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More Than A Game #1
Better Than Perfect
The woman he left behind and the son he never knew are tougher opponents than any he’s met on the field.
Pitcher Johnny “The Monk” Scottsdale has won awards, been named an All-star and has a perfect game to his credit. Known for his legendary control both on and off the field, his pristine public image makes him the ideal person to work with youth players in a preseason minicamp. Except the camp is run by the one woman he can’t forget…the woman who made him a “monk.”
Alice Harrison’s three strikes include an unexpected pregnancy, a marriage of convenience and young widowhood. She once traded her dreams so Johnny could have a chance at making it to the Majors. Johnny comes back into her life just as she’s ready to resign as foundation director and pursue her own dreams of finally earning her teaching credential. Her plans may go on hold, though, depending on the reaction when she confesses she may have kept a major league secret from Johnny and her son.
With the minutes ticking by until Johnny will leave for spring training, they’ll need to let go of the past and work together in order to win the game of love.
CONTENT WARNING: Some strong language, consummated love scenes
Pitcher Johnny “The Monk” Scottsdale has won awards, been named an All-star and has a perfect game to his credit. Known for his legendary control both on and off the field, his pristine public image makes him the ideal person to work with youth players in a preseason minicamp. Except the camp is run by the one woman he can’t forget…the woman who made him a “monk.”
Alice Harrison’s three strikes include an unexpected pregnancy, a marriage of convenience and young widowhood. She once traded her dreams so Johnny could have a chance at making it to the Majors. Johnny comes back into her life just as she’s ready to resign as foundation director and pursue her own dreams of finally earning her teaching credential. Her plans may go on hold, though, depending on the reaction when she confesses she may have kept a major league secret from Johnny and her son.
With the minutes ticking by until Johnny will leave for spring training, they’ll need to let go of the past and work together in order to win the game of love.
CONTENT WARNING: Some strong language, consummated love scenes
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
197 people are currently reading
1391 people want to read
About the author
Kristina Mathews
7 books344 followersKristina Mathews doesn't remember a time when she didn't have a book in her hand. Or in her head. But it wasn't until she turned forty that she confessed the reason the laundry never made it out of the dryer was because she was busy writing.
While she resigned from teaching with the arrival of her second son, she's remained an educator in some form. As a volunteer, parent club member or para educator, she finds the most satisfaction working with emergent and developing readers, helping foster confidence and a lifelong love of books.
Kristina lives in Northern California with her husband of more than twenty years, two sons and a black lab. A veteran road tripper, amateur renovator and sports fanatic. She hopes to one day travel all 3,073 miles of Highway 50 from Sacramento, CA to Ocean City, MD, replace her carpet with hardwood floors and serve as a “Ball Dudette” for the San Francisco Giants.
While she resigned from teaching with the arrival of her second son, she's remained an educator in some form. As a volunteer, parent club member or para educator, she finds the most satisfaction working with emergent and developing readers, helping foster confidence and a lifelong love of books.
Kristina lives in Northern California with her husband of more than twenty years, two sons and a black lab. A veteran road tripper, amateur renovator and sports fanatic. She hopes to one day travel all 3,073 miles of Highway 50 from Sacramento, CA to Ocean City, MD, replace her carpet with hardwood floors and serve as a “Ball Dudette” for the San Francisco Giants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
March 12, 2014
I love baseball. And I love romance novels. So when the two overlap, I’m all over it. Add to the fact that Spring Training just started and I’m stuck in the middle of a Snowmageddon winter, and I just couldn’t pass up reading a baseball romance.
This book was completely enjoyable. I loved Johnny and Alice. I wanted them to be together so bad. They fell in love in college and she thought she did the right thing by letting him go so he could live his dream. Obviously both of them had to grow up, but neither of them had ever really moved on. So I was really happy to see that there wasn’t a lot of drama surrounding them reconnecting. After meeting again, they were thrown together and kept going from there. The author could have easily had Alice shy away from Johnny but she didn’t. And I’m thankful for that.
One thing I was surprised about was getting a POV from Zach (Alice’s son). I’m not complaining, but typically you don’t get the kid/teen’s POV. But this was refreshing because you actually got to see how he felt about what was going on. And the author did it in a way that didn’t annoy you because you weren’t reading an adult’s POV.
I also have to say that I kept expecting a huge drama to happen. And while it did, it came from a place I didn’t expect. I kept waiting for it to be the reporter that was snooping around, and while there was some drama from her, the big twist came from another source.
I would definitely read more from this author in the future.
***I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
This book was completely enjoyable. I loved Johnny and Alice. I wanted them to be together so bad. They fell in love in college and she thought she did the right thing by letting him go so he could live his dream. Obviously both of them had to grow up, but neither of them had ever really moved on. So I was really happy to see that there wasn’t a lot of drama surrounding them reconnecting. After meeting again, they were thrown together and kept going from there. The author could have easily had Alice shy away from Johnny but she didn’t. And I’m thankful for that.
One thing I was surprised about was getting a POV from Zach (Alice’s son). I’m not complaining, but typically you don’t get the kid/teen’s POV. But this was refreshing because you actually got to see how he felt about what was going on. And the author did it in a way that didn’t annoy you because you weren’t reading an adult’s POV.
I also have to say that I kept expecting a huge drama to happen. And while it did, it came from a place I didn’t expect. I kept waiting for it to be the reporter that was snooping around, and while there was some drama from her, the big twist came from another source.
I would definitely read more from this author in the future.
***I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
May 11, 2014
MY THOUGHTS
About the story...
Johnny Scottsdale has been a professional baseball player for 14 years. Now he's back in San Francisco for his final season. But baseball is not all that drew him to the west coast.
There's also Alice. The girl that got away 14 years ago.
She told him to go and be a famous baseball player.
She said she couldn't handle all the groupies and she didn't want to stop him from making his dreams come true.
But she did just that. Yes, he became a famous player, but he was never really happy. He never found what he had with Alice in College.
And Alice? Just a few months after she sent him on his way, she up and married his best friend Mel.
Mel has been dead for 8 years and Johnny is finally back to take what should always have been his life!
And then there's Zach. Alice's 13 year old son.
He and his mom have been huge Johnny Scottsdale fans forever! He's his hero. But Zach never knew his mom really knew Johnny in College!!
Is that maybe the reason why Zach doesn't look anything like his Dad Mel??
Lots of lies or omitted truths and lots of missed chances and moments.....
Will Johnny get the chance to win back the only girl he ever loved?
And what will he do once his career is over?
WILL JOHNNY WIN THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME OF HIS LIFE?
WILL THE 3 OF THEM GET THEIR HEA???
I'm not telling you that of course!! GO READ IT!
________________________________
I LOVED THE STORY!!!!!
It was in no way anything new or even all that original - I have read at least 10 books with the exact same story - BUT I still really enjoyed reading it.
I think I have never read a Baseball book - and I have not the slightest clue about anything baseball - so lots of words and phrases and jokes were a bit too much for me, but that didn't bother me all that much.
You can really see how much Kristina loves the sport!
I laughed, I cried...
But most of all I just ENJOYED the time I had with Johnny & Alice and especially Zach!
I really liked that Kristina gave Zach a voice too.
There were some romantic and sexy scenes in the book - I would've wished for a bit more of that - but it was really ok the way it was.
I had the tiny little feeling that the book wanted to be a Christian romance - without any talk about religion, but still ... it just felt a bit too perfect & prudish american for a german girl like me ☺ The language alone was just a bit too perfect for me. Every confirmation was always written as a complete YES - no YEP, YEAH, YUP, YA, UhHUH... I don't know why that bothered me, but it did a bit. ☺
But all the negative can't stop me from saying that BETTER THAN PERFECT was a really great sports romance. With really many moving moments!
