and I also loved watching her stand up for herself and stand up for Tommy. I loved when she’d support him and comfort him and when she made sure Tommy’s dad stayed in line.
Overall, I feel like these two made a great super adorable couple. I loved all of their cute moments together. To be honest and never really felt like they were “fake dating“ because we got both of their point of views (if you know me, you know I love dual POV for romance) and in both of their point of views, they were always talking about how they felt things for the other and what they thought of the other, so it never really seemed fake, which also helped since it was so short. I loved the characters of Adam and Jamil. Again, I wish the book could just been longer so there could’ve been more scenes with them. I would’ve loved to seen not only their friendship with Tommy expanded on and some like bro moments but also would’ve loved to see Jamil‘s relationship with Maggie because that was super cute and kind of like a brother sister thing that could’ve been something that made the book even better if there had been enough page time.
In the end, this was a super short, super cute, super sweet, fake dating sports romance book that I would definitely recommend to anybody looking for something like this or trying to get out of a slump or just needing that like quick read to get them back on track. I think this was a super good book, especially for the authors debut. I can’t wait to read more of her books. As I hope Jamil and/or Olivia get their own as well!
Thank you to the author and to NetGalley for the eARC!
Read
September 13, 2024rtc!!
April 28, 2024
I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I first selected this from the NetGalley catalog because it featured an interesting premise. A sports photographer and a hot tatted baseball player? I had never read this combination before and it seemed like a match made in Fenway. While the plot was unique, the writing was woefully underwhelming. I was told rather than shown how electric their chemistry was at first sight. This romance felt really basic. I hate saying that but this book didn't stand out to me.
I'm still relatively new to sports romances and haven't gotten my cleats dirty on this particular subgenre. I liked Fangirl Down and MacRieve, but those are the only ones that come to mind. Perhaps the major issue is that I don't gravitate towards sports in my personal life. I'll be honest: whenever I go to a sports arena, it's for the men in tight uniforms, not the game. First Base had its moments, but I imagine that I would be more invested if I actually cared about baseball. I couldn't tell you one single player on my city's MLB team. I did like learning about the behind the scenes aspects as a sports photographer, yet this romance had me snoozing in right field waiting for some action.
I took a chance on running to First Base and the umpire struck me out. I don't think I'll pursue this author or any baseball romances in the near future. It didn't work well for me because I don't think I'm the target audience. Load me up with hot dogs or popcorn, but I don't go to the stadium for the baseball game. It was a great opportunity to read this advanced copy, even if it was a foul ball. Nice try, First Base, but three strikes you're out!
I first selected this from the NetGalley catalog because it featured an interesting premise. A sports photographer and a hot tatted baseball player? I had never read this combination before and it seemed like a match made in Fenway. While the plot was unique, the writing was woefully underwhelming. I was told rather than shown how electric their chemistry was at first sight. This romance felt really basic. I hate saying that but this book didn't stand out to me.
I'm still relatively new to sports romances and haven't gotten my cleats dirty on this particular subgenre. I liked Fangirl Down and MacRieve, but those are the only ones that come to mind. Perhaps the major issue is that I don't gravitate towards sports in my personal life. I'll be honest: whenever I go to a sports arena, it's for the men in tight uniforms, not the game. First Base had its moments, but I imagine that I would be more invested if I actually cared about baseball. I couldn't tell you one single player on my city's MLB team. I did like learning about the behind the scenes aspects as a sports photographer, yet this romance had me snoozing in right field waiting for some action.
I took a chance on running to First Base and the umpire struck me out. I don't think I'll pursue this author or any baseball romances in the near future. It didn't work well for me because I don't think I'm the target audience. Load me up with hot dogs or popcorn, but I don't go to the stadium for the baseball game. It was a great opportunity to read this advanced copy, even if it was a foul ball. Nice try, First Base, but three strikes you're out!
March 18, 2024
I was really excited to read this sports romance and thought it was a great story for a debut novel. I enjoyed the fake dating, that trope has always been a favorite of mine! I liked that the main characters had interesting backstories that gave them more depth than just the romance. It also made it easier to connect with them throughout the book. I liked seeing Maggie navigate through her grief and Tommy grow out of his wild past.
