The Future Play

Ida Heartthrobs

by Bethany Monaco Smith

Amanda Hamilton threw me off my game. From the moment the strawberry-blonde heartstopper walked into my life, everything changed.
She’s a mesmerizing force of nature and an absolute queen who deserves the world.
The thing is, I’m an idiot who’s already in a committed relationship with baseball. Without understanding how much she means to me, I screw everything up, and when I try to apologize, I’m met with an icy stare and a demand to prove I mean it.
As I work to do that, showing her my sincerity and slowly taking down the walls around her heart, I finally see the heartbroken girl beneath who wants nothing more than to be chosen and loved.
Once, I thought I couldn’t have baseball and love, but with every second I spend with Amanda, I know it’s no longer a choice. She wormed her way into my heart, and now it’s my job to prove I’m worthy of hers.
Every step I've made has been a play for the future I want. Now I'll do anything to show Amanda that while baseball may have been my first love, she's the love of my life, and the only person I want to share my future with.

The Future Play is an angsty, new adult baseball romance. Told over two time periods in Jamie & Amanda’s relationship (how they fall in love & what happens when life gets hard), you can expect plenty of swoony and steamy moments, a touch of heartache, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

While this is technically book three in the Ida Heartthrobs series, books in this series have minimal plot crossover and can be read in any order.

392 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 24, 2025

About the author

Bethany Monaco Smith is a writer-mom. When she’s not busy hanging with her boys, she’s writing cozy small town romances with lots of heart, a bit of steam, and all the feels. She loves happily-ever-afters and cries at every emotional moment, whether reading, writing, or watching. When she’s not mom-ing or writing, you can find her binge-reading on Kindle Unlimited, spending too much time on Instagram, and supporting fellow indie authors. Bethany survives on coffee, rewatching the same TV shows over and over, and her KU subscription. She lives in the Southern Tier of NY with her husband and two sons. You can find out more about Bethany and what she’s working on next on Instagram @bethanymonacosmith

Reviews

[Shani (Bttrflymama88) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Future Play by Bethany Monaco Smith

Okay ill start this off by saying that Bethany is hands down on of my favorite authors and she has been stuck with me since Freaking Love Pt2... One thing i can say for sure is that if you ever pick up one of her books, you will 100% be taken on an emotional rollercoaster, you will feel all the things and then some, and you should probably have tissues, and soft cozy blanket and all the comfort snacks available because she is going to put you through it! Her tagline isnt messy love for no reason! But its real and almost anyone can relate to at least some part of one of her stories!

All that being said! This is one of my favortie books and Jamie Henderson is a contender for top Bethany book boyfriend! (Don't tell Joel or Mark!) Their love is not easy. Jamie has been focused on one thing for most of his life. Baseball. And trying to figure out how to navigate life and love on his road to the MLB is not an easy task for him. Amanda just wants to be put first for once in her life. She wants to matter more to the people that she would do anything for! I absolutely loved watching her pov of being excepted into the hive and watching her acceptance as her friends rally around her and show up. Which is something she is not used too. On the other side of that is watching Jamie learn there is more to life than baseball and that you can have it all. Their growth. That's another thing you can guarantee you will get from a Bethany book. Is character growth and it is absolutely beautiful and i gobble it up! I love the way Jamie goes to bat for Amanda. Supports her. Loves her reassures her. Even if he doesn't always get it right the first time. And Amanda I love her boss babe attitude. Her determination and drive. But I love the human side of her. The side that knows what people say doesn't matter but that it still bothers her. It shows she has feeling too. Even if she doesn't like to be vulnerable.

Then you throw in one of my favorite fictional baseball teams and I'm a goner! I completely forgot how much i love the Metros. I mean I didn't. But I've missed them so much so. I love that Jenni let Bethany borrow her NY Metros characters because I loved seeing more of them, and seeing them interact with a new teammate while also cheering him on and helping him to grow as a player! The easy banter between these guys!

This book is a testament that true love exists, dreams do come true and you can have it all if you work hard and believe!

[Gea Rojas · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I would like to thank Bethany Monaco Smith and her team for sending me this ARC to review.

Ok lets start with the parts I loved:

Amanda was an amazing character to see grow and struggle and triumph in life, her experiences as a bisexual woman are so valid and so real (believe me), seeing her be loved and cherished by her friends was everything to me, and watching her relationship with her family grow and especially with her brothers. I was weeping there.I love to see a FMC go get the therapy she might need and Amanda went and healed like a queen.

