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New York Saints #5
Playing Fast
THREE STRIKES AND HE’S OUT…
When baseball bad-boy Finn Castro raises one eyebrow too many, the Saints send him down to the minors. He’ll have to earn back his major-league dreams with the Sarasota Springs Preachers. Finn’s certainly never claimed to be a man of the cloth, and cleaning up his act isn’t going to be easy with stunning Eva Harlowe at the heart of the team’s administration…
UNTIL SHE THROWS A CURVEBALL
Eva knows having a crush on Finn Castro is about as sensible as wishing for an eighth day of the week, but seeing the gorgeously muscled player in person melts her resolve. If she’s planning to leave baseball at the end of the season, a hot fling could be a fantasy home run. But when no-strings sex begins to feel like a perfect partnership, will Finn and Eva choose the love of the game or real life together?
When baseball bad-boy Finn Castro raises one eyebrow too many, the Saints send him down to the minors. He’ll have to earn back his major-league dreams with the Sarasota Springs Preachers. Finn’s certainly never claimed to be a man of the cloth, and cleaning up his act isn’t going to be easy with stunning Eva Harlowe at the heart of the team’s administration…
UNTIL SHE THROWS A CURVEBALL
Eva knows having a crush on Finn Castro is about as sensible as wishing for an eighth day of the week, but seeing the gorgeously muscled player in person melts her resolve. If she’s planning to leave baseball at the end of the season, a hot fling could be a fantasy home run. But when no-strings sex begins to feel like a perfect partnership, will Finn and Eva choose the love of the game or real life together?
302 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2016
23 people are currently reading
573 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Scott
18 books163 followersMelanie Scott is an unrepentant bookworm. Luckily she grew up in a family that fed her a properly varied diet of books and these days is surrounded by people who are understanding of her story addiction. When not wrestling one of her own stories to the ground, she can generally be found reading someone else’s. Her other distractions include yarn, cat butlering, dark chocolate and fabric. She lives in Melbourne, Australia. Her website is www.mjscott.net.
You can find her on:
Or Facebook: www.facebook.com/writermelaniescott
Or Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/mel_writes
Or Instagram: www.instagram.com/melwrites
She also writes romantic fantasy and urban fantasy as M.J. Scott. www.mjscott.net.
Sadly she is not the Melanie Scott who authors stuff about the Marvel Universe (because that sounds fun!), or journals. Sometimes that Melanie's books get added to her profile by folks...but she didn't write them.
You can find her on:
Or Facebook: www.facebook.com/writermelaniescott
Or Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/mel_writes
Or Instagram: www.instagram.com/melwrites
She also writes romantic fantasy and urban fantasy as M.J. Scott. www.mjscott.net.
Sadly she is not the Melanie Scott who authors stuff about the Marvel Universe (because that sounds fun!), or journals. Sometimes that Melanie's books get added to her profile by folks...but she didn't write them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
August 21, 2016
3.5 Back to the Minors Stars
Eva Harlowe wants out. Away from her job as the go to girl for the Saratoga Preachers and away from her family responsibilities. Now thirty two and after spending all of her adult life raising her three sisters after her parents died in a horrible accident, Eva’s ready to finally live for herself and follow her dreams. If that means she heads to California and finally realizes her goal of studying with one of the best photographers in the world, well then hell yes to that! And if the smokin’ hot ball player she’s harbored a crush on for years suddenly enters her orbit, she’ll just have to ignore her quivering lady parts and stick with the plan.
He wasn’t Mr. Right but he was the perfect Mr. Wrong.
There’s a just slight possibility that Finn Castro let his time in the major leagues go straight to his ego. Too many women, too much booze and one too many bar fights sends Finn back down to the minors and to the Preachers. At twenty six, his only goal is to get back to the majors and play the game he was born to play. That plan changes the minute he gets a glimpse of Eva.
Playing Fast is a well written and entertaining story and to be honest, had I read this a year ago it probably would’ve been a four star plus read for me. As it turns out I found the story a little flat. Finn delivered on the promise of an awesome love interest. Eva, on the other hand, tried my patience by falling into the trap of refusing to deviate from her plan even though it was in her best interest for most of the book. When she did finally change things up, it wasn’t for the right reasons and I found myself getting frustrated with her, to the point of wanting the hotness that is Finn to move on and find a woman to fully appreciate him.
That being said, I need to reiterate how much I appreciated this book in general. The story’s completely fleshed out and after reading one too many poorly edited books, this entire experience was a welcome break from all of that. I think my docking a half star rating simply means this wasn’t the right book for me at the right time.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Eva Harlowe wants out. Away from her job as the go to girl for the Saratoga Preachers and away from her family responsibilities. Now thirty two and after spending all of her adult life raising her three sisters after her parents died in a horrible accident, Eva’s ready to finally live for herself and follow her dreams. If that means she heads to California and finally realizes her goal of studying with one of the best photographers in the world, well then hell yes to that! And if the smokin’ hot ball player she’s harbored a crush on for years suddenly enters her orbit, she’ll just have to ignore her quivering lady parts and stick with the plan.
He wasn’t Mr. Right but he was the perfect Mr. Wrong.
There’s a just slight possibility that Finn Castro let his time in the major leagues go straight to his ego. Too many women, too much booze and one too many bar fights sends Finn back down to the minors and to the Preachers. At twenty six, his only goal is to get back to the majors and play the game he was born to play. That plan changes the minute he gets a glimpse of Eva.
Playing Fast is a well written and entertaining story and to be honest, had I read this a year ago it probably would’ve been a four star plus read for me. As it turns out I found the story a little flat. Finn delivered on the promise of an awesome love interest. Eva, on the other hand, tried my patience by falling into the trap of refusing to deviate from her plan even though it was in her best interest for most of the book. When she did finally change things up, it wasn’t for the right reasons and I found myself getting frustrated with her, to the point of wanting the hotness that is Finn to move on and find a woman to fully appreciate him.
That being said, I need to reiterate how much I appreciated this book in general. The story’s completely fleshed out and after reading one too many poorly edited books, this entire experience was a welcome break from all of that. I think my docking a half star rating simply means this wasn’t the right book for me at the right time.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
August 16, 2016
4 - "It's my life." Stars!
Playing Fast is the fifth book in Melanie Scott’s New York Saint’s series, but we take a little sojourn from New York in this one and follow Finn Castro back down to the minors in the form of the Saratoga Preachers.
These are books that can be read as standalones, but if you have read the previous books you know just how much of a tool Finn was in behavior and attitude, and why he has been bumped from the top team, so I was interested to see how the author turned that around with his story.
He wasn’t Mr. Right but he was the perfect Mr. Wrong.
And with regards to Finn she pitched him perfectly, a guy knowing he has messed up, and trying to atone for it is always one that I am going to have a soft spot for especially as I had read of his decent to where he currently is in the previous books, it gave the depth of his actions and his behavior in Playing Fast even more gravity, because he is a man that knows just how much he has messed up and he is trying to make things right again.
She didn’t want to like him but she did.
Older woman younger man is a trope that I don’t think is used enough in contempory romance, so it was great to see that Eve Harlow fell into that category, it was also nice that the author chose to give her the commitment issues instead of Finn, and for the most part I enjoyed the relationship between them. Eve from the offset is a woman that you know has sacrificed a lot for her sisters, having lost their parents young she was tasked with raising them. Now all grown up and off doing their own things she’s taking her life back and doing things for herself finally.