I’m not a big fan of the instalove and miscommunication tropes, which is why i’m giving this book 3 stars. The conflict could’ve been resolved more quickly if the fmc would’ve just listened to the mmc and i thought the third act breakup was unnecessary but overall it was a solid debut!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I’m not a big fan of the instalove and miscommunication tropes, which is why i’m giving this book 3 stars. The conflict could’ve been resolved more quickly if the fmc would’ve just listened to the mmc and i thought the third act breakup was unnecessary but overall it was a solid debut!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 7, 2024
This is probably one of my favorite tropes, the 'no, I don't date' to 'falling' to 'in love'. This is the perfect summer read for any chick lit/romancey kind of readers out there.
From being set in Chicago, to baseball (just the right amount of sports/dating/regular life kind of vibe) to the fake dating, to falling in love, this book has it all. Super easy and quick read.
I really enjoyed getting to read this one, and cannot wait to see what the rest of the series will be like!
Thank you NetGalley for me E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
From being set in Chicago, to baseball (just the right amount of sports/dating/regular life kind of vibe) to the fake dating, to falling in love, this book has it all. Super easy and quick read.
I really enjoyed getting to read this one, and cannot wait to see what the rest of the series will be like!
Thank you NetGalley for me E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2024
SO SO CUTE!!! I’ve really been craving a baseball romance, especially since there’s not many I can find audiobooks of AND it’s also currently baseball season, so I was super excited to find this one. I absolutely loved these two characters and their romance. It was such a sweet and fun book, and totally perfect for this time of year! I feel like even if you’re not a huge baseball fan, you’ll still absolutely enjoy it.
April 14, 2024
“Do you only watch romance movies?” Tommy asked.
“They’re my favorite” I replied.
“I think they are starting to become mine.” He replied
Thank you to 8th Note Press, Netgalley, and Ally Wiegand for giving me access to this amazing ARC!
This book was so adorable, and as a tattooed girl, I love the fact that he had tattoos. I love the character development and how much they grew over the course of this book, and the fact it was only 230 pages was amazing too. Go read this book when it comes out, April 23rd!
“They’re my favorite” I replied.
“I think they are starting to become mine.” He replied
Thank you to 8th Note Press, Netgalley, and Ally Wiegand for giving me access to this amazing ARC!
This book was so adorable, and as a tattooed girl, I love the fact that he had tattoos. I love the character development and how much they grew over the course of this book, and the fact it was only 230 pages was amazing too. Go read this book when it comes out, April 23rd!
Read
April 16, 2024You’ll love First Base if you like:
✨ sports romance
✨ fake dating
✨ mlb player x team photographer
✨ golden retriever mmc
✨ only one bed
✨️ sweet vs spicy
This book contains discussions of grief, loss of a partner, past alcohol abuse, anxiety and panic attacks. Please read with care.
I hope you enjoy Maggie and Tommy!
✨ sports romance
✨ fake dating
✨ mlb player x team photographer
✨ golden retriever mmc
✨ only one bed
✨️ sweet vs spicy
This book contains discussions of grief, loss of a partner, past alcohol abuse, anxiety and panic attacks. Please read with care.
I hope you enjoy Maggie and Tommy!
June 25, 2024
please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: a couple moderately open-door spicy scenes, but mostly closed door
TWs: anxiety, car accident (fatal), cheating, guilt
standalone: book 1 in the Chicago Heartbreakers series
final thoughts: what a great book! So many great friendships and side characters to combat lots of grief and loss. From their initial meet-cute to their epilogue their story was full pf pining, laughs, and tender moments.
I love a reformed bad boy falling for a broken girl and loving her through her pain.
read this book if you love
😬 angst
🍿 celebrity
💬 epistolary
💏 fake dating
😳 forbidden lovers (coworkers)
🏝️ forced proximity
🧑🤝🧑 great side characters
👦 he falls first and hard
🤫 hidden secrets
💞 mutual pining
😎 reformed bad boy
💓 slowburn
⚾ sports romance (baseball)
🌍 world building
💼 workplace romance
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: a couple moderately open-door spicy scenes, but mostly closed door
TWs: anxiety, car accident (fatal), cheating, guilt
standalone: book 1 in the Chicago Heartbreakers series
final thoughts: what a great book! So many great friendships and side characters to combat lots of grief and loss. From their initial meet-cute to their epilogue their story was full pf pining, laughs, and tender moments.