Now on the parts i didt necesarly care for:

For me there's no reason for this love story to start when Jamie was 17
Which brings me to the this (is just a me thing not a "bad book thing") In the first half i had the constant reminder that the were just 2 immature teenagers and that's ok i just get whiplash from them acting in they weirdly mature way just to go back to teenager foolery (again this is just a me thing not a this is a bad book thing)

And finally what i did not Like:

Jamie in general i didn't like like he's not the worst but I DON'T LIKE HIM like i've spent almost 90% of the book disliking him and him making the same mistakes over again and hurting Amanda basically in the same place and my baby amanda didn't deserve any of that so i did not buy the HEA. It gave me too much o f a second chance romance and that's just not my vibe.

Now, honestly i would still recommend this book because it's still a good book and the way that deals with the most sensitive parts of the story is just *chef kiss*

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5-

My first book by Bethany Monaco Smith was The Perfect Love, which followed Trevor and Chelsea. I loved the two of them, as previously mentioned in one of my posts, but I think I may even love Amanda and Jamie more (I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do!). UGH!! Both of these books were just so beautiful that I can’t pick favorites! Either way, Jame and Amanda had my heart. My favorite part of their story was that he worked hard to win her trust and her love. She told him that she didn’t believe him? He worked ten times harder to prove that he did. There was no love at first sight, no love confession immediately after meeting, it was just pure trust and understanding. These two fought their feelings, but ultimately fate brought them back together. Amanda and Jamie had their fair share of difficulties, but the way they worked through them together was admirable. Bethany Monaco Smith has done it again, folks! She is one to watch out for! If you’re looking for a cute, but emotional romance series with friends who will always have each other's backs and romances that make you swoon, then search no more. It’s right here!

[Marni Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Jamie and Amanda it all started in college . From the moment they met one another well let’s just say all bets were off . Not only was the connection they shared undeniable, but sparks literally flew every time they were near one another. I absolutely adored watching their friendship grow into love and then seeing the way their relationship grew and changed when Jamie went from being in the minor league to end major league world of baseball. All the ups and downs , good times and bad times they endured. Well all I can say is OMG guys way these two hooked me so completely , the the way their story pulled at all my heartstrings and had me laughing out loud , smiling like crazy even sobbing like a baby , yelling outta pure frustration and kept me cheering so freaking hard . Well I honestly do not think there really are any perfect words to express how in love with this story I fell . this was such a beautiful and emotional love story about how relationships require hard work, about personal growth and growth as a couple and quite simply everything that goes into making a relationship work

[demi ☁️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

4.25 ⭐️
Thank you Bethany for an ARC of this book. I fell in love with your writing & story telling whilst reading The Perfect Love and now you’re one of my go-to authors.

What to expect:

🩷 New adult baseball romance ⚾
💗 Acquaintances to friends to effed up to lovers
🩷 Extrovert (her) x Introvert (him)
💗 She always feels rejected
🩷 He chooses her over and over
💗 Bisexual rep
🩷 Told over two time periods (new love + established couple)
💗 Curvy event planner FMC
🩷 Sweet & quiet MMC (with a cocky side)
💗 ”My girl”
🩷 Small town ➡️ big city
💗 Chosen family
🩷 Angsty emotional roller coaster
💗 Guaranteed HEA 😍

This book series appears to be healing my soul. The writing was beautiful, the topic of mental health was written to thoughtfully and respectfully.
The found family in this series is one of my favourites ever! Seeing Chelsea and Trevor again as side characters made me sob and the epilogue of this book ruined me 🥲

I have no words currently. No words at all to describe how much I loved this book!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Smile or someone will think I’m rude. Be friendly to everyone I meet or they’ll think I’m a bitch. Control my temper or I’ll hear a snide comment about how I must be on my period. I spend my life managing my fucking emotions, and I will not enable you to put your emotions on to me.”

Oh Amanda, the woman that you are! I absolutely loved this book, and I think it goes without saying from the above quote that Amanda quickly became one of my absolute favorite females that Bethany has written.

It all starts with how Jamie and Amanda met, and albeit they were both still young and figuring things out, you do get to see growth through both of them. Jamie is one you may very well want to knock some sense into…frequently…but he gets there in time. A lot of that relies on Amanda coming to actually fully speaking her mind and saying all the thoughts that have been bubbling over just waiting to explode.