And no book can do anything wrong for me, when it has either a Navy SEAL or a professional athlete in it ☺ grrrrrrrr
I really want to read the next book - I hope it's about Bryce - we met him already! I really enjoyed his scenes!!
About the story...
Johnny Scottsdale has been a professional baseball player for 14 years. Now he's back in San Francisco for his final season. But baseball is not all that drew him to the west coast.
There's also Alice. The girl that got away 14 years ago.
She told him to go and be a famous baseball player.
She said she couldn't handle all the groupies and she didn't want to stop him from making his dreams come true.
But she did just that. Yes, he became a famous player, but he was never really happy. He never found what he had with Alice in College.
And Alice? Just a few months after she sent him on his way, she up and married his best friend Mel.
Mel has been dead for 8 years and Johnny is finally back to take what should always have been his life!
And then there's Zach. Alice's 13 year old son.
He and his mom have been huge Johnny Scottsdale fans forever! He's his hero. But Zach never knew his mom really knew Johnny in College!!
Is that maybe the reason why Zach doesn't look anything like his Dad Mel??
Lots of lies or omitted truths and lots of missed chances and moments.....
Will Johnny get the chance to win back the only girl he ever loved?
And what will he do once his career is over?
He needed to start thinking about his future.
But first he had to face his past.
WILL JOHNNY WIN THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME OF HIS LIFE?
WILL THE 3 OF THEM GET THEIR HEA???
I'm not telling you that of course!! GO READ IT!
________________________________
I LOVED THE STORY!!!!!
It was in no way anything new or even all that original - I have read at least 10 books with the exact same story - BUT I still really enjoyed reading it.
I think I have never read a Baseball book - and I have not the slightest clue about anything baseball - so lots of words and phrases and jokes were a bit too much for me, but that didn't bother me all that much.
You can really see how much Kristina loves the sport!
I laughed, I cried...
But most of all I just ENJOYED the time I had with Johnny & Alice and especially Zach!
I really liked that Kristina gave Zach a voice too.
There were some romantic and sexy scenes in the book - I would've wished for a bit more of that - but it was really ok the way it was.
I had the tiny little feeling that the book wanted to be a Christian romance - without any talk about religion, but still ... it just felt a bit too perfect & prudish american for a german girl like me ☺ The language alone was just a bit too perfect for me. Every confirmation was always written as a complete YES - no YEP, YEAH, YUP, YA, UhHUH... I don't know why that bothered me, but it did a bit. ☺
But all the negative can't stop me from saying that BETTER THAN PERFECT was a really great sports romance. With really many moving moments!
And no book can do anything wrong for me, when it has either a Navy SEAL or a professional athlete in it ☺ grrrrrrrr
I really want to read the next book - I hope it's about Bryce - we met him already! I really enjoyed his scenes!!
June 13, 2014
This is a hard review for me to write. I really thought I would love this book - the premise is good and I love baseball so I thought it would be a perfect book for me. The writing itself was good but I had some issues with some aspects of the story. I really couldn't excuse Alice's actions regarding Zack's paternity and also if she was so in love with Johnny - how could she sleep with his best friend even if they were broken up? The decisions she made were not acceptable to me and I didn't like her. That pretty much ruined the whole book for me. I will still read the other books in this series because I did like the authors writing, I just couldn't stand Alice.
March 9, 2014
*** I have received an ARC via NetGalley ***
I'm a sucker for sports romances and the plot of "Better Than Perfect" got me interested: a high school sweetheart and a love child?
Sadly, it lacked in-depth descriptions of the characters, their clothing and surroundings, I couldn't picture the hero Johnny as a sports hunk or heroine Alice at all - they were just names for me and stayed that way.
It didn't help that the majority of the chapters were not about Johnny and Alice as a couple, only the last chapter was - not enough for my romance craving heart! ;)
Plus, how Johnny reacted after the paternity test just screamed "douchebag" to me - I wished that Alice would've let him work for his HEA, let Johnny come to her and their son and apologize (okay, grovel!) over and over again - but no. She goes to his game with a giant "I love you" sign.
I think that "Better Than Perfect" is s solid read and seeing that this is labelled as book Nr. 1, I'm curious how book Nr. 2 will turn out!
My german review can be found here .
I'm a sucker for sports romances and the plot of "Better Than Perfect" got me interested: a high school sweetheart and a love child?
Sadly, it lacked in-depth descriptions of the characters, their clothing and surroundings, I couldn't picture the hero Johnny as a sports hunk or heroine Alice at all - they were just names for me and stayed that way.
It didn't help that the majority of the chapters were not about Johnny and Alice as a couple, only the last chapter was - not enough for my romance craving heart! ;)
Plus, how Johnny reacted after the paternity test just screamed "douchebag" to me - I wished that Alice would've let him work for his HEA, let Johnny come to her and their son and apologize (okay, grovel!) over and over again - but no. She goes to his game with a giant "I love you" sign.
I think that "Better Than Perfect" is s solid read and seeing that this is labelled as book Nr. 1, I'm curious how book Nr. 2 will turn out!
My german review can be found here .
March 26, 2014
I have a confession to make: I'm a sucker for sports-themed books. I like sports, but I'm not obsessive about them (with maybe the exception of Football - the only sport worth obsessing over) so I don't know why I go crazy for these.
This book was reminiscent of Rachel Gibson's Daisy's Back in Town, with the added bonus of having a MLB backdrop.
There were a lot of misunderstandings and the secret baby plot was frustrating, but there were a lot of things I liked. It was refreshing to read about a professional athlete who wasn't a giant man-whore or a complete ass. Johnny was just the opposite.
Alice's insecurities made sense given her background, but it felt like there was too much going on at times; Alice raising a son alone, Johnny dealing with his feelings about Alice and her marriage, his concerns about his career, her jealousy, her leaving him initially, her son's concerns about their relationship, her in-laws...it was a lot. Add into it crazy fans and reporters and, well, I think some of it could have been culled.
Still, I liked the easy friendship between Johnny and Alice. I also like the way she was with her son, Zach, and how Johnny related to him. I expected the in-laws to be the villains of the piece, but they were actually wonderful.
The baseball backdrop worked well. It didn't take th focus away from Alice and Johnny, but instead worked around them.
3.5 out of 5
This book was reminiscent of Rachel Gibson's Daisy's Back in Town, with the added bonus of having a MLB backdrop.
There were a lot of misunderstandings and the secret baby plot was frustrating, but there were a lot of things I liked. It was refreshing to read about a professional athlete who wasn't a giant man-whore or a complete ass. Johnny was just the opposite.
Alice's insecurities made sense given her background, but it felt like there was too much going on at times; Alice raising a son alone, Johnny dealing with his feelings about Alice and her marriage, his concerns about his career, her jealousy, her leaving him initially, her son's concerns about their relationship, her in-laws...it was a lot. Add into it crazy fans and reporters and, well, I think some of it could have been culled.
Still, I liked the easy friendship between Johnny and Alice. I also like the way she was with her son, Zach, and how Johnny related to him. I expected the in-laws to be the villains of the piece, but they were actually wonderful.
The baseball backdrop worked well. It didn't take th focus away from Alice and Johnny, but instead worked around them.
3.5 out of 5
March 2, 2014
***I received an ARC of this book from the Publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review***
Johnny and Alice were college sweethearts. Johnny came from a lonely childhood where his love of baseball molded him into a discipline and all around great player. Alice grew up knowing her parents accepted her but blamed her for her conception and her dad’s loss at chance to play professional football. Both characters had self-doubt. When Johnny makes it to the minor leagues, Alice decides to break up with him, so he can follow his dreams.