I love a reformed bad boy falling for a broken girl and loving her through her pain.
read this book if you love
😬 angst
🍿 celebrity
💬 epistolary
💏 fake dating
😳 forbidden lovers (coworkers)
🏝️ forced proximity
🧑🤝🧑 great side characters
👦 he falls first and hard
🤫 hidden secrets
💞 mutual pining
😎 reformed bad boy
💓 slowburn
⚾ sports romance (baseball)
🌍 world building
💼 workplace romance
January 21, 2025
Clearing out the NetGalley backlog and… this one just didn’t hit.
📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: First Base by Ali Wiegand
📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Chicago Heartbreakers character series. Book 1.
📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶��𝘀: E-book ARC from Netgalley and audiobook through Hoopla.
📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Sports romance
📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Baseball, reformed bad boy, grief journey, fake dating.
📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Tommy is the bad boy of baseball who is trying to shed his image. Maggie is the team photographer. They’re seen together by the press and forced into a PR relationship to help both of their careers.
🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: Try as I might, I just couldn’t get into this book.
The book writing was just ok, but outside of that the story just felt forced. A lot of miscommunication that made my eyes roll. It kind of felt like one of those romances that just “check the boxes” - tragic backstories, one bed, emotional moments, miscommunication leading to a third act breakup.
It didn’t help that the audio had some editing issues as well, which distracted me several times.
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 2.5/5 🌶🌶
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: First Base by Ali Wiegand
📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Chicago Heartbreakers character series. Book 1.
📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶��𝘀: E-book ARC from Netgalley and audiobook through Hoopla.
📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Sports romance
📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Baseball, reformed bad boy, grief journey, fake dating.
📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Tommy is the bad boy of baseball who is trying to shed his image. Maggie is the team photographer. They’re seen together by the press and forced into a PR relationship to help both of their careers.
🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: Try as I might, I just couldn’t get into this book.
The book writing was just ok, but outside of that the story just felt forced. A lot of miscommunication that made my eyes roll. It kind of felt like one of those romances that just “check the boxes” - tragic backstories, one bed, emotional moments, miscommunication leading to a third act breakup.
It didn’t help that the audio had some editing issues as well, which distracted me several times.
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 2.5/5 🌶🌶
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
April 10, 2024
Thank you to 8th Note Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was a lovely debut novel, and set the stage perfectly for the series to continue. Ally created an extremely likeable cast of characters, who I look forward to continuing to read about.
I love that Tommy fell for Maggie first, and I loved the way they each helped the other overcome obstacles from their past. There is a lot of healing that happens for them individually and as they start to fall for each other. I did feel like the relationship turned from fake to real pretty quickly, and I would have liked to see it have some more time to develop. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and a super sweet love story that had depth!
Tropes include:
-reformed bad boy
-baseball player and team photographer
-fake dating
-forced proximity
-insta love
-he falls first and harder
-dual POV
-overcoming grief and trauma
This was a lovely debut novel, and set the stage perfectly for the series to continue. Ally created an extremely likeable cast of characters, who I look forward to continuing to read about.
I love that Tommy fell for Maggie first, and I loved the way they each helped the other overcome obstacles from their past. There is a lot of healing that happens for them individually and as they start to fall for each other. I did feel like the relationship turned from fake to real pretty quickly, and I would have liked to see it have some more time to develop. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and a super sweet love story that had depth!
Tropes include:
-reformed bad boy
-baseball player and team photographer
-fake dating
-forced proximity
-insta love
-he falls first and harder
-dual POV
-overcoming grief and trauma
April 12, 2024
First Base is a fake dating baseball romance between a photographer and a “bad boy” baseball player.