Angst? Absolutely! Love? Definitely! Challenges? Would it be a Bethany book if there weren’t any??

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda is a college freshman looking to start her own event planning business but first her nightmare roommate has her looking for a new place to live. She ends up in with a huge friend family who takes her in and she gains some great friends. Among the new friend group a lot of their men play baseball and in comes Jaime who is a little younger than the rest and still in high school but they have an instant connection. The book takes place when they first meet and then again almost 2 years later when they’re both trying to make it big and still figure out where they might stand together.

Honestly, at every turn I kept waiting for someone to do something crazy because it can’t possibly be this perfect but it was. Even when one of them screwed up they figured out how to own it and it was so refreshing to have healthy communication in a relationship, even when there were blips. Super cute story and frequent spice with a tiny little bit of kink in there. I hadn’t read any others in the series but I’m so ready to go fill in the blanks now.

[Kelchickbooklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been waiting for this one and Ms. Monaco Smith has given us a sweet and emotional story that was full of emotions, friendships and two people who started off as friends but then life took over and so did their hearts. To see the relationship between Amanda and Jamie grow but with struggles both individually and together.
Amanda struggled with a lot in her life but the support of the found family, the Ida friends, and her brothers is what warmed my heart. She meets Jamie, whom at times I wanted to yell at, but by the end of the book, he won my heart over. Talk about a beautiful friendship that develops.
Yes, young love has its problems and Amanda and Jamie had plenty, but who doesn't when they are young? Seeing their friendship and love grow over the years is what makes this story one for the heart.
The Future Play is filled with hardships, hurt, but at the same time, there are times of fun, great laughs and a love that is meant to be. I love the Ida group and the way they are all there for one another, no matter what.

[Cams Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first real detailed look into Jamie and Amanda’s relationship. Of course they’ve shown up in the Ida and the Friends like this series but Jamie was always a peripheral character.
I always liked Amanda. We get to see more of her vulnerabilities and how they affect her life still. Having those issues it was a big deal for her to be in a relationship with a Jamie because they’d be triggered pretty easily. For the most part I enjoyed their journey. Jamie, for the majority of the time showed love and affection to Amanda which is the one thing she really needed.
I think I missed the “hive mind” even though the girls were shown intermittently, along with Aaron. It makes sense because as I said earlier we never saw much of Jamamda’s relationship in the other books. Much of what I love about this world Bethany has created is the friendship and found family aspect.

Thank you to Bethany for the arc and this is my honest if somewhat late review.

[Nicole M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly, this book is fiction because guys like Jamie Henderson just don't exist in real life 😍🫠🤣!
I have been in all of the feelings over this book. This one was an emotional rollercoaster, for sure, because sometimes boys do stupid things and sometimes we all don't communicate well. The amount of feelings from past personal experiences this story brought up was daunting 🥺. I did not, however, have Jamie Henderson as the fixer that he is. I believe my exact words were... the boy's comeback game is strong, though. Neither Jamie nor Amanda are perfect. They both have flaws that cause conflict and stress in their relationship, but their love is so evident and the way they come back 🔥🔥🔥!
I love every time I get to spend time within/adjacent to the hive mind (if you dont know what this is.. get to reading more of Bethany and this amazing group of friends).

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wonderful. I loved Jamie’s parents. A interesting take away was, when you really care for someone and they care about you, they need to know your baggage. It sucks and it’s a vulnerable thing to expose. But as Bethany put it, “It’s the only way I can help you carry it.”
I adored Penny. She is the cutest little sister and does her best to keep Jamie in line lol. I love this group of friends and how they show up for one another. How they don’t cast out someone for being different or for being an introvert. This book really has the characters doing a lot of growing and self reflection too. Their story was great, it had its up and downs but was so good. I laughed and felt empathy for things they were feeling or going through. The spice scenes were delicious. This was such a good read, that honestly had me thinking about my own mental health.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bethany writes in a way that makes you feel every emotion she has laid out on the page. You feel the tension, the longing, the butterflies, the emotional turmoil, the anxiety, the sadness, the happiness- the story hops right off the page and hits you with it all. I loved Jamie and Amanda. It took me a second to get past their story starting out when he was still in high school, but it is relevant to the story so I get it.

They both had big emotions to deal with individually that started to affect their life together. Their story was one that had hard moments and wasn’t full of “fluff”. Working through things when it is hard can make it extra difficult to get out of your own head. Which is exactly what you will find in their story- how they handle working through those moments knowing they want nothing more than to share their lives with each other no matter what.