I enjoyed the reading Zach’s (Alice’s son) perspective. It brought a fresh element to the story. Johnny and Alice shared a deep love and struggled to fight for that love. It was a sweet romance. Overall, this was a great story, and the author delivered a happily ever after ending. Great book.
Overall rating: 3 Rockin’ Stars
Hero - Johnny: 3 stars
Heroine - Alice: 3 stars
Steam Level: 3 stars
Plot: 3 stars
Cliffhanger: No
Would I recommend this book: Yes!
Would I read other books by this author: Yes!
Kristina Mathews
Johnny and Alice were college sweethearts. Johnny came from a lonely childhood where his love of baseball molded him into a discipline and all around great player. Alice grew up knowing her parents accepted her but blamed her for her conception and her dad’s loss at chance to play professional football. Both characters had self-doubt. When Johnny makes it to the minor leagues, Alice decides to break up with him, so he can follow his dreams.
I enjoyed the reading Zach’s (Alice’s son) perspective. It brought a fresh element to the story. Johnny and Alice shared a deep love and struggled to fight for that love. It was a sweet romance. Overall, this was a great story, and the author delivered a happily ever after ending. Great book.
Overall rating: 3 Rockin’ Stars
Hero - Johnny: 3 stars
Heroine - Alice: 3 stars
Steam Level: 3 stars
Plot: 3 stars
Cliffhanger: No
Would I recommend this book: Yes!
Would I read other books by this author: Yes!
Kristina Mathews
March 17, 2014
I really like this book, I love baseball and I love second chance romances, so what could be better, right? I think the writing in this book was really good, especially for a debut novel.
One of the things that was nice about this book, was that while they were apart he wasn't a big manwhore. Most men in romance novels nowadays are/have slept with a bajillion girls/women. To me, the fact that he really just wanted her made the love seem real.
There also wasn't a whole lot of drama or angst. Don't get me wrong, I love drama and angst, but sometimes it's nice to read something without it. The story held it's own with only a couple of big moments.
The additional of the her sons POV was pretty cool. A little different, but it worked. It was nice to see an outside perspective and how he felt about the whole situation.
The epilogue made me a little sad, I really wish it would have been a little farther in the future. It could have just been another chapter for all it really gave us about where they end up.
I will totally be reading the next installment in the More Than A Game series and I'm really looking forward to reading more books by this author.
*ARC received from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
One of the things that was nice about this book, was that while they were apart he wasn't a big manwhore. Most men in romance novels nowadays are/have slept with a bajillion girls/women. To me, the fact that he really just wanted her made the love seem real.
There also wasn't a whole lot of drama or angst. Don't get me wrong, I love drama and angst, but sometimes it's nice to read something without it. The story held it's own with only a couple of big moments.
The additional of the her sons POV was pretty cool. A little different, but it worked. It was nice to see an outside perspective and how he felt about the whole situation.
The epilogue made me a little sad, I really wish it would have been a little farther in the future. It could have just been another chapter for all it really gave us about where they end up.
I will totally be reading the next installment in the More Than A Game series and I'm really looking forward to reading more books by this author.
*ARC received from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
March 30, 2014
This is close to a 4 1/2 for me
Johnny Scottsdale is in the last years of his baseball career. He has signed on with the San Francisco Goliaths in his quest for a World Series ring. It is a town with lots of memories. He went to college nearby and this is where he met the only woman he ever loved, Alice. Alice still lives in San Francisco and has followed Johnny’s entire career; she and her son.
The plot has a short timeline that moves swiftly. I didn’t feel rushed. I enjoyed the baseball scenes and the views of San Francisco. A great baseball romance book - set during Spring Training. If you don't know baseball it is okay, but for those of us who are fans it ups the pleasure!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
My full review can be found at http://tbqspersonalbookpalace.blogspo...
Johnny Scottsdale is in the last years of his baseball career. He has signed on with the San Francisco Goliaths in his quest for a World Series ring. It is a town with lots of memories. He went to college nearby and this is where he met the only woman he ever loved, Alice. Alice still lives in San Francisco and has followed Johnny’s entire career; she and her son.
The plot has a short timeline that moves swiftly. I didn’t feel rushed. I enjoyed the baseball scenes and the views of San Francisco. A great baseball romance book - set during Spring Training. If you don't know baseball it is okay, but for those of us who are fans it ups the pleasure!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest review.
My full review can be found at http://tbqspersonalbookpalace.blogspo...
June 22, 2015
I was really hoping for an all-around satisfying baseball romance and from the blurb, I thought I had found it. It was just an okay read with not much sparkle or charm to it. The pitch was a good one, but the players just didn't quite make it all the way to home plate. A lot of foul balls and strikeouts along the way. I didn't leave the field a very excited fan.
abandon-dnf
March 14, 2017DNF @ 45%
Besides being bored out of my mind and constantly looking at the percentage and cringing I can't get past the fact that she knew the her child was the Heros but was willing to sweep it under the rug and have sex and be with him BEFORE she told the hero he had a son!
Besides being bored out of my mind and constantly looking at the percentage and cringing I can't get past the fact that she knew the her child was the Heros but was willing to sweep it under the rug and have sex and be with him BEFORE she told the hero he had a son!
March 26, 2017
It was nice to read but kind of boring tbh.
February 26, 2016
2.5 stars. ARC Review
Posted at: http://loveaffairwithanereader.blogsp...
I'm a huge fan of romance featuring sports so I was exciting about this book. I thought it had a lot of promise. We have a stable, centered, super-star baseball pitcher and a strong-willed, self-sufficient single mom. A second chance story, Johnny and Alice were college sweethearts. But when he got his chance to go to the Majors, Alice didn't want to hold him back. They meet up years later when Johnny signs on with the hometown baseball team.
Unfortunately, the conflict in the story is not enough to sustain the length of the book. The writing tends to get repetitive. For me, the main conflict between the two characters did not evolve. If this were a color wheel, we get the same primary colors at each interaction with no shades or tints. The same tension is repeated over and over again with almost the same context using almost the same words and phrases.
There are two other strange writing choices. First, it feels odd to include a third voice of a thirteen year old in the story. In the midst of being in the mind of a 30+ year old adult male and female, it switches to the point of view of a teenager. It feels a bit jarring. Perhaps this explains the other problem I have with the writing. There are times when the author slips into a Young Adult voice for her adult characters: "Johnny had asked her to go with him to the Golden Gate Gala. An real date. With a limo and everything." I could be wrong, but that voice sounds curiously juvenile.
IN A NUTSHELL:
Though a story with good potential, it falls far short of a home run.
Posted at: http://loveaffairwithanereader.blogsp...
I'm a huge fan of romance featuring sports so I was exciting about this book. I thought it had a lot of promise. We have a stable, centered, super-star baseball pitcher and a strong-willed, self-sufficient single mom. A second chance story, Johnny and Alice were college sweethearts. But when he got his chance to go to the Majors, Alice didn't want to hold him back. They meet up years later when Johnny signs on with the hometown baseball team.
Unfortunately, the conflict in the story is not enough to sustain the length of the book. The writing tends to get repetitive. For me, the main conflict between the two characters did not evolve. If this were a color wheel, we get the same primary colors at each interaction with no shades or tints. The same tension is repeated over and over again with almost the same context using almost the same words and phrases.
There are two other strange writing choices. First, it feels odd to include a third voice of a thirteen year old in the story. In the midst of being in the mind of a 30+ year old adult male and female, it switches to the point of view of a teenager. It feels a bit jarring. Perhaps this explains the other problem I have with the writing. There are times when the author slips into a Young Adult voice for her adult characters: "Johnny had asked her to go with him to the Golden Gate Gala. An real date. With a limo and everything." I could be wrong, but that voice sounds curiously juvenile.
IN A NUTSHELL:
Though a story with good potential, it falls far short of a home run.