There were a few things I really enjoyed about this one. Firstly, who doesn’t love baseball? It is definitely one of my favorite sports and I loved reading about it in this book. I also loved that it was based in Chicago (I’m from the suburbs)! Chicago has such a rich sports history and this book really shows that as well. I thought the relationship was cute and there was a lot of chemistry. This book also examines grief a bit and moving on. I loved how everything wrapped up as well.
I would recommend this for anyone looking for a sports romance! This was a cute quick read that the romance girlies are going to enjoy! Baseball season just started so it is the perfect time to read this!
Thanks so much to netgalley and 8th note press for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
There were a few things I really enjoyed about this one. Firstly, who doesn’t love baseball? It is definitely one of my favorite sports and I loved reading about it in this book. I also loved that it was based in Chicago (I’m from the suburbs)! Chicago has such a rich sports history and this book really shows that as well. I thought the relationship was cute and there was a lot of chemistry. This book also examines grief a bit and moving on. I loved how everything wrapped up as well.
I would recommend this for anyone looking for a sports romance! This was a cute quick read that the romance girlies are going to enjoy! Baseball season just started so it is the perfect time to read this!
Thanks so much to netgalley and 8th note press for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
April 4, 2024
I’m really sorry, I just couldn’t finish this.
Insta love is really not for me and I can’t get over the misogynistic undertones of that salad scene 😭 why, in 2024, are we still getting books where women ordering a salad is an excuse for them not being worthy of the Mmc’s love??
I also felt misled by the synopsis. I was expecting an MMC who didn’t want to commit but instead find out he’s basically already love with her on page 17 and has a history of committing to relationships.
Seemed like a cute story and idea, the writing style just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Insta love is really not for me and I can’t get over the misogynistic undertones of that salad scene 😭 why, in 2024, are we still getting books where women ordering a salad is an excuse for them not being worthy of the Mmc’s love??
I also felt misled by the synopsis. I was expecting an MMC who didn’t want to commit but instead find out he’s basically already love with her on page 17 and has a history of committing to relationships.
Seemed like a cute story and idea, the writing style just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2024
This was an adorable fake dating debut romance between Maggie, the team's photographer and Tommy, the recently traded star player with a bad reputation. I am a sucker for a good fake dating sports romance and this one hit all the right notes for me! Full of heart, lots of emotions and a swoony love story to boot. Perfect for fans of authors like Liz Tomforde or Sarah Adams' The cheat sheet. I'm excited to red the next book in the Chicago Heartbreakers series! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digtal copy in exchange for my honest review!
Steam level: mostly PG/fade to black (mild details)
Steam level: mostly PG/fade to black (mild details)
March 29, 2024
I could not put this book down!! I’m a sucker for a good sports romance! I literally devoured the book. The plot was so good. Maggie’s development throughout the book was so rewarding it had you hooked from the very beginning. I absolutely loved this book! One of my favorite reads of the year!
June 20, 2024
I was lucky enough to have my first goodreads win with this baseball romance ⚾️ which is also her debut book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- a very cute love story and my favorite a fake relationship 😍😬
1/5 🌶️
Troupes:
- Fake relationship
- He falls first
- sports romance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- a very cute love story and my favorite a fake relationship 😍😬
1/5 🌶️
Troupes:
- Fake relationship
- He falls first
- sports romance
March 29, 2024
i didn't want to put this book down! i LOVE sports romances and found this one to be so cute/wholesome. this was seriously such a good fake dating book and it was so easy to read.
i cannot wait to read more of ally's books in the future! thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!!
i cannot wait to read more of ally's books in the future! thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!!
April 23, 2024
“𝓘𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝔀𝓸 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓵𝔂 𝓲𝓶𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓮𝓬𝓽 𝓹𝓮𝓸𝓹𝓵𝓮 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓱 𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝓵.”
Rating: ★★★★☆
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧. fake dating and a sports romance is always a great combination. maggie and tommy had a chemistry that was playful and entertaining, but there was also an underlying tension to their relationship due to events in their past and in their present. this book was a great example of trauma/PTSD rep, and how having the right person in your life can help when that trauma feels overwhelming. all of this was tastefully mixed with the cutesy side of a sports romance. i loved that it was a baseball romance, since I feel like I don’t see that done very often. in the words of the author…
“𝒽𝑜𝓌 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒷𝑒 𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒾𝒸 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝒷𝒶𝓈𝑒𝒷𝒶𝓁𝓁?”