[Ryann Henning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bethany is absolutely one of my favorite authors and she knows how to mess with emotions. I have waited for this story about these two characters and it was better than I could have imagined. Jamie and Amanda’s story was raw, real, and so emotional. She brought to light what real couples go through everyday and it brought me to tears and laughter. They have so much love to give and you can see it. As with all of Bethany’s books, I could not put this book down. I may have wanted to throw it at times but never put it down. The Ida Heartthrobs series is one of my favorites and this book does not disappoint. Thank you Bethany for being an amazing friend and trusting me with these two early! They are amazing!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh I loved this so much 😭
I know, I said this when I rated the perfect love, but honestly, this is the most emotionally intelligent group of friends I’ve ever encountered. These kids are in their 20s and are so emotionally mature!

I loved Amanda and Jamie’s story. Bethany does a great job of depicting young love how it changes overtime. How you look back and would know you would handle something differently in your 20s than you handled it in your teens. I need to go back and read the stories of the hive mind. I love this group of friends. Amanda‘s journey to becoming more confident and moving past her previous relationships, whilealso building her business at such a young age was one of my favorite things about this book. Jamie’s love for Amanda so sweet even though he messed up at times, it felt realistic of how love in your young 20s is.

Can’t wait to read more from Bethany!

[Book Junkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jamie and Amanda are side characters in the Friends like This series although this book is a part of the Ida Heartthrobs series, there is a crossover between both.

The book is split into 2 parts, the falling in love and the dealing with life's challenges. As usual Bethany's books carry a strong mental health element through them. Jamie and Amanda are very much in love but face a number of challenges when Jamie makes it to the MLB. Amanda carries a lot of insecurity and despite Jamie's assurances, she lets it affect her quite deeply. Jamie is struggling to balance his love for baseball and his love for Amanda, who is his everything.

This was a really enjoyable easy read with little to no angst.

[Anne Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The angst and banter in this book was perfect! Amanda and Jamie were the perfect combination of sweet and salty.

Amanda spent her life feeling like an after thought, like no one really saw her, until Jamie. He makes her feel seen and chosen.. she’s never an after thought, always his choice, even through their ups and downs.

Jamie has the weight of the baseball world on his shoulders. Talent like his comes with a lot of pressure, and he definitely feels it. He messes up, but is always quick to apologize and own his mistakes. He’s very mature for his young age. He’s perfect for Amanda!

The family that they build for themselves is also amazing. I want a group of friends that have become family like they do! I need my own huge mind!

[Destanee Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to start this review with the biggest heartfelt thank you to Bethany and her team for allowing me to read the ARC of this book.

Jamie and Amanda are two rather beautiful people who are learning to trust and love. Amanda is this bad ass feminist who is strong and independent and hides her vulnerability underneath the surface. Jamie is this absolute cinnamon roll golden retriever who falls first, hard, and fast. While they grow together they’re also learning what their limits are individually. I think that’s the most beautiful thing of all.

If you want the found family vibes and a sports romance all rolled up into one I encourage you to pick this book up. Bethany will give you an emotional roller coaster with every book she writes.

[Heather Kearns · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars
4 Chili Peppers

Jamie and Amanda's Story

Amanda is an FMC that is struggling with some issues like a nightmare roommate, being bi-sexual, and not feeling like she fits in. That's when she is scooped by the Ida friend group and that changes the trajectory of her life. All of sudden she has found her tribe and she realizes what it is like to have friends, true loving friends, and she meets Jamie.

At first Jamie seems too good to be true. Now I am not going to sit here and tell you that he is the perfect MMC, because you are going to love him, hate him, like him, dislike him, then love him again. But he sees Amanda for who she is in the end and the two come together or should I say back together as they should be.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book!

Having read Trevor's story, I was familiar with Amanda and Jamie... but Part 1 of this story takes place before Trevor had ever moved to the lake house, and it was so much more backstory not only for Jamie and Amanda, but for the rest of their friends as well!

I loved getting to know more of the history, and I really appreciated how all of the sensitive parts of this book were handled. I'm SO here for the mental health rep on both sides, as well.

I'd absolutely recommend this book (and series) to anyone who enjoys open door, college age, instant connection romance.

[Katie Vitale · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
4.5 Stars!