"We have until the end of the season. That’s the deal… Take it or leave it."
Eve has plans that do not involve staying in Saratoga, and Finn has plans to get him back to the New York Saints, as such they both know that giving into the chemistry between them and starting a relationship will be one that will essentially have an expiry date to it, but boy they so did not let that get in the way of anything, they were sexy hot together and Finn was an absolute sweetheart in trying to make Eve see they could be more without scaring her off because of it, but as you can expect the inevitable spanner gets shoved in the machinery and all bets are off in the latter stages of the book.
"I’d rather have you some of the time than none of the time."
You can see where the wheels are going to fall off of the relationship between this couple from a mile off, and I have to admit that is the part of the story that disappointed me, especially after enjoying the rest of it because it was just a little cliché and predictable, Eve went from strong confident woman to down-trodden martyr in the space of a couple of paragraphs. Luckily the author didn’t drag it out for too long though so it didn’t have a major impact on my overall enjoyment of the book.
There are a lot of single players in the Saratoga Preachers and I hope the author is given the opportunity of exploring this locale and the characters she has teased us with in this book, whether it be as a spin-off from the New York Saints series or a whole new one, I hope we haven’t seen the end of the Saints though, I love those guys and it would be good to see more from the series in the future as well.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was a pleasure to provide the above honest review.
Playing Fast is the fifth book in Melanie Scott’s New York Saint’s series, but we take a little sojourn from New York in this one and follow Finn Castro back down to the minors in the form of the Saratoga Preachers.
These are books that can be read as standalones, but if you have read the previous books you know just how much of a tool Finn was in behavior and attitude, and why he has been bumped from the top team, so I was interested to see how the author turned that around with his story.
He wasn’t Mr. Right but he was the perfect Mr. Wrong.
And with regards to Finn she pitched him perfectly, a guy knowing he has messed up, and trying to atone for it is always one that I am going to have a soft spot for especially as I had read of his decent to where he currently is in the previous books, it gave the depth of his actions and his behavior in Playing Fast even more gravity, because he is a man that knows just how much he has messed up and he is trying to make things right again.
She didn’t want to like him but she did.
Older woman younger man is a trope that I don’t think is used enough in contempory romance, so it was great to see that Eve Harlow fell into that category, it was also nice that the author chose to give her the commitment issues instead of Finn, and for the most part I enjoyed the relationship between them. Eve from the offset is a woman that you know has sacrificed a lot for her sisters, having lost their parents young she was tasked with raising them. Now all grown up and off doing their own things she’s taking her life back and doing things for herself finally.
"We have until the end of the season. That’s the deal… Take it or leave it."
Eve has plans that do not involve staying in Saratoga, and Finn has plans to get him back to the New York Saints, as such they both know that giving into the chemistry between them and starting a relationship will be one that will essentially have an expiry date to it, but boy they so did not let that get in the way of anything, they were sexy hot together and Finn was an absolute sweetheart in trying to make Eve see they could be more without scaring her off because of it, but as you can expect the inevitable spanner gets shoved in the machinery and all bets are off in the latter stages of the book.
"I’d rather have you some of the time than none of the time."
You can see where the wheels are going to fall off of the relationship between this couple from a mile off, and I have to admit that is the part of the story that disappointed me, especially after enjoying the rest of it because it was just a little cliché and predictable, Eve went from strong confident woman to down-trodden martyr in the space of a couple of paragraphs. Luckily the author didn’t drag it out for too long though so it didn’t have a major impact on my overall enjoyment of the book.
There are a lot of single players in the Saratoga Preachers and I hope the author is given the opportunity of exploring this locale and the characters she has teased us with in this book, whether it be as a spin-off from the New York Saints series or a whole new one, I hope we haven’t seen the end of the Saints though, I love those guys and it would be good to see more from the series in the future as well.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was a pleasure to provide the above honest review.
December 12, 2017
I received this book for free through Bookstr’s (formerly The Reading Room) giveaways.
This was a solid contemporary sports romance. It was super faced paced and I just flew right through it. The ending felt a bit rushed, but other than that I enjoyed it. The characters were great and I loved the familial bond that both Eva and Finn had with their respective families.
If you’re looking for a quick, baseball themed romance, consider checking out this book.
This was a solid contemporary sports romance. It was super faced paced and I just flew right through it. The ending felt a bit rushed, but other than that I enjoyed it. The characters were great and I loved the familial bond that both Eva and Finn had with their respective families.
If you’re looking for a quick, baseball themed romance, consider checking out this book.
September 1, 2016
3.5 stars
Playing Fast was a good addition to the New York Saints series.
The storyline was entertaining, sweet, and my interest was held throughout the book. The characters were likable, relatable, they had great chemistry and I loved watching them work through their fears and insecurities to open their hearts and let love in.
I've enjoyed all the books in the New Your Saints series, each book can be read as a standalone and I highly recommend them all.
Thank you St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the advance copy.
Playing Fast was a good addition to the New York Saints series.
The storyline was entertaining, sweet, and my interest was held throughout the book. The characters were likable, relatable, they had great chemistry and I loved watching them work through their fears and insecurities to open their hearts and let love in.
I've enjoyed all the books in the New Your Saints series, each book can be read as a standalone and I highly recommend them all.
Thank you St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the advance copy.
August 30, 2016
The was classic bad boy with a rep meets always proper girl next door.
The sparks between the MCs flare right from the start. I really liked Finn, he wasn't your typical celebrity athlete/man whore. He was down to earth and although he struggled in the past with the fame and party life style, he convinces you that he really wants to change. It was refreshing to get a male MC that doesn't come across as an over confident jerk that thinks he's god's gift to women. Finn wasn't a saint by any means but he was always respectful, considerate, supportive and loving to the h. For everything he had going for him, money, fame, and looks, Finn was the first to lay out his feelings and he was the pursuer in the relationship.
Eva was a crazy independent h with a self sacrificing personality. I loved that she'd been crushing on Finn before even meeting him. That was so funny and really added that extra something to their relationship. It showed Eva's softer side, which I really needed. Eva's been both mother, father and sister to four young girls since she was eighteen and her parents died in an accident. She's worked her way up at the job she was forced to take to keep her family together. She's all work and only temporary play. Now that her sisters are all grown and each has left to pursue their own careers, Eva tentatively takes the plunge to follow her dreams of being a photographer. She's not looking for anything serious and she thinks (after some persistent convincing lol) that Finn is the perfect last fling before starting her new life.
Eva is definitely the one with the biggest chip on her shoulder in this relationship. She was also the one who constantly pushed the H away. I understood her character but I felt that Finn put up with way too much drama from her before she finally pulled her head out of the sand. I also felt that her family drama kind of distracted from the main couple's story. With all the emotional upheaval going on between Eva and Finn and the life altering decisions going on around them, that they deserved more page time.
This was my first sports romance involving a baseball player (not a sport I know anything about) and I found myself really enjoying it. I was grateful to the author for giving the reader just enough details to keep the plot accurate but steering clear of flooding the newbies (like me) from zoning out when describing the game too much.
Safety: Yes
ARC provided for an honest review
January 1, 2017
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Well, this was a book which I stopped partway, not feeling the love and then picked up and really enjoyed - so it does happen.