Rating: ★★★★☆
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐱𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧. fake dating and a sports romance is always a great combination. maggie and tommy had a chemistry that was playful and entertaining, but there was also an underlying tension to their relationship due to events in their past and in their present. this book was a great example of trauma/PTSD rep, and how having the right person in your life can help when that trauma feels overwhelming. all of this was tastefully mixed with the cutesy side of a sports romance. i loved that it was a baseball romance, since I feel like I don’t see that done very often. in the words of the author…
“𝒽𝑜𝓌 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒷𝑒 𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒾𝒸 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝒷𝒶𝓈𝑒𝒷𝒶𝓁𝓁?”
March 13, 2024
3.5/5
This is a very sweet love story. This is for the people who love a cozy romance that gets emotional.
I loved Maggie as a FMC. Her grief and her being stuck in it was so real. I felt for her so deeply.
Tommy was a great MMC. You could also feel how he was feeling defeated. He lost sight of his dreams and it was almost too late for him to save them.
I thought they were really cute together. They supported each other completely. They were a perfect match for one another.
I really loved the epilogue! ‘How could you not be romantic about baseball?’ The way this book described their love for baseball was really special. I loved it.
Overall, this is a sweet and quick read. I wanted to read it because I saw it was a debut for the author. I do think you can kind of feel that it’s a debut novel but it was good. I can’t wait to read more of her work. I hope certain side characters get their own story! Aka Olivia and Jamil.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher: I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a very sweet love story. This is for the people who love a cozy romance that gets emotional.
I loved Maggie as a FMC. Her grief and her being stuck in it was so real. I felt for her so deeply.
Tommy was a great MMC. You could also feel how he was feeling defeated. He lost sight of his dreams and it was almost too late for him to save them.
I thought they were really cute together. They supported each other completely. They were a perfect match for one another.
I really loved the epilogue! ‘How could you not be romantic about baseball?’ The way this book described their love for baseball was really special. I loved it.
Overall, this is a sweet and quick read. I wanted to read it because I saw it was a debut for the author. I do think you can kind of feel that it’s a debut novel but it was good. I can’t wait to read more of her work. I hope certain side characters get their own story! Aka Olivia and Jamil.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher: I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
March 29, 2024
I loved this book so much! From the fake-dating, to the coworkers and one-bed trope, this was so good!!! I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a good romance novel that's sweet but has some underlying heavier themes that make it meaningful.
Plot Summary: Maggie Redford works as a photographer for Chicago's baseball team, the Cougars. Tommy Mikals is the star player of the team, recently transferred from San Diego because of his playboy image- and he'll do whatever it takes to reverse that image now that he's signed with the Cougars. However, when a(n innocuous yet misinterpreted) photo of the two of them goes viral, the Cougars' PR team steps in, and Maggie and Tommy must date otherwise their jobs are on the line.
General Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book! The fake-dating trope was done well, but there wasn't too much angst between the is-it-real-or-is-it-not, which I actually ended up enjoying because then there was more time to explore their relationship. The fake-dating was good and I thought there was a nice transition into the start of their actual relationship- you could really tell where it started to become real.
Characters: Tommy Mikals was absolutely so great in so many ways... but also, I found it hard for me to be sympathetic. He is essentially a playboy because he was exposed to money and had access to opportunities where he could make mistakes so early on in his life. While I certainly understand that this is a real issue, and definitely a real struggle, it did feel like an excuse. Because, after all, he did have the autonomy to stop making those decisions- which he eventually did- but not after he was traded and his career was on the line. However, I did find his actions towards Maggie during their relationship very commendable. I especially enjoyed how he was a guiding force in helping her overcome her past relationship and help her find the support she needed there. There was no nonsense jealousy or anything over her former partner, just constant support which I really appreciated. I also usually like novels where the male character falls first, and Tommy did seem to do so here, with Maggie being mostly oblivious.