I think the thing I love most about this book is the timeline! I enjoyed watching Jamie and Amanda fall in love but what got me was watching them navigate big changes and challenges that comes with being in a relationship during major life changes. We get to see them work for their happy ending and that is the most beautiful part of this story.

This has fun banter, sweet and spicy intimate moments, communication, mental health representation and advocacy, and a great cast of characters.

I'm so glad I got to find this book and now Bethany's other books. My TBR grew exponentially after this book!

[Patricia Racobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, thank you so very much for the ARC. This was the first book of this series that I read and I will definitely go back and read the others. I loved Amanda and all she represented…a girl just trying to figure out college and life after. From the beginning I had mixed emotions about the MMC, Jamie..I am not sure why but I just couldn’t get behind the character. Towards the end of the book…it didn’t get much better (no spoilers, sorry). He did kind of redeem himself but it made the HEA not as happy for me.

[Coffeenbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one thing I am guaranteed is that when I pick up one of Bethany's books, it is going to put me through and emotional wringer. Her characters are always so real, dealing with everyday struggles. I very much identified with Amanda, which made the book that much more powerful.

We first met Amanda and Jamie in previous books and their relationship is not without bumps, but the prevailing love they feel makes the journey worthwhile.

I am so glad that this book is an extension of the Ida series, because that series is one of my favorites!

[Maurisa Risareads221 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️

Jaime and Amanda meet in college. This story follows them as Jaime goes from the minors to the big show. And their relationship goes from friends to lovers but real life can be hard on relationships. Do they have what it takes to survive in the majors? Will they grow or be torn apart by the fame?

This is a good story of growing together and having to do the real work to make relationships work. Especially through the tough life battles.

#thefutureplay #bethanymonacoauthor

[Chevone · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love baseball, young love, and all the feels that come with it, you have to read this book! I couldn’t get enough of Jamie and Amanda – their story absolutely stole my heart. I loved watching them face real hardships together and tackle everything head-on. The way the book explores different struggles feels so relatable and genuine. And don’t even get me started on the hive mind… I’m officially obsessed. (Seriously, once you read it, you’ll wish you had a hive mind too!) This story was everything I didn’t know I needed — heartfelt, emotional, and just so, so good.

[Chia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bethany Monaco Smith delivers a fun, heartwarming romance with The Future Play. Set in the lively world of the Ida Heartthrobs, this story is full of charm, wit, and characters you can't help but root for. The banter was sharp, the chemistry was sizzling, and the deeper emotional layers gave the story extra heart. I loved how the author explored dreams, expectations, and following your heart even when life doesn’t go according to plan. A delightful, feel-good read!
A wonderful story that I definitely recommend! ♥

[Jalesa Kraus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Jamie and Amanda’s story! Even in the very beginning you could feel the spark between them and although they didn’t get to it right away they found their way to each other. It definitely wasn’t easy though, but they worked through things, went through some tough times and came out on top together! I loved seeing Jamie grow in his baseball career throughout the book and seeing Amanda build her event planning business. They both showed that you can each have it all and make a relationship work as long as you show up for each other and support each other wholeheartedly.

[Brittany L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting for -Amanda and Jaimie’s story for what feels like forever. And it did not disappoint. Bethany knows how to pull you in and weave an intricate story that shows the characters heart with a side of struggle and heartwarming moments. I throughly enjoyed reading their beginning which we didn’t get a lot of prior to this and seeing where they are now. Once again Bethany has hit it out of the ballpark.

[Allie Koval · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, I absolutely adored this book by Bethany Monaco Smith. Jamie and Amanda together, *chefs kiss*. This book shows the struggles a lot of relationships can go through when there are big life changes and less communication that is necessary to get through those struggles. And it also shows that working through those struggles can bring you to a happier place than expected. Highly recommend!

[Stephanie Hutchison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not know how that Bethany Monaco Smith makes her MMCs more swooney wiht each book. Just when I think I’ve found my favorite, she writes a new book and that character is my new favorite.

Amanda is such a strong female character. Antother trait of BMS books. There is love, laughs, angst, and healing. As always, you get a catch-up on her other Ida characters. I’m ready for a new MMC to swoon over.

[amberebooksandmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Planning and baseball are life

I have been waiting for their love story since we saw them meet in the other books. They are my favorite by far and that is saying a LOT! Jamie is a man who has two loves and the need to balance. Amanda is a women who loves hard but is beyond independent because she learned early on that she shouldn’t ask for help. Them finding their balance and support of each other while falling so deep in love was the story my heart needed!