This is the fifth book in the New York Saints series, I don't think I have read any of the others but that did not cause me an issue (other than I want to read the others now too) so you can definitely read this as a stand-alone. Also, being British I don't understand the first thing about baseball and that wasn't a problem so this is definitely sports-lite.
Eva Harlow works for the Preachers, the New York Saints' Triple A team (I think this is the equivalent of the B team), as the administrative manager. After spending her teens and twenties raising her three sisters after their parents died, sacrificing her own chances of college in the process, Eva is almost ready to pursue her dreams, she has been offered a coveted spot as a student with the renowned photographer Isaac Haines in California. Her all-time crush, Finn Castro, has been sent down to the Preachers to sort himself out after a disastrous year in which he got involved in public brawl and was too often seen falling out of bars and clubs.
Finn Castro realises he is close to losing his entire career and is determined to do everything to regain his spot with the New York Saints. Eva tries desperately hard to hide her crush but it is difficult when Finn seems to be as attracted to her as she is to him. So they come up with a plan - a short-term relationship with no strings, but Finn is adamant that it isn't a secret.
I got put off a bit when Eva and Finn first gave into the inevitable - it felt as though the novel was veering away from the description so I stopped reading for a while. But a few days later I picked it up again and really enjoyed it.
Of course the relationship between Eva and Finn becomes more than just dating but when Eva is keeping her opportunity in California a secret, her younger sister has a crisis and Finn gets a call from the Saints things start to go off the rails.
This was more than just a sports romance, this was about people learning from their past mistakes and moving on, about letting go of the past and embracing change. I really liked the characters, especially when Finn insisted their relationship be out in the open even if it was temporary, and I thought it was well-written. I will definitely look out for the previous novels in the series.
Bumped for release.
Well, this was a book which I stopped partway, not feeling the love and then picked up and really enjoyed - so it does happen.
This is the fifth book in the New York Saints series, I don't think I have read any of the others but that did not cause me an issue (other than I want to read the others now too) so you can definitely read this as a stand-alone. Also, being British I don't understand the first thing about baseball and that wasn't a problem so this is definitely sports-lite.
Eva Harlow works for the Preachers, the New York Saints' Triple A team (I think this is the equivalent of the B team), as the administrative manager. After spending her teens and twenties raising her three sisters after their parents died, sacrificing her own chances of college in the process, Eva is almost ready to pursue her dreams, she has been offered a coveted spot as a student with the renowned photographer Isaac Haines in California. Her all-time crush, Finn Castro, has been sent down to the Preachers to sort himself out after a disastrous year in which he got involved in public brawl and was too often seen falling out of bars and clubs.
Finn Castro realises he is close to losing his entire career and is determined to do everything to regain his spot with the New York Saints. Eva tries desperately hard to hide her crush but it is difficult when Finn seems to be as attracted to her as she is to him. So they come up with a plan - a short-term relationship with no strings, but Finn is adamant that it isn't a secret.
I got put off a bit when Eva and Finn first gave into the inevitable - it felt as though the novel was veering away from the description so I stopped reading for a while. But a few days later I picked it up again and really enjoyed it.
Of course the relationship between Eva and Finn becomes more than just dating but when Eva is keeping her opportunity in California a secret, her younger sister has a crisis and Finn gets a call from the Saints things start to go off the rails.
This was more than just a sports romance, this was about people learning from their past mistakes and moving on, about letting go of the past and embracing change. I really liked the characters, especially when Finn insisted their relationship be out in the open even if it was temporary, and I thought it was well-written. I will definitely look out for the previous novels in the series.
Bumped for release.
August 28, 2016
***ARC provided by the Publisher and NetGalley***
This is the first book I have read in this series, although I have heard of the others and actually think I have a couple of them on my TBR.
That said, I was able to follow this with no issue, even without having read the others.
I enjoyed Eva and Finn. Eva, with her backstory was interesting and I think realistic. I think she did what anyone would have done, or at least tried to do, in the same situation. And, I think breaking that pattern and living for herself after all of those years would be difficult. So, while she kept pushing Finn away, I was also able to believe in her actions and responses.
Finn was pretty much the exact opposite...he got what he wanted and at a fairly young age, so he was less able to see the value and more willing to allow immaturity to rule his actions. And, now he is paying the price for this and having to learn a little humility along the way.
I enjoyed the 2 stories as well as the way they worked together with one another, the way they each were able to balance the other. Eva showed Finn the great things about being responsible, while Finn showed Eva how to live for herself. The interactions between them were interesting and compelling.
I also really enjoyed the dialog. There was something about it that was so fluid, so well written, that I really was able to engage with the characters, to relate to their conversations and to really feel the flow of the conversation. This made both of them feel realistic.
The characters, the pacing, the plot and the development of the story were strong. I recommend this book.
***This and other reviews also featured on “I’m A Sweet and Sassy Book Whore” http://www.imasweetandsassybookwhore.com***
This is the first book I have read in this series, although I have heard of the others and actually think I have a couple of them on my TBR.
That said, I was able to follow this with no issue, even without having read the others.
I enjoyed Eva and Finn. Eva, with her backstory was interesting and I think realistic. I think she did what anyone would have done, or at least tried to do, in the same situation. And, I think breaking that pattern and living for herself after all of those years would be difficult. So, while she kept pushing Finn away, I was also able to believe in her actions and responses.
Finn was pretty much the exact opposite...he got what he wanted and at a fairly young age, so he was less able to see the value and more willing to allow immaturity to rule his actions. And, now he is paying the price for this and having to learn a little humility along the way.
I enjoyed the 2 stories as well as the way they worked together with one another, the way they each were able to balance the other. Eva showed Finn the great things about being responsible, while Finn showed Eva how to live for herself. The interactions between them were interesting and compelling.
I also really enjoyed the dialog. There was something about it that was so fluid, so well written, that I really was able to engage with the characters, to relate to their conversations and to really feel the flow of the conversation. This made both of them feel realistic.
The characters, the pacing, the plot and the development of the story were strong. I recommend this book.
***This and other reviews also featured on “I’m A Sweet and Sassy Book Whore” http://www.imasweetandsassybookwhore.com***
August 30, 2016
Slick's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
From the very first book I read by Melanie Scott to this one she has never let me down; each book has contained a fantastic romance, some struggles but not so much that it bogs down the story and fantastic characters and Playing Fast offers that and more. A troublesome hero, a beloved heroine, a crush, and instant attraction leads to one hard fought courtship and romance.
I'll be honest I wasn't sure how I was going to enjoy this book because in the last book Finn Castro was not my idea of a hero, not one little bit. In fact he was a bit of an a$$hole jerkface. Following some pretty big mistakes and some time away to get his life together, he is sent from the New York Saints MLB team to their triple A team, The Preachers. What I loved was that despite the demotion, Finn arrives in Saratoga Springs ready to work, ready to prove himself again, with a good attitude and knowing that he will not make the same mistakes he made previously. He really redeemed himself in my eyes and more so when he takes immediate interest in Eva Harlowe, the Preacher's front office manager.
Eva Harlowe thought she was getting over her little celebrity crush on The Saint's back-up 1st baseman, Finn Castro and then he is sent down to her team and she realizes that "in person" Finn is so much better than she imagined. She knows it's ridiculous that being 6 years his senior is reason enough not to look at him twice, that an her vow of never dating players she works with and then there's the whole moving to California thing she has planned, but Finn makes her want the life she's never allowed herself and getting to know Finn is so much better than she ever imagined.