March 31, 2014
***ARC from NetGalley in Exchange for an honest review***
Long Lost Lovers. Secret Love Child. Oooh…! Well, not so much for me with this one. I found it hard to relate to either Johnny or Alice. Johnny seems to be too perfect – honest, disciplined, upstanding. Alice too, on the surface…perfect mom, perfect daughter-in-law, etc. I like my characters flawed, good but flawed – human. Yes, there is a bitter past they both are struggling with but that doesn’t come across with the gravity I thought it needed to be. In some parts of this book, I actually disliked Alice. How can you get pregnant and not know or even want to know who the father is. Marry a probable candidate and still not try to find out. And then just let his (husbands) parents think that it’s 100% their grandchild. And she’s the best thing that ever happened to you/them? Yikes, really low expectations there. On the other end, Johnny is called the “monk” because he is basically one…scarred by the one that got away and betrayed him. A professional athlete that does not indulge? Exception to the norm…and very hard to live up to or be worthy of. It was well-written and a good story arc but I needed to feel the pain, angst, elation, etc. For all it’s depicted up and downs, I couldn’t feel the emotion from any of the characters.
Long Lost Lovers. Secret Love Child. Oooh…! Well, not so much for me with this one. I found it hard to relate to either Johnny or Alice. Johnny seems to be too perfect – honest, disciplined, upstanding. Alice too, on the surface…perfect mom, perfect daughter-in-law, etc. I like my characters flawed, good but flawed – human. Yes, there is a bitter past they both are struggling with but that doesn’t come across with the gravity I thought it needed to be. In some parts of this book, I actually disliked Alice. How can you get pregnant and not know or even want to know who the father is. Marry a probable candidate and still not try to find out. And then just let his (husbands) parents think that it’s 100% their grandchild. And she’s the best thing that ever happened to you/them? Yikes, really low expectations there. On the other end, Johnny is called the “monk” because he is basically one…scarred by the one that got away and betrayed him. A professional athlete that does not indulge? Exception to the norm…and very hard to live up to or be worthy of. It was well-written and a good story arc but I needed to feel the pain, angst, elation, etc. For all it’s depicted up and downs, I couldn’t feel the emotion from any of the characters.
June 4, 2018
Mmmhmmm nothings better than Baseball + Romance. Perfect combo :) This book is about a love once had but lost and about finding it all again. Johnny is a famous baseball player and Alice is the one that walked away. She wasn’t cut out for it. Now later in life can they get back what they once had? This story reminds me of my husband and myself, we dated 14 years ago and now are going on 4 years of marriage after 10 years apart and 2 failed marriages equally between us. Now we didn’t have quite the story these two had with the HUGE secret that I refuse to tell anyone. I liked this book, easy read (just a few hours) one thing I wish for is MORE BASEBALL, considering it is the best sport of all time. The scenes were very well written, didn’t just around the story flowed very well. Definitely worth the price of FREE :)
June 29, 2015
Most athletes in books are usually cocky bad boy types. What I really enjoyed about this book was that Johnny was nothing like that. Johnny "The Monk" Scottsdale has only ever loved one girl, Alice. But when Alice gets pregnant and marries his roommate, he wants nothing to do with either of them. As an all-star baseball player, many people are surprised when he chooses to play in San Francisco, even though other teams offered him more money. Coincidentally Alice now lives in there with her son Zach. The two meet when planning a community baseball camp and they realize that the feelings they held in the past still remain. Secrets and lies try to stop their happy ending. This book isn't just a sports book, it's about forgiving the past and figuring out your future.
October 2, 2016
This was bad! I'm sorry but it WAS. If you haven't read this book continue at own risk ... there will be spoilers, actually I'm going to tell you the whole story in a paragraph.
O.K. so let me get this right.
They were a couple, she pushed him away so she wouldn't stand in his way as he rose to the top, she slept with his best friend, found out she was pregnant, not sure whose baby it was, married best friend, had baby who looks just like our H and then she's a widow. A devoted widow, a saint of a widow!
H comes back and through connecting again finding about the child all is well and everyone is so understanding. The in laws, the H even the child!!!!!!
Oh come on!!!!!!
I can't even think straight after reading this to write a proper review.
O.K. so let me get this right.
They were a couple, she pushed him away so she wouldn't stand in his way as he rose to the top, she slept with his best friend, found out she was pregnant, not sure whose baby it was, married best friend, had baby who looks just like our H and then she's a widow. A devoted widow, a saint of a widow!
H comes back and through connecting again finding about the child all is well and everyone is so understanding. The in laws, the H even the child!!!!!!
Oh come on!!!!!!
I can't even think straight after reading this to write a proper review.
February 27, 2014
I liked Johnny he seemed caring and doesn't like making his girl cry, "oh, Johnny. I didn't see you there." She looked up. Her mascara was smeared. Her eyes were red and shimmery. He'd made her cry. Damn." After all the years a part these two still have the hots for each other, "I think the answer is pretty obvious." She didn't mean to gaze at his crotch, but the evidence was still there." Did I mention how much I loved Johnny? "Do you want another baby?" He hoped she did. But he'd be satisfied with Zach, if that's the way it worked out. "Do you want to have my baby?"
March 11, 2014
ARC COURTESY OF NETGALLEY
I am not a fan of long separations with secret children. Alice was insecure and thought it best that she break up with Johnny so he could live his dream. They never got over each other altough Alice married Johnny"s best friend. They pretty much picked up where they left off. They was very little angst. The end of the book seemed a little rushed to me. But overall a quick easy read.
I am not a fan of long separations with secret children. Alice was insecure and thought it best that she break up with Johnny so he could live his dream. They never got over each other altough Alice married Johnny"s best friend. They pretty much picked up where they left off. They was very little angst. The end of the book seemed a little rushed to me. But overall a quick easy read.
February 6, 2015
I received this book for free through Goodreads' First Reads.
This was a cute read. I love baseball and I love romance novels, so naturally I loved this. I loved that the San Francisco Goliaths was a fictional version of the San Francisco Giants (my favorite baseball team).
This was a cute read. I love baseball and I love romance novels, so naturally I loved this. I loved that the San Francisco Goliaths was a fictional version of the San Francisco Giants (my favorite baseball team).
April 22, 2014
I thought this was great love story... add in some baseball ... perfect!
April 23, 2017
I love sports' romances, and this was a good one. Luckily there are three more books in this series.
March 6, 2014
ARC generously provided via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review
CLICK HERE TO READ MY ENTIRE REVIEW!!
What I Loved:I really liked the plot in this book, and I love how the characters were written. This book is written in the 3rd person which made the switch between different point of views seem organic because each one leant their thoughts and actions to create a whole story. I love that one of the point of views was Zachary, because most romances don’t really include the child’s point of view and when they do it’s usually just a paragraph or two. It was great to see that the decisions of Johnny and Alice weren’t just affecting their lives it was affecting Zach’s as well. Zach’s point of view was a new component that can separate this book from other romances in a good way. I always look for things that make a book unique from the simple generic romances and adding a kid’s point of view to the story definitely does that.
Romances that include an athlete will guarantee there will be some hot scenes and this book did not disappoint in that category. Johnny is hot hot hot and I want more! There was definitely tons of sexual chemistry between Alice and Johnny and I couldn’t wait for them to get down to business. When they finally did it was definitely not disappointing in anyway.
I like the characters Alice and Johnny they are definitely down to earth real people that are easy to relate to. Even when Alice realized the mistakes she made in her past you still are able to really understand where she was coming from and why she did what she did. The same goes for Johnny you just instantly love him and root for him in every possible way. He’s such a great guy and it’s refreshing to read a book that involves a sport player that didn’t play the field while he was single. It’s nice to see a book break that typical mold of famous guy being a male slut until he finds the love of his life.