Maggie Redford was honestly a character I really loved. She seemed very true and genuinely honest, and I could feel her emotions. Her backstory was handled very well, and I did get emotional over it. The way she was able to grow from it yet also acknowledge it was really nice to read. Honestly there's not much else for me to say about her other than that I loved her so much!
Notes: This book did surprise me when it deviated from the lighthearted premise to delve into some heavier topics! There were some potentially triggering things, including the death of a partner (off-page but referenced) as a result of a traumatizing car accident. While that was a really devastating event, the author made this special, and they character didn't just learn to live with it but learned and progressed with it- coping in a way that helped them too. There was a really powerful message about moving on from grief and learning to cope and handle it- which I think could have been more developed, but it was still meaningful to me- and how you can revisit past events to help you in the future. Additionally, I think that saying that her previous partner was a love of her life, but in a different way than Tommy, dispelled the "there is only one" notion that seems so frivolous and unlikely but also justifies having found someone that is perfect for you- because there are many different people who can be "perfect" (or even imperfect in a good way) for you.
One of my complaints is the writing style, which isn't unique to this book, but seems to be increasingly coming up in the romance books I've been reading. I just feel that for a book with mature content (there was not too much, but it was still explicit enough to me to maybe be considered in the "new adult" category), the writing was very simplistic. There were not enough thorough descriptors for me to be fully immersed in their world, and just the writing style (words used, sentence structure, etc.) felt like it was written in a very juvenile manner.
In addition to needing more detail on the finer points in the writing, I also would have enjoyed more content overall. This book felt rather short and I was left wanting some more detail/explanation on a lot of the events. I really loved the ideas, but some scenes felt cut off and then fast forwarded.
Other: This book is listed as "Book 1 of Chicago Heartbreakers" so I am really looking forward to a book 2 (even 3 or 4 maybe? I would read however many come out honestly!) I absolutely need more to go on for both Olivia and Jamil's story, even Olivia's sister (she's in sports too slightly so I think that could totally happen). For a debut book, this was really wonderful and I can't wait to see more from this author and this series specifically.
This was such a great read! 4.5/5 stars!
Thank you NetGalley and 8th Note Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Plot Summary: Maggie Redford works as a photographer for Chicago's baseball team, the Cougars. Tommy Mikals is the star player of the team, recently transferred from San Diego because of his playboy image- and he'll do whatever it takes to reverse that image now that he's signed with the Cougars. However, when a(n innocuous yet misinterpreted) photo of the two of them goes viral, the Cougars' PR team steps in, and Maggie and Tommy must date otherwise their jobs are on the line.
General Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book! The fake-dating trope was done well, but there wasn't too much angst between the is-it-real-or-is-it-not, which I actually ended up enjoying because then there was more time to explore their relationship. The fake-dating was good and I thought there was a nice transition into the start of their actual relationship- you could really tell where it started to become real.
Characters: Tommy Mikals was absolutely so great in so many ways... but also, I found it hard for me to be sympathetic. He is essentially a playboy because he was exposed to money and had access to opportunities where he could make mistakes so early on in his life. While I certainly understand that this is a real issue, and definitely a real struggle, it did feel like an excuse. Because, after all, he did have the autonomy to stop making those decisions- which he eventually did- but not after he was traded and his career was on the line. However, I did find his actions towards Maggie during their relationship very commendable. I especially enjoyed how he was a guiding force in helping her overcome her past relationship and help her find the support she needed there. There was no nonsense jealousy or anything over her former partner, just constant support which I really appreciated. I also usually like novels where the male character falls first, and Tommy did seem to do so here, with Maggie being mostly oblivious.
Maggie Redford was honestly a character I really loved. She seemed very true and genuinely honest, and I could feel her emotions. Her backstory was handled very well, and I did get emotional over it. The way she was able to grow from it yet also acknowledge it was really nice to read. Honestly there's not much else for me to say about her other than that I loved her so much!