There was so much to love about these two but I have to give a lot of credit to Finn for insisting that if they become involved they don't hide it from the players and the organization. Finn was trying very hard to be transparent in all aspects of his life and I admire him for not giving in and making Eva take a chance on them. I was also impressed with how easily Finn adapted to not only his new team but accepting all pieces of Eva's life including Eva in "mom mode" as she helped one of her sister's through a crisis. Nothing fazed him and he was steady as a rock throughout and while he had some moments where he was disappointed and sad I loved that he didn't hold a grudge and knew that what they had was worth it.
There was just so much good about Playing Fast but most of all I loved that this couple was willing to overcome all obstacles including distance to make their relationship work.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
From the very first book I read by Melanie Scott to this one she has never let me down; each book has contained a fantastic romance, some struggles but not so much that it bogs down the story and fantastic characters and Playing Fast offers that and more. A troublesome hero, a beloved heroine, a crush, and instant attraction leads to one hard fought courtship and romance.
I'll be honest I wasn't sure how I was going to enjoy this book because in the last book Finn Castro was not my idea of a hero, not one little bit. In fact he was a bit of an a$$hole jerkface. Following some pretty big mistakes and some time away to get his life together, he is sent from the New York Saints MLB team to their triple A team, The Preachers. What I loved was that despite the demotion, Finn arrives in Saratoga Springs ready to work, ready to prove himself again, with a good attitude and knowing that he will not make the same mistakes he made previously. He really redeemed himself in my eyes and more so when he takes immediate interest in Eva Harlowe, the Preacher's front office manager.
Eva Harlowe thought she was getting over her little celebrity crush on The Saint's back-up 1st baseman, Finn Castro and then he is sent down to her team and she realizes that "in person" Finn is so much better than she imagined. She knows it's ridiculous that being 6 years his senior is reason enough not to look at him twice, that an her vow of never dating players she works with and then there's the whole moving to California thing she has planned, but Finn makes her want the life she's never allowed herself and getting to know Finn is so much better than she ever imagined.
There was so much to love about these two but I have to give a lot of credit to Finn for insisting that if they become involved they don't hide it from the players and the organization. Finn was trying very hard to be transparent in all aspects of his life and I admire him for not giving in and making Eva take a chance on them. I was also impressed with how easily Finn adapted to not only his new team but accepting all pieces of Eva's life including Eva in "mom mode" as she helped one of her sister's through a crisis. Nothing fazed him and he was steady as a rock throughout and while he had some moments where he was disappointed and sad I loved that he didn't hold a grudge and knew that what they had was worth it.
There was just so much good about Playing Fast but most of all I loved that this couple was willing to overcome all obstacles including distance to make their relationship work.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
August 26, 2016
I just adore this series! I think they are so much fun! I love the way that Melanie Scott builds a story and how she creates interesting and complex characters! I'm not even a big baseball fan and yet this series is fantastic!
I really liked this newest book as it focused on the farm team of the New York Saints which was a interesting twist. It gave us a new place and organization to learn about. I was interesting to see what she'd do with the Finn Castro character given his actions in the 4th book. I really found myself liking him a lot more than I'd expected and his love interest, Eva, was fantastic! I found their relationship quite interesting! I think their stories were really done well and I was appreciative of how it wasn't particularly saccharine but it was still sweet.
I think this was a good addition to the series. And I can't wait to see what comes next with the series ... If you're just starting with the series, I recommend starting with the first! It's a really good series that I highly recommend for romance fans who like good writing and strong characters!
I really liked this newest book as it focused on the farm team of the New York Saints which was a interesting twist. It gave us a new place and organization to learn about. I was interesting to see what she'd do with the Finn Castro character given his actions in the 4th book. I really found myself liking him a lot more than I'd expected and his love interest, Eva, was fantastic! I found their relationship quite interesting! I think their stories were really done well and I was appreciative of how it wasn't particularly saccharine but it was still sweet.
I think this was a good addition to the series. And I can't wait to see what comes next with the series ... If you're just starting with the series, I recommend starting with the first! It's a really good series that I highly recommend for romance fans who like good writing and strong characters!
September 8, 2016
3.75 stars rounded up
He wasn’t Mr. Right but he was the perfect Mr. Wrong
I was really curious with this book because of one reason -- Finn Castro. See, he was the reason why I didn't completely enjoy the previous book, Playing Hard. Finn was a jackass there. I was so annoyed with him. So I wonder how the author will redeem his character in my eyes.
Well, hell, redeem him she did!! Finn is totally different guy here. He has learned his lesson. He followed six-week program to handle his booze consumption (he's not an alcoholic but he has a lot of issues back then). He also keeps his head down and does whatever his new coach at the Preachers tells him to do. Bottom line, he is not going to make trouble because he wants to go back to the Saints.
So yes, I loved Finn. And the one where he clearly showed that he care enough to know more about Eva and his sisters? Oh yes, this young guy got my thumbs up. You're awesome, Finn. I know you had it in you :)
Unfortunately, it was Eva that, well, challenged my patience. I liked the idea of Eva being six-years older than Finn (yay, older heroine!). And to be honest, she didn't really waver on the age gap per se. But Eva kept thinking about the whole "he is leaving, I am leaving" situation, and I thought it was just a bit too superficial of a problem! Especially with Eva's best friend showing that long-distance relationship can work -- and why can't Eva gave it a try first? She's the older one (although she is also only 32-years-old), but she's acting less mature than Finn.
Oh, and I didn't really need the drama that happened with Eva's sister, Audrey. It was way too predictable. And even if that was needed, I was annoyed with Audrey because I thought she is behaving rather selfish before her other sisters make an intervention.
All in all, I still enjoyed this book a lot -- the text exchanges between Eva and Finn in the beginning was adorable. Considering that this is the last book in the New York Sains series, I can consider it as a good ending :)
He wasn’t Mr. Right but he was the perfect Mr. Wrong
I was really curious with this book because of one reason -- Finn Castro. See, he was the reason why I didn't completely enjoy the previous book, Playing Hard. Finn was a jackass there. I was so annoyed with him. So I wonder how the author will redeem his character in my eyes.
Well, hell, redeem him she did!! Finn is totally different guy here. He has learned his lesson. He followed six-week program to handle his booze consumption (he's not an alcoholic but he has a lot of issues back then). He also keeps his head down and does whatever his new coach at the Preachers tells him to do. Bottom line, he is not going to make trouble because he wants to go back to the Saints.
So yes, I loved Finn. And the one where he clearly showed that he care enough to know more about Eva and his sisters? Oh yes, this young guy got my thumbs up. You're awesome, Finn. I know you had it in you :)
Unfortunately, it was Eva that, well, challenged my patience. I liked the idea of Eva being six-years older than Finn (yay, older heroine!). And to be honest, she didn't really waver on the age gap per se. But Eva kept thinking about the whole "he is leaving, I am leaving" situation, and I thought it was just a bit too superficial of a problem! Especially with Eva's best friend showing that long-distance relationship can work -- and why can't Eva gave it a try first? She's the older one (although she is also only 32-years-old), but she's acting less mature than Finn.
Oh, and I didn't really need the drama that happened with Eva's sister, Audrey. It was way too predictable. And even if that was needed, I was annoyed with Audrey because I thought she is behaving rather selfish before her other sisters make an intervention.