Not So Much:I had a hard time emotionally connecting to this book, I kind of felt like the ups and downs throughout the story were hard to latch onto because it would just be stated with no actions to back it up, it would just be a sentence and then nothing. I like books filled with drama and this book had parts that could’ve been way more dramatic than they were written. Alice would be upset one minute and then the next like nothing happened, and for me that didn’t feel organic. The flow of the book felt stunted because the characters emotions and actions were very short lived and not followed up enough for me. The character development at times felt kind of robotic rather than human. This is the first book though in the series and I got as an ARC so maybe those things will change.
Like I said in the first impressions I would have like more details, for example, Johnny takes Alice to a gala and all I know about her dress is that it’s blue. I don’t know if it’s a ball gown, a mermaid cut, what fabric it’s made out of, the neckline of the dress, any accessories she was wearing with it, or what her hair looked like. I needed more details like that to really get into this story to make me feel like I was there with them. But I get that this is a new series and the very first book in the series so I hope as this series goes on the details will get better. Also I would’ve liked more details towards the end of the book, maybe an epilogue that took place 5 years into the future, if this series goes on and involves other stories with other baseball players than I would’ve liked to seen more into their future. If this series is just about Alice and Johnny than I get it but I have a feeling that is not where this series is going which is cool. I really liked the Bryce character and would like to read a book involving his love story.
CLICK HERE TO READ MY ENTIRE REVIEW!!
What I Loved:I really liked the plot in this book, and I love how the characters were written. This book is written in the 3rd person which made the switch between different point of views seem organic because each one leant their thoughts and actions to create a whole story. I love that one of the point of views was Zachary, because most romances don’t really include the child’s point of view and when they do it’s usually just a paragraph or two. It was great to see that the decisions of Johnny and Alice weren’t just affecting their lives it was affecting Zach’s as well. Zach’s point of view was a new component that can separate this book from other romances in a good way. I always look for things that make a book unique from the simple generic romances and adding a kid’s point of view to the story definitely does that.
Romances that include an athlete will guarantee there will be some hot scenes and this book did not disappoint in that category. Johnny is hot hot hot and I want more! There was definitely tons of sexual chemistry between Alice and Johnny and I couldn’t wait for them to get down to business. When they finally did it was definitely not disappointing in anyway.
I like the characters Alice and Johnny they are definitely down to earth real people that are easy to relate to. Even when Alice realized the mistakes she made in her past you still are able to really understand where she was coming from and why she did what she did. The same goes for Johnny you just instantly love him and root for him in every possible way. He’s such a great guy and it’s refreshing to read a book that involves a sport player that didn’t play the field while he was single. It’s nice to see a book break that typical mold of famous guy being a male slut until he finds the love of his life.
Not So Much:I had a hard time emotionally connecting to this book, I kind of felt like the ups and downs throughout the story were hard to latch onto because it would just be stated with no actions to back it up, it would just be a sentence and then nothing. I like books filled with drama and this book had parts that could’ve been way more dramatic than they were written. Alice would be upset one minute and then the next like nothing happened, and for me that didn’t feel organic. The flow of the book felt stunted because the characters emotions and actions were very short lived and not followed up enough for me. The character development at times felt kind of robotic rather than human. This is the first book though in the series and I got as an ARC so maybe those things will change.
Like I said in the first impressions I would have like more details, for example, Johnny takes Alice to a gala and all I know about her dress is that it’s blue. I don’t know if it’s a ball gown, a mermaid cut, what fabric it’s made out of, the neckline of the dress, any accessories she was wearing with it, or what her hair looked like. I needed more details like that to really get into this story to make me feel like I was there with them. But I get that this is a new series and the very first book in the series so I hope as this series goes on the details will get better. Also I would’ve liked more details towards the end of the book, maybe an epilogue that took place 5 years into the future, if this series goes on and involves other stories with other baseball players than I would’ve liked to seen more into their future. If this series is just about Alice and Johnny than I get it but I have a feeling that is not where this series is going which is cool. I really liked the Bryce character and would like to read a book involving his love story.
April 9, 2014
Johnny Scottsdale lived, eats and breathed baseball. Alice Harrison and he were madly in love in the day she would have followed him anywhere and done anything to help further his career. She herself was working on getting her teaching degree. Johnny’s roommate and good friend was Mel Harrison. He was their third wheel doing just about everything with them he was the one with the money most of time if not all of the time. You see Johnny was dirt poor coming from a prostitute mom and Alice had a working class parents who barely made ends meet. They didn’t even like her since they had to get married because of her.
As Johnny became more and more entrenched in the sport she began to see how popular he was coming with more and more females. He never seemed to notice them even he didn’t even look at them. But her feelings of jealousy were making her see green, she just didn’t like that feeling. So, after a night of passionate love making she broke it off with Johnny giving him his unwanted freedom. Saying that she wanted him to be able to devote all his time to his new job and that he couldn’t do that with her around.
She really didn’t want it either but couldn’t take all the women wanting him. In the back ground Mel was feeding into her insecurities. She was broken up. Who was there to console her but the third wheel and the man who would become her husband and the father to the child she was now carrying from that last night of passion. Mel even went as far as sending Johnny an invitation to the wedding. You see Mel was the first one to see Alice but was too shy to go up to her and talk to her so asked Johnny to and she fell in love with him.
Now though Johnny has been traded to the Goliath’s baseball team back home. Fan Day he sees Alice and her son. Which was a shock in itself but he also finds out Mel passed away 9 years ago, which totally surprises him. Here he has held so much anger towards his old friend for all these years only to find out it was misplaced and for not. He missed Alice more than he realized.
Alice hadn’t realized how unsettled it would make her seeing Johnny at Fan Day in person would be. She knew what she had to do back then but now not as sure since she sees how unsettled Zach is too. Now he is taking over as the pitcher to help at the day camp for the children. Now the three of them will be thrown together. Set emotions on edge putting her teaching career on hold, the Harrisons, and her.
How do you tell the man you once loved more than life that the decision you made at 20 years old could have altered all of their lives forever. Effecting them beyond her good intensions. That’s when she walked away from him it was with a pure heart for him to have his dream of full baseball career with a World Series. And the night his career changed forever Mel and her went out drinking got too drunk to drive they got a room, one thing led to another and she woke up with no clothes on, in the same month she and Johnny had sex. So, when she found out she was pregnant Mel said he wanted to marry her. She jumped on it even with them both always questioning if it could be Johnny’s child. Something was always lacking in their marriage, but he was a wonderful father, the thing was once he got me as his prize he put me on a shelf and walked away.
The day he died, in his car accident they had argued over Mel wanting to have another child and Alice not wanting one. She wanted to finish getting her teaching credentials to become a teacher. Mel got angry and left, never coming home again. Telling her he had a feeling his best friend still had her heart.
Totally enjoyed this book. It was a story that was really believable in a lot of ways. The emotions were there for all the characters involved. Its how most couples would feel during and after a break up, especially with a betrayal by his friend? At first, it seems this Mel guy was this sainted guy friend but it turns out he was a sleaze ball and Alice liked his parents and security much more than him. What’s funny is I think his mom knew it and understood it. Which made me feel sad for her, for the father I think he found out how bad his son turned out after it was too late and he was gone. With Zach he was making amends. Very good emotional but good story you knew you would have a HEA or at least you hoped but the route was still interesting. Provided by netgalley.com. Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com
5 stars
As Johnny became more and more entrenched in the sport she began to see how popular he was coming with more and more females. He never seemed to notice them even he didn’t even look at them. But her feelings of jealousy were making her see green, she just didn’t like that feeling. So, after a night of passionate love making she broke it off with Johnny giving him his unwanted freedom. Saying that she wanted him to be able to devote all his time to his new job and that he couldn’t do that with her around.