Notes: This book did surprise me when it deviated from the lighthearted premise to delve into some heavier topics! There were some potentially triggering things, including the death of a partner (off-page but referenced) as a result of a traumatizing car accident. While that was a really devastating event, the author made this special, and they character didn't just learn to live with it but learned and progressed with it- coping in a way that helped them too. There was a really powerful message about moving on from grief and learning to cope and handle it- which I think could have been more developed, but it was still meaningful to me- and how you can revisit past events to help you in the future. Additionally, I think that saying that her previous partner was a love of her life, but in a different way than Tommy, dispelled the "there is only one" notion that seems so frivolous and unlikely but also justifies having found someone that is perfect for you- because there are many different people who can be "perfect" (or even imperfect in a good way) for you.
One of my complaints is the writing style, which isn't unique to this book, but seems to be increasingly coming up in the romance books I've been reading. I just feel that for a book with mature content (there was not too much, but it was still explicit enough to me to maybe be considered in the "new adult" category), the writing was very simplistic. There were not enough thorough descriptors for me to be fully immersed in their world, and just the writing style (words used, sentence structure, etc.) felt like it was written in a very juvenile manner.
In addition to needing more detail on the finer points in the writing, I also would have enjoyed more content overall. This book felt rather short and I was left wanting some more detail/explanation on a lot of the events. I really loved the ideas, but some scenes felt cut off and then fast forwarded.
Other: This book is listed as "Book 1 of Chicago Heartbreakers" so I am really looking forward to a book 2 (even 3 or 4 maybe? I would read however many come out honestly!) I absolutely need more to go on for both Olivia and Jamil's story, even Olivia's sister (she's in sports too slightly so I think that could totally happen). For a debut book, this was really wonderful and I can't wait to see more from this author and this series specifically.
This was such a great read! 4.5/5 stars!
Thank you NetGalley and 8th Note Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
May 5, 2024
Star Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Spice Rating: 2/5 🌶️
What to Expect:
- Baseball Romance
- Baseball Player x Team Photographer
- Fake Dating
- Reformed Playboy
- Golden Retriever MMC
- Forced Proximity
- Insta Love
- He Falls First
- Love After Loss
- Dual POV
First Base is a heartwarming read and a solid debut from author Ally Wiegand. This story follows Maggie, a photographer for the Chicago Cougars, and Tommy, the bad boy, hotshot, new addition to the team. A viral club photo puts Tommy and Maggie in an interesting position. Tommy already has a bad reputation, and this compromising photo does not do him any favors. The PR team for the Cougars comes up with a fake dating plan to help clean up Tommy's reputation.
Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and I loved how it played out in this story. Tommy and Maggie were so good together. They are likable characters, and I couldn't help but root for them. I always enjoy it when a romance story is more than just a romance. Both Maggie and Tommy have traumas they are working through, and both experience growth throughout the story. I loved how they supported and genuinely cared about each other.
Overall, this was a quick and fun read. The characters are well-developed, and the story is well-written. I recommend First Base to those looking for a short, cute sports romance with a great ending.
Thanks to Ally Wiegand, 8th Note Press, and NetGalley for the eARC. Opinions expressed are my own.
Spice Rating: 2/5 🌶️
What to Expect:
- Baseball Romance
- Baseball Player x Team Photographer
- Fake Dating
- Reformed Playboy
- Golden Retriever MMC
- Forced Proximity
- Insta Love
- He Falls First
- Love After Loss
- Dual POV
First Base is a heartwarming read and a solid debut from author Ally Wiegand. This story follows Maggie, a photographer for the Chicago Cougars, and Tommy, the bad boy, hotshot, new addition to the team. A viral club photo puts Tommy and Maggie in an interesting position. Tommy already has a bad reputation, and this compromising photo does not do him any favors. The PR team for the Cougars comes up with a fake dating plan to help clean up Tommy's reputation.
Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and I loved how it played out in this story. Tommy and Maggie were so good together. They are likable characters, and I couldn't help but root for them. I always enjoy it when a romance story is more than just a romance. Both Maggie and Tommy have traumas they are working through, and both experience growth throughout the story. I loved how they supported and genuinely cared about each other.
Overall, this was a quick and fun read. The characters are well-developed, and the story is well-written. I recommend First Base to those looking for a short, cute sports romance with a great ending.
Thanks to Ally Wiegand, 8th Note Press, and NetGalley for the eARC. Opinions expressed are my own.
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