All in all, I still enjoyed this book a lot -- the text exchanges between Eva and Finn in the beginning was adorable. Considering that this is the last book in the New York Sains series, I can consider it as a good ending :)
September 1, 2016
Having read all but the first book of Melanie Scott’s New York Saints series, with Books 2 and 3 my favorites, this NetGalley reviewer jumped at the chance to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion for Playing Fast, book 5.
Finn Castro’s bad boy ways finally got the best of him, folks. He’s been knocked off his high horse and demoted to minor league baseball. But not to worry, he’s got more than just strong muscles/penetrating gorgeous green eyes, he’s got hard as steel determination to get his game back. He’ll swing and catch his way right back to the top, even if it means becoming a saint to get back in the good graces of the New York Saints. It’s really not that hard though as he’s lost his taste for trouble. This handsome hunk has learned his lesson. He now embraces calmness over cockiness and training over temptation, except when it comes to Eva Harlowe. She’s the elusive beauty no one seems to be able to win and just happens to work for The Preachers, his current team. What can I say? It was love at first sight. It just took one of them longer than the other to say those three magic words..”I love you.”
Eva knows not to mix business with pleasure so never dates anyone associated with her team. Having raised three younger siblings, she hasn’t had much time to even think about a serious relationship. When Finn, her baseball star obsession long before he joined the roster, turns up, she’s about to find out what a fantasy come to life feels like. These two dance around each other briefly before Eva decides to take Finn up on his offer. He wants to date exclusively with all the benefits of a true couple. The woman should have felt like she just won the World Series. Instead, Eva forces Finn to agree to a termination date, the end of the season.
Yes, you read that right, folks. You could have floored me with that role reversal. The leading man here wants his lady love’s heart, but she refuses to hand it over. I seriously found myself questioning Eva’s judgment, pretty much from the get go. Finn right up front wants to give their relationship 110%, but Eva is the one with insecurity issues that I just didn’t buy into. You see, Finn was the ultimate book boyfriend. He was there for Eva in every way possible. That’s when I started to question Eva’s rationale, frankly, her sanity, as well. Why not at least see if they want to stay together longer? Why keep her photography class in LA such a dirty little secret? Heck, he didn’t go postal when he found out. Instead, he was supportive of the idea.
Well, when some mostly predictable, non-dramatic events unfold, we finally get a groveling heroine, my fellow romance book-loving friends. Yes, a double play role reversal that ends with a heart warming HEA.
At the beginning, this was more about witnessing two lovebirds unite and make a very steamy yet romantic connection. It was mostly a relatively uncomplicated romantic tale of a slightly older woman meets the man of her dreams but was too afraid of loss to let herself love completely.
Overall, I still really enjoyed it, despite Eva’s occasional annoying behavior. If nothing else, Playing Fast is worth the read to get to know and spend time with Finn Castro. Honestly, he’s raised the book boyfriend bar in this avid true romantic at heart’s eyes. Here’s to hoping you’ll feel the same and that my review was helpful in some way.
Title: Playing Fast, Series: New York Saints (Book 5), Author: Melanie Scott, Pages: 320, stand-alone but part of a series, HEA, heroine is 6 years older than hero, former bad boy who has learned his lesson, determined to get the girl hero, no cheating, no love triangle, no OW/OM drama, good guy hero, feisty hero who is too afraid of loss to let herself love, VERY graphic, passionate/steamy scenes that do not highjack the storyline.
Book 1 – The Devil in Denim, 8/26/14, Pages: 342 (Maggie & Alex)
Book 2 – Angel in Armani, 12/30/14, Pages: 352 (Sara & Lucas)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 3 – Lawless in Leather, 5/5/15, Pages: 320 (Raina & Malachi)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 4 – Playing Hard, 2/2/16, Pages: 320 (Oliver & Amelia)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 5 – Playing Fast, 8/30/16, (Finn & Eva)
(This review is based on ARC generously provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion. No monetary compensation was paid to the reviewer. There is also no affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher.)
Finn Castro’s bad boy ways finally got the best of him, folks. He’s been knocked off his high horse and demoted to minor league baseball. But not to worry, he’s got more than just strong muscles/penetrating gorgeous green eyes, he’s got hard as steel determination to get his game back. He’ll swing and catch his way right back to the top, even if it means becoming a saint to get back in the good graces of the New York Saints. It’s really not that hard though as he’s lost his taste for trouble. This handsome hunk has learned his lesson. He now embraces calmness over cockiness and training over temptation, except when it comes to Eva Harlowe. She’s the elusive beauty no one seems to be able to win and just happens to work for The Preachers, his current team. What can I say? It was love at first sight. It just took one of them longer than the other to say those three magic words..”I love you.”
Eva knows not to mix business with pleasure so never dates anyone associated with her team. Having raised three younger siblings, she hasn’t had much time to even think about a serious relationship. When Finn, her baseball star obsession long before he joined the roster, turns up, she’s about to find out what a fantasy come to life feels like. These two dance around each other briefly before Eva decides to take Finn up on his offer. He wants to date exclusively with all the benefits of a true couple. The woman should have felt like she just won the World Series. Instead, Eva forces Finn to agree to a termination date, the end of the season.
Yes, you read that right, folks. You could have floored me with that role reversal. The leading man here wants his lady love’s heart, but she refuses to hand it over. I seriously found myself questioning Eva’s judgment, pretty much from the get go. Finn right up front wants to give their relationship 110%, but Eva is the one with insecurity issues that I just didn’t buy into. You see, Finn was the ultimate book boyfriend. He was there for Eva in every way possible. That’s when I started to question Eva’s rationale, frankly, her sanity, as well. Why not at least see if they want to stay together longer? Why keep her photography class in LA such a dirty little secret? Heck, he didn’t go postal when he found out. Instead, he was supportive of the idea.
Well, when some mostly predictable, non-dramatic events unfold, we finally get a groveling heroine, my fellow romance book-loving friends. Yes, a double play role reversal that ends with a heart warming HEA.
At the beginning, this was more about witnessing two lovebirds unite and make a very steamy yet romantic connection. It was mostly a relatively uncomplicated romantic tale of a slightly older woman meets the man of her dreams but was too afraid of loss to let herself love completely.
Overall, I still really enjoyed it, despite Eva’s occasional annoying behavior. If nothing else, Playing Fast is worth the read to get to know and spend time with Finn Castro. Honestly, he’s raised the book boyfriend bar in this avid true romantic at heart’s eyes. Here’s to hoping you’ll feel the same and that my review was helpful in some way.
Title: Playing Fast, Series: New York Saints (Book 5), Author: Melanie Scott, Pages: 320, stand-alone but part of a series, HEA, heroine is 6 years older than hero, former bad boy who has learned his lesson, determined to get the girl hero, no cheating, no love triangle, no OW/OM drama, good guy hero, feisty hero who is too afraid of loss to let herself love, VERY graphic, passionate/steamy scenes that do not highjack the storyline.
Book 1 – The Devil in Denim, 8/26/14, Pages: 342 (Maggie & Alex)
Book 2 – Angel in Armani, 12/30/14, Pages: 352 (Sara & Lucas)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 3 – Lawless in Leather, 5/5/15, Pages: 320 (Raina & Malachi)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 4 – Playing Hard, 2/2/16, Pages: 320 (Oliver & Amelia)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 5 – Playing Fast, 8/30/16, (Finn & Eva)
(This review is based on ARC generously provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion. No monetary compensation was paid to the reviewer. There is also no affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2021
I bought this book at one of those “mystery book” stands in the bookstore and was a little taken aback by the cover when I unwrapped the book. But! I read it anyway (something something no judging the book by it’s cover...) and hey it wasn’t so bad. Nothing to hurt my feminist senses (which I feel like is way too common in romance books, particularly ones with half naked men on the cover?) and overall a nice story.