She really didn’t want it either but couldn’t take all the women wanting him. In the back ground Mel was feeding into her insecurities. She was broken up. Who was there to console her but the third wheel and the man who would become her husband and the father to the child she was now carrying from that last night of passion. Mel even went as far as sending Johnny an invitation to the wedding. You see Mel was the first one to see Alice but was too shy to go up to her and talk to her so asked Johnny to and she fell in love with him.
Now though Johnny has been traded to the Goliath’s baseball team back home. Fan Day he sees Alice and her son. Which was a shock in itself but he also finds out Mel passed away 9 years ago, which totally surprises him. Here he has held so much anger towards his old friend for all these years only to find out it was misplaced and for not. He missed Alice more than he realized.
Alice hadn’t realized how unsettled it would make her seeing Johnny at Fan Day in person would be. She knew what she had to do back then but now not as sure since she sees how unsettled Zach is too. Now he is taking over as the pitcher to help at the day camp for the children. Now the three of them will be thrown together. Set emotions on edge putting her teaching career on hold, the Harrisons, and her.
How do you tell the man you once loved more than life that the decision you made at 20 years old could have altered all of their lives forever. Effecting them beyond her good intensions. That’s when she walked away from him it was with a pure heart for him to have his dream of full baseball career with a World Series. And the night his career changed forever Mel and her went out drinking got too drunk to drive they got a room, one thing led to another and she woke up with no clothes on, in the same month she and Johnny had sex. So, when she found out she was pregnant Mel said he wanted to marry her. She jumped on it even with them both always questioning if it could be Johnny’s child. Something was always lacking in their marriage, but he was a wonderful father, the thing was once he got me as his prize he put me on a shelf and walked away.
The day he died, in his car accident they had argued over Mel wanting to have another child and Alice not wanting one. She wanted to finish getting her teaching credentials to become a teacher. Mel got angry and left, never coming home again. Telling her he had a feeling his best friend still had her heart.
Totally enjoyed this book. It was a story that was really believable in a lot of ways. The emotions were there for all the characters involved. Its how most couples would feel during and after a break up, especially with a betrayal by his friend? At first, it seems this Mel guy was this sainted guy friend but it turns out he was a sleaze ball and Alice liked his parents and security much more than him. What’s funny is I think his mom knew it and understood it. Which made me feel sad for her, for the father I think he found out how bad his son turned out after it was too late and he was gone. With Zach he was making amends. Very good emotional but good story you knew you would have a HEA or at least you hoped but the route was still interesting. Provided by netgalley.com. Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com
5 stars
March 8, 2014
Better Than Perfect
Kristina Mathews
This story was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review.
Johnny (The Monk) Scottsdale is a famous baseball player who has recently signed up with the San Francisco Goliaths. He is a two time Cy Young Award and perennail All-Star player, he should be on top of the world. However, he is still missing his high school sweetheart, the one that got away, the one that married his best friend Mel.
Alice is that girl. She has always loved Johhny but grew up in a home with with a father that was always blaming having a child and a wife as the reason that he never made the "big times." She couldn't do that to Johnny, she ended things so that he could persue his dream. She has never forgotten him or what they shared. They were inseparable for three years.
Alice and Mel spent an evening together missing Johnny soon after he leaves, one thing leads to another, they console each other,and then she finds herself pregnant, and shortly thereafter married to Mel.
Twelve years later Johnny comes back to town, Mel has long since passed away and Alice still does not know who the father of Zach is. She is scared to see him, scared to talk to him, scared to tell him what might be.
The author does a great job with this story line. Alice is such a strong character, she is running a foundation sponsoring baseball camps for underprivelaged kids and her path crosses often with Johnny. He is chosen to participate in her camp after the original player is suspended. They will be spending some time together, working together. Her son Zach is at the camp and he volunteers to be Johnny's helper. She has done a great job raising Zach on her own and he is polite and well spoken. Johnny finds himself drawn to the boy, internally battling with himself, he does not want to like Zach, he is Mel's son and he finds himself jealous. Zach has idolized Johnny for years and is so very excited to be spending time with him.
The problem with secrets is that they inevidently seem to get out. This one does surface after a reporter does some digging and connects the dots. Johnny is blown away and caught totally off guard when questioned by the reporter. I felt so very sorry for him. He was truly shocked. The author did a great job in describing Johnny's search for the truth and where this leads all three of these people.
The secondary characters added alot to this story line, Zach alone was an integral part of the story and his humour made me laugh and remember my kids at his age. Mel's parents were so very sweet and the fact that him mom gave Alice her blessing to move foreward. Even the nurse at the lab and her stunts were very well done.
I loved how this story played out. It felt very honest and was very easy to read. I felt a connection with all the characters and was flipping the pages in search for the happy every after. This is the first in a series of athlete books and I am looking forward to the next one.
Kristina Mathews
This story was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review.
Johnny (The Monk) Scottsdale is a famous baseball player who has recently signed up with the San Francisco Goliaths. He is a two time Cy Young Award and perennail All-Star player, he should be on top of the world. However, he is still missing his high school sweetheart, the one that got away, the one that married his best friend Mel.
Alice is that girl. She has always loved Johhny but grew up in a home with with a father that was always blaming having a child and a wife as the reason that he never made the "big times." She couldn't do that to Johnny, she ended things so that he could persue his dream. She has never forgotten him or what they shared. They were inseparable for three years.
Alice and Mel spent an evening together missing Johnny soon after he leaves, one thing leads to another, they console each other,and then she finds herself pregnant, and shortly thereafter married to Mel.
Twelve years later Johnny comes back to town, Mel has long since passed away and Alice still does not know who the father of Zach is. She is scared to see him, scared to talk to him, scared to tell him what might be.
The author does a great job with this story line. Alice is such a strong character, she is running a foundation sponsoring baseball camps for underprivelaged kids and her path crosses often with Johnny. He is chosen to participate in her camp after the original player is suspended. They will be spending some time together, working together. Her son Zach is at the camp and he volunteers to be Johnny's helper. She has done a great job raising Zach on her own and he is polite and well spoken. Johnny finds himself drawn to the boy, internally battling with himself, he does not want to like Zach, he is Mel's son and he finds himself jealous. Zach has idolized Johnny for years and is so very excited to be spending time with him.
The problem with secrets is that they inevidently seem to get out. This one does surface after a reporter does some digging and connects the dots. Johnny is blown away and caught totally off guard when questioned by the reporter. I felt so very sorry for him. He was truly shocked. The author did a great job in describing Johnny's search for the truth and where this leads all three of these people.
The secondary characters added alot to this story line, Zach alone was an integral part of the story and his humour made me laugh and remember my kids at his age. Mel's parents were so very sweet and the fact that him mom gave Alice her blessing to move foreward. Even the nurse at the lab and her stunts were very well done.
I loved how this story played out. It felt very honest and was very easy to read. I felt a connection with all the characters and was flipping the pages in search for the happy every after. This is the first in a series of athlete books and I am looking forward to the next one.
March 7, 2014
***I received an ARC of this book from the Publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review***
This book was a very enjoyable fast read for me. Some things that i really loved about the book was the writing, it flowed very nicely which made reading all that much easier. The story is told from several points of view, one being Alice’s teenage son. It was weird at first to have Zach’s POV since it was a romance novel between his mother and her college sweetheart Johnny. But as the story goes on I really liked having his POV told, you are able to see how he is effected by the relationship his mother has with Johnny and the relationship he has with Johnny. I also enjoyed the Plot behind the story and I also liked that there wasn’t too much drama. I’m all for lots of drama in a book, almost all of my favorites have a lot of drama. This book although it had its moments where you wanted to lock both Alice and Johnny in a room together till they finally talked, didn’t have a lot of added drama.