3.5
3.5
August 23, 2016
Copy received via Netgalley for an honest review.
Batter up (well, first base man up!) it is time to get back into the world of the New York Saints
If you have read the previous books in this series, you will know what a d!ck Finn Castro has been. In fact, for the most part I really, really didn't like him.
As I started reading I thought to myself "it is going to take a lot of work to redeem Finn to me - if she can at all".
Shunted back to the minors, he is all about sorting his crap out and getting himself back to the majors. Becoming a better person in the meantime is an added extra bonus.
Eva has had a crush on Finn since well before he came back down a notch. But after years of denying herself to help out her family, he is not the man she is going to take that next step with.. or is he?
I have to say, Ms Scott did a great job in redeeming Finn to me it was at times hard to remember why I disliked him so much.
Eva on the other hand - gah the woman frustrated the heck out of me. I just felt that her justifications for never moving on were weak. Her reasons for pushing Finn away just didn't cut it for me. I wanted to shake some sense into her!
But this could just be me!
All I know about baseball is what I have learned from watching Major League and Bull Durham over and over again. But this has not taken away from my enjoyment of this series. But to me this is more than just a sport romance. This is about people learning from their pasts, learning from their mistakes and moving onwards and upwards in their lives.
Ms Scott, you keep on writing them and I will keep on reading them! And with players retiring, new players moving on up and rosters changing, there will always be someone new to write about, won't there.
Batter up (well, first base man up!) it is time to get back into the world of the New York Saints
If you have read the previous books in this series, you will know what a d!ck Finn Castro has been. In fact, for the most part I really, really didn't like him.
As I started reading I thought to myself "it is going to take a lot of work to redeem Finn to me - if she can at all".
Shunted back to the minors, he is all about sorting his crap out and getting himself back to the majors. Becoming a better person in the meantime is an added extra bonus.
Eva has had a crush on Finn since well before he came back down a notch. But after years of denying herself to help out her family, he is not the man she is going to take that next step with.. or is he?
I have to say, Ms Scott did a great job in redeeming Finn to me it was at times hard to remember why I disliked him so much.
Eva on the other hand - gah the woman frustrated the heck out of me. I just felt that her justifications for never moving on were weak. Her reasons for pushing Finn away just didn't cut it for me. I wanted to shake some sense into her!
But this could just be me!
All I know about baseball is what I have learned from watching Major League and Bull Durham over and over again. But this has not taken away from my enjoyment of this series. But to me this is more than just a sport romance. This is about people learning from their pasts, learning from their mistakes and moving onwards and upwards in their lives.
Ms Scott, you keep on writing them and I will keep on reading them! And with players retiring, new players moving on up and rosters changing, there will always be someone new to write about, won't there.
September 3, 2016
My Review:
Flat out, this is just a series that I enjoy reading. This installment was a little different though in that it took the series away from the major league Saints and down to their Triple-A team, the Preachers, where Finn has been exiled to for a year to get his head on straight. This is his final chance to straighten out and he doesn't want to do anything to screw it up.
So the book is set within a completely new set of characters, although we met Finn in the last book. The Preachers front office is run by Eva. She has a long history with the team...although I have to admit to some curiosity. Her story is that her parents died suddenly when she was 18, leaving her and her three sisters orphaned. Eva stepped up to care for her sisters and gave up her life to act as her guardian. I loved that aspect of the story, but there was so much about the parent's story line that was left unanswered. Her father was tied to the Preachers, but it was never revealed how/why that was. At the beginning of the book that seemed like something that would be a shock for Finn, but then that story line just dissipated. In fact, it felt like there were several threads left loose related to that whole time in Eva's life.
I'll be honest...I read the last book in the series (I've read them all), but I really can't remember the details of how Finn screwed up. That was a bit frustrating in this book because it's never fully laid out how things played out to earn him getting demoted. If I remember right, he screwed up, but it was never as bad as it was made out to be in this book. He was simply upset and made some bad decisions...but maybe I'm remembering that wrong. Because if that's the case, then the fact he's really not that bad of a guy should have been made clear to Eva at some point in time.
But those were the things that didn't quite work for me. What did work for me was the romance and the chemistry between these two. I loved them together and how from the very beginning, Finn is fully aware that he is going to want more than Eva wants to give him. I love it when the hero is more into the relationship than the heroine. That makes them so swoon-worthy.
I liked the elements of baseball and the team mentality that came through the story. Since both Eva and Finn work for the Preachers, the baseball played heavily into this story. I also loved the glimpses we got of the Saints and all the characters we've fallen in love with from the other stories. It was a highly entertaining book and remains one of my favorite sports series. Now I'm dying to know who comes next in the series. I really want Connor to get a book, but will the author stay with the Triple-A team? I have a feeling the answer is no... But we'll see. Whoever it's about, I'll definitely be reading it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Flat out, this is just a series that I enjoy reading. This installment was a little different though in that it took the series away from the major league Saints and down to their Triple-A team, the Preachers, where Finn has been exiled to for a year to get his head on straight. This is his final chance to straighten out and he doesn't want to do anything to screw it up.
So the book is set within a completely new set of characters, although we met Finn in the last book. The Preachers front office is run by Eva. She has a long history with the team...although I have to admit to some curiosity. Her story is that her parents died suddenly when she was 18, leaving her and her three sisters orphaned. Eva stepped up to care for her sisters and gave up her life to act as her guardian. I loved that aspect of the story, but there was so much about the parent's story line that was left unanswered. Her father was tied to the Preachers, but it was never revealed how/why that was. At the beginning of the book that seemed like something that would be a shock for Finn, but then that story line just dissipated. In fact, it felt like there were several threads left loose related to that whole time in Eva's life.
I'll be honest...I read the last book in the series (I've read them all), but I really can't remember the details of how Finn screwed up. That was a bit frustrating in this book because it's never fully laid out how things played out to earn him getting demoted. If I remember right, he screwed up, but it was never as bad as it was made out to be in this book. He was simply upset and made some bad decisions...but maybe I'm remembering that wrong. Because if that's the case, then the fact he's really not that bad of a guy should have been made clear to Eva at some point in time.
But those were the things that didn't quite work for me. What did work for me was the romance and the chemistry between these two. I loved them together and how from the very beginning, Finn is fully aware that he is going to want more than Eva wants to give him. I love it when the hero is more into the relationship than the heroine. That makes them so swoon-worthy.
I liked the elements of baseball and the team mentality that came through the story. Since both Eva and Finn work for the Preachers, the baseball played heavily into this story. I also loved the glimpses we got of the Saints and all the characters we've fallen in love with from the other stories. It was a highly entertaining book and remains one of my favorite sports series. Now I'm dying to know who comes next in the series. I really want Connor to get a book, but will the author stay with the Triple-A team? I have a feeling the answer is no... But we'll see. Whoever it's about, I'll definitely be reading it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
August 26, 2016
Older woman with commitment issues has been crushing on younger baseball star for some time…and then he is sent down to Saratoga from New York to get his act together and her crush is present in the place she works with the MLB’s AAA team The Preachers. Will they hit it off, make it around the bases, hit a home run, score and win big time or will there only be foul balls and losses?
Eva Harlowe is 32 and has given up over a decade of her life to raise three younger sisters. She believes it is finally going to be her turn to live the dream she has held since she was 18. One more season and she will be moving on – or so she hopes.
Finn Castro’s life has been all about baseball for most of his life but bad choices in the previous season with the MLB team The Saints see him having to do penance and prove himself again with The Preachers before he can be considered to be called back to the major leagues again.
When the two meet there is chemistry but Eva tries to be “smart” and spends at least half the book pushing Finn away. I have to say that I didn’t really understand her issues and thought Finn was very patient to put up with what she put him through. There were some good times and bad times, family issues to be addressed and futures to be decided before a happily ever after could be achieved for Finn and Eva. I have not read the first two books in the series but loved book three and was looking forward to reading this book…have to say I think I liked the book before this one more but do look forward to reading the next in the series if there is one.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 Stars
Eva Harlowe is 32 and has given up over a decade of her life to raise three younger sisters. She believes it is finally going to be her turn to live the dream she has held since she was 18. One more season and she will be moving on – or so she hopes.
Finn Castro’s life has been all about baseball for most of his life but bad choices in the previous season with the MLB team The Saints see him having to do penance and prove himself again with The Preachers before he can be considered to be called back to the major leagues again.
When the two meet there is chemistry but Eva tries to be “smart” and spends at least half the book pushing Finn away. I have to say that I didn’t really understand her issues and thought Finn was very patient to put up with what she put him through. There were some good times and bad times, family issues to be addressed and futures to be decided before a happily ever after could be achieved for Finn and Eva. I have not read the first two books in the series but loved book three and was looking forward to reading this book…have to say I think I liked the book before this one more but do look forward to reading the next in the series if there is one.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 Stars
August 26, 2016
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
It took me some time to get into this book but I thoroughly enjoyed it by the end. Buttoned up, uber responsible Eva isn’t an immediately appealing female lead but I enjoyed her more as her character developed. Reformed bad boy Finn is a brilliant character and I found myself increasingly annoyed with Eva’s ambivalence towards him. But I like a romance where the leading man has to work hard and Finn certainly doesn’t have an easy job catching Eva’s attention.
Finn is developed beautifully across this story. He is a beautiful, talented player who has been sent down to the minor league after some very poor behaviour. He is repentant and determined - I absolutely loved him. I even loved his bewildered response to Eva and her slightly irrational hot and cold behaviour towards him.
I was initially put off by Eva’s fangirl obsession with Finn before she even met him. Her need to google hot guys to crush on felt very, very young and really didn’t match the serious, responsible professional woman we see in the rest of the story. I found the continuity issues with Eva’s character distracting and her insecurity and reluctance to date was annoying after a while.
I absolutely loved the lack of predictability in this book. By the ¾ mark, I still wasn’t sure how the story was going to resolve. The author kept adding convincing new problems for Eva and Finn and I really couldn’t figure out the ending - something rare in a romance.
I haven’t read any of the other books in this series and while past characters are introduced, this worked well as a standalone. This is a fun, sweet read with a little bit of steam.
It took me some time to get into this book but I thoroughly enjoyed it by the end. Buttoned up, uber responsible Eva isn’t an immediately appealing female lead but I enjoyed her more as her character developed. Reformed bad boy Finn is a brilliant character and I found myself increasingly annoyed with Eva’s ambivalence towards him. But I like a romance where the leading man has to work hard and Finn certainly doesn’t have an easy job catching Eva’s attention.
Finn is developed beautifully across this story. He is a beautiful, talented player who has been sent down to the minor league after some very poor behaviour. He is repentant and determined - I absolutely loved him. I even loved his bewildered response to Eva and her slightly irrational hot and cold behaviour towards him.
I was initially put off by Eva’s fangirl obsession with Finn before she even met him. Her need to google hot guys to crush on felt very, very young and really didn’t match the serious, responsible professional woman we see in the rest of the story. I found the continuity issues with Eva’s character distracting and her insecurity and reluctance to date was annoying after a while.
I absolutely loved the lack of predictability in this book. By the ¾ mark, I still wasn’t sure how the story was going to resolve. The author kept adding convincing new problems for Eva and Finn and I really couldn’t figure out the ending - something rare in a romance.
I haven’t read any of the other books in this series and while past characters are introduced, this worked well as a standalone. This is a fun, sweet read with a little bit of steam.
March 23, 2017
I'm still vacillating between 3 or 4 stars. This romance is actually quite sweet -- I'm a huge fan of the hero doing the chasing and Finn does it in spades. I didn't think Melanie Scott could redeem him after the previous book, but he's practically a different man in this book. I didn't find the heroine's conflict convincing enough. It was plausible, but it just didn't feel intense enough to justify some of the decisions she made to push him away.
Full review at Book Thingo.
Surprisingly, it’s Eva’s issues that dominate the story. Finn is, for all intents and purposes, reformed by the time the story begins. I’m not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, I love that the hottie hero is sensible, reliable and totally ready for a relationship. On the other hand, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE tortured, brooding bad boy heroes.
In my review of the previous book, I mentioned the lack of contrast between the emotional highs and lows in the story. Playing Fast has a similar weakness, compounded by stretching Eva’s reluctance to move out of her comfort zone at every point of conflict. I needed Eva’s narrative voice to be much stronger and more passionate about the things and people she cared about, in order to believe her choices, and the writing sometimes falls short. Eva dithers and that gets irritating after a while. Thankfully, Finn is around to be all manly and hot and gropey, which masks some of the pacing issues pretty effectively.
Full review at Book Thingo.
Full review at Book Thingo.
Surprisingly, it’s Eva’s issues that dominate the story. Finn is, for all intents and purposes, reformed by the time the story begins. I’m not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, I love that the hottie hero is sensible, reliable and totally ready for a relationship. On the other hand, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE tortured, brooding bad boy heroes.
In my review of the previous book, I mentioned the lack of contrast between the emotional highs and lows in the story. Playing Fast has a similar weakness, compounded by stretching Eva’s reluctance to move out of her comfort zone at every point of conflict. I needed Eva’s narrative voice to be much stronger and more passionate about the things and people she cared about, in order to believe her choices, and the writing sometimes falls short. Eva dithers and that gets irritating after a while. Thankfully, Finn is around to be all manly and hot and gropey, which masks some of the pacing issues pretty effectively.
Full review at Book Thingo.
December 13, 2016
Definitely an entertaining read, I really enjoyed it!
Eva Harlowe has spent the years since her parent’s death raising her 3 teenage sisters. Now that they’re all out of the nest it’s time to focus on herself. She’s the current go-to girl for the Saratoga Preachers but she’s also been accepted into an elite photography school of her dreams. It’s a no brainer that she go to this school… until her longtime crush, Finn Castro, shows up to play for the Saratoga Preachers and throws a wrench into her plans. Finn let the fame of being a big-leaguer go to his head and wound up being sent back to the minors. Now, his main goal in life is to get back into the majors – he’s just got to keep his head down and play some amazing baseball. But as soon as he lays eyes on the intriguing Eva Harlowe his focus shifts and he can’t help the need to be with her.