When it came to romance, the book was hot, but not as hot as some “romance” that I have read. It does however fit it’s genre well for what was delivered. I also do not in anyway think this is bad, the story in this book is just not delivered by the intimate scenes. Johnny was hot, sweet, and caring, and the book left me wanting more of him.
There are some things that I would have liked to have been explained more in-depth in the book. I’m a visual person and I like hearing how homes look, how people are dressed, how somethings felt (ie. in the beginning when Alice and Johnny are doing dishes and he embraces her.) etc… So for me I thought some parts were lacking this. It made it a little harder for me to visualize scenes and become more close to the characters.
I wish the epilogue was further ahead instead of only a few weeks. There was emphasis on the fact that Johnny was sad that he missed out on the pregnancy and the young childhood of his son and that he wished he could have that or wanted to have that. I would have liked to see that. I know this is a series and maybe the next book will be a continuation of Johnny and Alice’s story, but i’m not sure if it will be. So I would have wished to have had a several year look into the future instead of a few weeks.
Overall the book was a 3.5-4 stars for me. I would recommend it to contemporary/sports romance fans. I will also look for it on amazon to purchase it when it becomes available. And I look forward to reading more from this author and more from this series.
This book was a very enjoyable fast read for me. Some things that i really loved about the book was the writing, it flowed very nicely which made reading all that much easier. The story is told from several points of view, one being Alice’s teenage son. It was weird at first to have Zach’s POV since it was a romance novel between his mother and her college sweetheart Johnny. But as the story goes on I really liked having his POV told, you are able to see how he is effected by the relationship his mother has with Johnny and the relationship he has with Johnny. I also enjoyed the Plot behind the story and I also liked that there wasn’t too much drama. I’m all for lots of drama in a book, almost all of my favorites have a lot of drama. This book although it had its moments where you wanted to lock both Alice and Johnny in a room together till they finally talked, didn’t have a lot of added drama.
When it came to romance, the book was hot, but not as hot as some “romance” that I have read. It does however fit it’s genre well for what was delivered. I also do not in anyway think this is bad, the story in this book is just not delivered by the intimate scenes. Johnny was hot, sweet, and caring, and the book left me wanting more of him.
There are some things that I would have liked to have been explained more in-depth in the book. I’m a visual person and I like hearing how homes look, how people are dressed, how somethings felt (ie. in the beginning when Alice and Johnny are doing dishes and he embraces her.) etc… So for me I thought some parts were lacking this. It made it a little harder for me to visualize scenes and become more close to the characters.
I wish the epilogue was further ahead instead of only a few weeks. There was emphasis on the fact that Johnny was sad that he missed out on the pregnancy and the young childhood of his son and that he wished he could have that or wanted to have that. I would have liked to see that. I know this is a series and maybe the next book will be a continuation of Johnny and Alice’s story, but i’m not sure if it will be. So I would have wished to have had a several year look into the future instead of a few weeks.
Overall the book was a 3.5-4 stars for me. I would recommend it to contemporary/sports romance fans. I will also look for it on amazon to purchase it when it becomes available. And I look forward to reading more from this author and more from this series.
March 11, 2014
It took me just a little to warm up to the story but then I was completely won over by it.
Johnny Scottsdale is not your typical Alpha hero but I'm more than ok with it. He's really one man I'd like to meet and love. He's sweet, kind, quiet, insecure but devoted to the ones he loves and cares about. He has never moved on from the break-up with the Alicia happened fourteen years before. Their doubts got the upper hand in the end and that was a pity seeing how they are perfect and in love together.
I feel sad thinking about all that wasted time Johnny spent lonely pining over the only woman he's ever loved. Sometimes I'm mad at Alicia for the decisions she made and that affected so many lives and other times I understand her doubts and fears of being a cloud in Johnny's bright future in the baseball. Johnny is not a talkative man and his insecurities stopped him from reassuring Alice with promises about , in his opinion, an uncertain future. More communication between her and Johnny might have helped to overcome the obstacles that both of them saw in their relationship each assuming of not being enough for the other, problems each one of them didn't want burden the other with. They didn’t want to make the loved person suffer however they did because the deeper you love someone the easier is to hurt and to be hurt. Theirs weren't maybe the right choices but nonetheless the ones they had to dealt with in the present.
Something I liked a lot was the presence of Zach’s pov too. He really is one of the main characters here.
This is really the story of Alicia, Johnny…and Zach.I hope too more of them in the upcoming books of the series and maybe to know more about Johnny’s mother’s past and what about Johnny’s father. That is a story waiting to be told and spiked my interest a lot.
And the author’s writing style is engaging. I think “Better than Perfect” is her debut novel and let me say what a solid debut indeed.
*ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Johnny Scottsdale is not your typical Alpha hero but I'm more than ok with it. He's really one man I'd like to meet and love. He's sweet, kind, quiet, insecure but devoted to the ones he loves and cares about. He has never moved on from the break-up with the Alicia happened fourteen years before. Their doubts got the upper hand in the end and that was a pity seeing how they are perfect and in love together.
I feel sad thinking about all that wasted time Johnny spent lonely pining over the only woman he's ever loved. Sometimes I'm mad at Alicia for the decisions she made and that affected so many lives and other times I understand her doubts and fears of being a cloud in Johnny's bright future in the baseball. Johnny is not a talkative man and his insecurities stopped him from reassuring Alice with promises about , in his opinion, an uncertain future. More communication between her and Johnny might have helped to overcome the obstacles that both of them saw in their relationship each assuming of not being enough for the other, problems each one of them didn't want burden the other with. They didn’t want to make the loved person suffer however they did because the deeper you love someone the easier is to hurt and to be hurt. Theirs weren't maybe the right choices but nonetheless the ones they had to dealt with in the present.
Something I liked a lot was the presence of Zach’s pov too. He really is one of the main characters here.
This is really the story of Alicia, Johnny…and Zach.I hope too more of them in the upcoming books of the series and maybe to know more about Johnny’s mother’s past and what about Johnny’s father. That is a story waiting to be told and spiked my interest a lot.
And the author’s writing style is engaging. I think “Better than Perfect” is her debut novel and let me say what a solid debut indeed.
*ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
April 20, 2014
4.5 stars because I do not condone keeping secrets about the paternity of children and I didn't buy that Alice didn't know Zach was Johnny's child. I do, however love sports romance books!
Johnny "the monk" Scottsdale is my new book boyfriend!!! I absolutely LOVE him! Baseball is Johnny's everything, but so was Alice. When Alice broke up with Johnny (due to her insecurities) the day before he left for spring training it broke his heart, but he didn't fight for her and he should have. What he did do however, was because an amazing pitcher, not a MANWHORE, not a drinker, not a druggie, but an amazing pitcher and mentor.
Alice did what Alice thought was the right thing to do and she sets Johnny free. In my book, if she really loved him, she would have faced her insecurities and fought for her man, not married his best friend, whom I'm sorry to say just wanted Alice for himself no matter the cost to others.
Fourteen years pass before Johnny makes it back to Alice's side of the country and finds out that Alice is a widow with a thirteen year son (Zach). Let the fun begin!!!
I loved that we got to hear Johnny's, Alice's, and Zach's POVs. It opened my eyes to what each of them were feeling. At times I was so mad at Alice for dumping Johnny and for keeping Zach from Johnny, but I felt she also got what she deserved by bringing stuck in a loveless marriage.
I really did love this book! When a book can evoke all of your emotions than in my book its a keeper. I laughed, I cried, I prayer, I got really angry and frustrated to the point that I just wanted to throw my kindle, and I LOVED every single minute of it.