This is a fast paced, well written novel that will leave you wanting more. I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5 because Eva is such a level-headed strong lead at the beginning of this book and she really becomes complacent at the end and I think it took away from the story. All in all a good book though and the author writes about some of the other (single) players and I do hope that we’re going to get a few of their stories.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Eva Harlowe has spent the years since her parent’s death raising her 3 teenage sisters. Now that they’re all out of the nest it’s time to focus on herself. She’s the current go-to girl for the Saratoga Preachers but she’s also been accepted into an elite photography school of her dreams. It’s a no brainer that she go to this school… until her longtime crush, Finn Castro, shows up to play for the Saratoga Preachers and throws a wrench into her plans. Finn let the fame of being a big-leaguer go to his head and wound up being sent back to the minors. Now, his main goal in life is to get back into the majors – he’s just got to keep his head down and play some amazing baseball. But as soon as he lays eyes on the intriguing Eva Harlowe his focus shifts and he can’t help the need to be with her.
This is a fast paced, well written novel that will leave you wanting more. I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5 because Eva is such a level-headed strong lead at the beginning of this book and she really becomes complacent at the end and I think it took away from the story. All in all a good book though and the author writes about some of the other (single) players and I do hope that we’re going to get a few of their stories.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
September 3, 2016
**My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**
We met Finn in the previous book with Amelia and Oliver where Finn acts really badly and loses his place with The Saints.
Finn has now been relegated to the minors in order that he either learns to behave himself or he is out to Baseball. He never figured that it would turn out to be the best thing in the world for him.
Eva is a strong cookie who is the good girl next door who raised her sisters when their parents died from when she was only eighteen
The chemistry between the two starts from when they meet and sizzles all the way until the last pages, they can't keep their hands off each other even though Eva says from the beginning that they can only last for a season.
The book can be read as a stand alone, however i think that reading the previous books just gives you a better background knowledge of the other people involved and of Finn previously. This way you can really measure just how much he changes.
A decent read.
We met Finn in the previous book with Amelia and Oliver where Finn acts really badly and loses his place with The Saints.
Finn has now been relegated to the minors in order that he either learns to behave himself or he is out to Baseball. He never figured that it would turn out to be the best thing in the world for him.
Eva is a strong cookie who is the good girl next door who raised her sisters when their parents died from when she was only eighteen
The chemistry between the two starts from when they meet and sizzles all the way until the last pages, they can't keep their hands off each other even though Eva says from the beginning that they can only last for a season.
The book can be read as a stand alone, however i think that reading the previous books just gives you a better background knowledge of the other people involved and of Finn previously. This way you can really measure just how much he changes.
A decent read.
September 2, 2016
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is the fifth book in the series, and the first that I have read - but I intend to add the rest to my reading list! I can say that it read as a complete story, and whilst I may have missed some nuance, it didn't detract from the story for me.
I'm a big sports romance fan, and the bad boy working hard for redemption is always a good start. Add in Eva, the heart of the minor team, and they were meant to be. I enjoyed her family issues, and the interventions that made everything work out ok. I also enjoyed Finn having a friend to confide in, so that we get his public and private face and can see better where he is at. Connor was a good foil.
An easy, enjoyable read, with some good chemistry - I'm looking forward to catching up on the series and seeing where it goes next.
This is the fifth book in the series, and the first that I have read - but I intend to add the rest to my reading list! I can say that it read as a complete story, and whilst I may have missed some nuance, it didn't detract from the story for me.
I'm a big sports romance fan, and the bad boy working hard for redemption is always a good start. Add in Eva, the heart of the minor team, and they were meant to be. I enjoyed her family issues, and the interventions that made everything work out ok. I also enjoyed Finn having a friend to confide in, so that we get his public and private face and can see better where he is at. Connor was a good foil.
An easy, enjoyable read, with some good chemistry - I'm looking forward to catching up on the series and seeing where it goes next.
September 13, 2016
This book kept my attention enough to keep reading, so I would say it was just okay. There were some moments where it dragged and I don’t have any inclination to go back and read the previous four books. This can definitely be read as a standalone.
I thought Eva and Finn were decent characters. They were a tad bit on the boring side, but had pretty great chemistry. I appreciated that Eva was willing to sacrifice so much for her family, but there is a line and she was definitely letting them cross it. I did like that Eva was older than Finn, although it really didn’t seem to be much of a point of contention or an issue.
Overall as a sports romance, I thought it was okay. There were some great sports references and it was mostly accurate. There were some things though that weren’t and being the big sports junkie that I am, those things bothered me. Although I’m not likely to go back and read any other books in this series, I may pick something up by this author again in the future.
Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
I thought Eva and Finn were decent characters. They were a tad bit on the boring side, but had pretty great chemistry. I appreciated that Eva was willing to sacrifice so much for her family, but there is a line and she was definitely letting them cross it. I did like that Eva was older than Finn, although it really didn’t seem to be much of a point of contention or an issue.
Overall as a sports romance, I thought it was okay. There were some great sports references and it was mostly accurate. There were some things though that weren’t and being the big sports junkie that I am, those things bothered me. Although I’m not likely to go back and read any other books in this series, I may pick something up by this author again in the future.
Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
October 27, 2016
Finn a baseball bad boy has been sent down to the minors and told to change his ways off the field. Being on a team named the Saints which he was not was bad, but now his team name is the Preacher’s. He knows he is into trouble when he meets Eva who works as in Administration for the team. Her problem is that now raising her sisters and having time for herself she has had a huge crush on Finn for years. Always glad that he was at the big league club it is now worse by seeing him in person and by her best friend who knows about the crush and thinks this is great. Her time to finally do something for herself. Finn can’t believe that he is attracted to Eva and that she likes him as well. Now will they have a relationship or will it be just for fun? Read the book to find out. I got this book from netgalley. I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
July 29, 2016
Finn can shock the hell out of Eva, "he stepped back. “You heard me. I’m not going to be your secret midnight booty call . If we do this, then people need to know about it.” I loved this book, Finn was sweet, and caring.
September 7, 2016
This one took me forever to read. I liked Finn and Eva, but the story just dragged a bit. I have a feeling that Cooper and Audrey will be the next book.
January 16, 2023
It's been a while since I've finished a book in just a few days. I had a hard time putting this book down, even in bed. Both Finn and Eva were incredibly likable characters with great chemistry that just made the book fly by. Raitt wish there was more to this series.
August 3, 2024
Great story.
I am so enjoying this baseball series. The story of Finn and Eva plowing their way through so many obstacles was wonderful.
Melanie gives great insight into the lives of sports, especially baseball.
Looking forward to another part of the series.
I am so enjoying this baseball series. The story of Finn and Eva plowing their way through so many obstacles was wonderful.
Melanie gives great insight into the lives of sports, especially baseball.
Looking forward to another part of the series.
June 13, 2025
Heart felt characters
Another entertaining read. I think I know more about baseball now than I ever had! That's down to the skill of this author, she writes as if she's been a player. Characters well rounded and grow throughout this series.
Another entertaining read. I think I know more about baseball now than I ever had! That's down to the skill of this author, she writes as if she's been a player. Characters well rounded and grow throughout this series.
June 30, 2017
Not a homerun for me....Eva & Finn's story was the first I read in this series, so that could be a reason why I couldn't really get into it.
September 27, 2018
Oh Finn surprised me!! He is definitely a diamond in the ruff, one of my favorites!
February 10, 2021
Good read☆☆☆☆☆☆♡♡♡♡♡♡☆☆☆
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