If you love baseball, great characters, a little angst, a lot of love, a little sexual tension (not hot sex scenes), and a great book than you must read better than perfect. I can't wait for the next book in this series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
Johnny "the monk" Scottsdale is my new book boyfriend!!! I absolutely LOVE him! Baseball is Johnny's everything, but so was Alice. When Alice broke up with Johnny (due to her insecurities) the day before he left for spring training it broke his heart, but he didn't fight for her and he should have. What he did do however, was because an amazing pitcher, not a MANWHORE, not a drinker, not a druggie, but an amazing pitcher and mentor.
Alice did what Alice thought was the right thing to do and she sets Johnny free. In my book, if she really loved him, she would have faced her insecurities and fought for her man, not married his best friend, whom I'm sorry to say just wanted Alice for himself no matter the cost to others.
Fourteen years pass before Johnny makes it back to Alice's side of the country and finds out that Alice is a widow with a thirteen year son (Zach). Let the fun begin!!!
I loved that we got to hear Johnny's, Alice's, and Zach's POVs. It opened my eyes to what each of them were feeling. At times I was so mad at Alice for dumping Johnny and for keeping Zach from Johnny, but I felt she also got what she deserved by bringing stuck in a loveless marriage.
I really did love this book! When a book can evoke all of your emotions than in my book its a keeper. I laughed, I cried, I prayer, I got really angry and frustrated to the point that I just wanted to throw my kindle, and I LOVED every single minute of it.
If you love baseball, great characters, a little angst, a lot of love, a little sexual tension (not hot sex scenes), and a great book than you must read better than perfect. I can't wait for the next book in this series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
March 9, 2014
So this story is about Johnny and Alice, they were college sweethearts that broke up when Johnny got a chance to make it at the majors [by the way, Johnny is baseball player], and no Johnny didn't dump Alice, she broke it off. Her thought was that she didn't want to tie Johnny down, especially when she found out she was pregnant and the kid might be his former best friend's kid. No, Alice did not cheat on Johnny, they were already broken up, and Mel [former BFF] got her really drunk and well you do the math. So, when Alice find herself pregnant, and with no idea who the father was, she decided not to tell Johnny because of her messed up childhood. Her dad had to give up his football scholarship and work in the mines in his hometown because he knocked up Alice's mom, so can you say resentment. Anyways, Johnny and Alice get a chance at a happy ending.
Johnny was an absolutely great guy, in most romance novels, the guy goes of to basically screws anything that moves, but Johnny stayed faithful to Alice. What I hated in this book was that Johnny just couldn't catch a break until the end.
Alice, I didn't really like, I felt she was just too selfish and that is why the book lost point with me. Alice kept acting and rationalizing that everything she did, she did out of love and to protect Johnny. She never really gave Johnny the opportunity to make it his call, to either hit a home run or strike out.
Zach [the kid] was a good character, typical teenager in a complex situation. It was also great the book gave his point of view, a lot of books only give you the points of the main guy and girl, but this book gave you the kid, which allowed you to better sympathize and identify with the characters.
So get yourself a copy as soon as possible, you'll love the story and as soon as you read, you'll be just as anxious as me for the next book in the series.
Johnny was an absolutely great guy, in most romance novels, the guy goes of to basically screws anything that moves, but Johnny stayed faithful to Alice. What I hated in this book was that Johnny just couldn't catch a break until the end.
Alice, I didn't really like, I felt she was just too selfish and that is why the book lost point with me. Alice kept acting and rationalizing that everything she did, she did out of love and to protect Johnny. She never really gave Johnny the opportunity to make it his call, to either hit a home run or strike out.
Zach [the kid] was a good character, typical teenager in a complex situation. It was also great the book gave his point of view, a lot of books only give you the points of the main guy and girl, but this book gave you the kid, which allowed you to better sympathize and identify with the characters.
So get yourself a copy as soon as possible, you'll love the story and as soon as you read, you'll be just as anxious as me for the next book in the series.
April 6, 2014
3.5 stars
This is a second chance love story. Back in school, Johnny and Alice were inseparable. Then one day, they weren't. Johnny moves on to the big leagues and Alice tries to move on by marrying Johnny's best friend and having a baby.
Fast forward 14 years and Johnny is back home for his final year of baseball and on his first day back comes face to face with Alice. He knows as soon as he sees her that he has never stopped loving her. He quickly learns that his best friend is dead and that Alice's life has been anything but easy.
Alice has been following Johnny's career since she pushed him away so he could have one and not a day goes by that's he doesn't regret it. Now he's back and the feelings are as strong as ever but it is no longer just her feelings to consider. Now, her son is spending time with Johnny and there is no denying who his father really is.
When all the truths finally come out can Johnny and Alice have a real shot at a happily ever after?
This was a cute, sweet, quick romantic little story. It is told in the POV of all three characters and it was interesting to see the story from a teenagers point of view.
My thoughts:
Quick hook or slow starter? 3 (took a little time for me to get into this one)
Character development: 3.5
Level of Romance between characters: 4
Passion/Heat level: 3.5 (there are a few sex scenes, but they are short and sweet. PG13)
Angst/Heartbreak: 3 (this is not an angsty read)
Cliffhanger?: No. First in a series but their story is pretty much wrapped up. I am sure they will turn up in future books in the series.
Overall,this one was just ok for me. If you are looking for a quick read that is romantic without a lot of heat, give this one a shot.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a second chance love story. Back in school, Johnny and Alice were inseparable. Then one day, they weren't. Johnny moves on to the big leagues and Alice tries to move on by marrying Johnny's best friend and having a baby.
Fast forward 14 years and Johnny is back home for his final year of baseball and on his first day back comes face to face with Alice. He knows as soon as he sees her that he has never stopped loving her. He quickly learns that his best friend is dead and that Alice's life has been anything but easy.
Alice has been following Johnny's career since she pushed him away so he could have one and not a day goes by that's he doesn't regret it. Now he's back and the feelings are as strong as ever but it is no longer just her feelings to consider. Now, her son is spending time with Johnny and there is no denying who his father really is.
When all the truths finally come out can Johnny and Alice have a real shot at a happily ever after?
This was a cute, sweet, quick romantic little story. It is told in the POV of all three characters and it was interesting to see the story from a teenagers point of view.
My thoughts:
Quick hook or slow starter? 3 (took a little time for me to get into this one)
Character development: 3.5
Level of Romance between characters: 4
Passion/Heat level: 3.5 (there are a few sex scenes, but they are short and sweet. PG13)
Angst/Heartbreak: 3 (this is not an angsty read)
Cliffhanger?: No. First in a series but their story is pretty much wrapped up. I am sure they will turn up in future books in the series.
Overall,this one was just ok for me. If you are looking for a quick read that is romantic without a lot of heat, give this one a shot.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2014
This was a good book. It is well written and the story flows smoothly. But I didn’t love it, which was disappointing for me. I love sports romances and I love second chance romances but secret baby romances are hit and miss with me and unfortunately this was not one of my favorites. There are those that love the angst and other issues that frequently pop up in the secret baby trope but I’m not one of them. I found these characters who are supposed to be in their mid thirties acting like they’re in their early to mid twenties, not communicating, keeping secrets, basically all the relationship no-no’s, not that there was much of a relationship until the very end of the book. Alice, her thought processes and decisions were frequently baffling to me and Johnny went from too good to be true to disappointing douche bag and back. They both ran so hot and cold which I personally find frustrating. The bright point in the story was getting parts of the story from Zach’s perspective. I thought that was incredible and his character was very well written. I found his responses to be very touching but also age appropriate for a 13 year old boy. I enjoyed Ms. Matthew’s writing style even though this story was not my cup of tea and I was intrigued by Johnny’s friend Baxter. I will be looking for more books in this series to see if they are a better fit for me. If you love the secret baby trope, you should try this one, if not proceed at your own risk but this book was well written and I will be checking out more from this author. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
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