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Hard Hitters #1
High Heat
The author of Melting the Millionaire’s Heart gives readers a front-row seat to her new Hard Hitters baseball series. First up at bat: a hotshot pitcher and a PR pro battle it out on and off the field…
Small-town Indiana tomboy Sarah Dudley grew up living and breathing baseball, since her father owned the minor league Plainview Thrashers. A talented player herself, she idolized her brother’s best friend: Tom Cord, a pitcher with a wicked fastball and an even more wicked reputation.
Now, Sarah is the Thrashers’ VP of public relations, and Tom—a star in the major leagues—has been assigned to the club while rehabbing from surgery. It’s Sarah’s job to keep the hard-throwing, hard-living star out of trouble. But when she gets a glimpse of the man behind the bad-boy image, they start to generate more heat than an inside fastball…
Small-town Indiana tomboy Sarah Dudley grew up living and breathing baseball, since her father owned the minor league Plainview Thrashers. A talented player herself, she idolized her brother’s best friend: Tom Cord, a pitcher with a wicked fastball and an even more wicked reputation.
Now, Sarah is the Thrashers’ VP of public relations, and Tom—a star in the major leagues—has been assigned to the club while rehabbing from surgery. It’s Sarah’s job to keep the hard-throwing, hard-living star out of trouble. But when she gets a glimpse of the man behind the bad-boy image, they start to generate more heat than an inside fastball…
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2015
3 people are currently reading
171 people want to read
About the author
Linda Morris
20 books54 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Linda Morris is a writer of contemporary romance. She writes stories with heart and heat, with a joke or two thrown in. Her book Melting the Millionaire’s Heart was an Amazon Top 100 Series Romance bestseller. Hard Hitters, her series about a fictional minor-league baseball team in southern Indiana, is available from Berkley. Her latest, a contemporary romance called Bump and Grind is, written under her alter ego Jessica Martyn. It's coming March 27, 2018.
When she’s not writing, working as a freelance editor and technical writer, or mommying, she’s doing yoga, reading, working in her flower garden, or baking delicious things she probably shouldn’t eat. She believes that there are two kinds of people: pie people and cake people, and she is definitely one of the former. Her years of Cubs fandom (and their 2016 World Series win!) prove lost causes aren’t always as lost as they seem. A beat-up old copy of Kathleen Woodiwiss’s Ashes in the Wind was her gateway drug into the world of romance novels, and she’s never looked back.
Linda loves to hear from readers. Contact her via email at linda@lindamorrisbooks.com or via Facebook at facebook.com/lindamorrisbooks.
Linda Morris is a writer of contemporary romance. She writes stories with heart and heat, with a joke or two thrown in. Her book Melting the Millionaire’s Heart was an Amazon Top 100 Series Romance bestseller. Hard Hitters, her series about a fictional minor-league baseball team in southern Indiana, is available from Berkley. Her latest, a contemporary romance called Bump and Grind is, written under her alter ego Jessica Martyn. It's coming March 27, 2018.
When she’s not writing, working as a freelance editor and technical writer, or mommying, she’s doing yoga, reading, working in her flower garden, or baking delicious things she probably shouldn’t eat. She believes that there are two kinds of people: pie people and cake people, and she is definitely one of the former. Her years of Cubs fandom (and their 2016 World Series win!) prove lost causes aren’t always as lost as they seem. A beat-up old copy of Kathleen Woodiwiss’s Ashes in the Wind was her gateway drug into the world of romance novels, and she’s never looked back.
Linda loves to hear from readers. Contact her via email at linda@lindamorrisbooks.com or via Facebook at facebook.com/lindamorrisbooks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 21, 2015
2.5 stars
My biggest issue with this story – and an important one that influenced my reading experience – was that I truly couldn’t warm up to both Sarah and Tom. Especially Sarah.
See, for a heroine who was described by the hero to be “smart”, “tough”, with “sharp-tongue”, Sarah failed to convince me. I found Sarah to be a total pushover – especially when it came to her chauvinistic father (whom I totally despised by the way), and she was rather meek. She failed to show me that she had enough bite and tenacity to stand up in front of him and say, “You know what Dad, screw your narrow-minded view of women in this business. I’m going to show you how it’s supposed to be done.” It was hard to feel sympathetic towards her when I couldn’t believe in her myself.
In addition, I also found Sarah to still be a little star-struck over Tom; like there was still that younger girl crush that carried over with how she dealt with Tom’s ‘brazen adventure with women’. If Sarah was able to overlook her crush towards Tom like she claimed that she was, Sarah would’ve been able to handle the whole thing with Tom’s ex-girlfriend in a much more cool-headed way. Instead, I found her to be a bit childish in her reactions, thus showing her jealousy very early on.
As for Tom – well, I couldn’t really find anything that made him stand out to me either. He was okay, I guess. He showed that he could be a nice guy if he wanted to, and that he showed Sarah that he had faith in her, even if her family couldn’t. But he also fell into the line of “single man who didn’t want to commit” characters, which, let’s face it, is a dime a dozen in this genre. I don’t mind the trope, but I need the hero to be absolutely impressive (or dedicated to the heroine) to make me champion him all the way through.
Maybe I just wasn’t sold on the ‘good girl and bad boy’ theme like I used to be. Maybe I was a little bit tired with the idea that ‘good girl means that she lives a dull life’ or that a good girl will mean that “she wants to settle down and have a family”. All in all, the story was (BARELY) okay on my spectrum. I am not that invested enough with the rest of them to check out the sequel. As always, your mileage may vary and you may love this better than I.
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
My biggest issue with this story – and an important one that influenced my reading experience – was that I truly couldn’t warm up to both Sarah and Tom. Especially Sarah.
See, for a heroine who was described by the hero to be “smart”, “tough”, with “sharp-tongue”, Sarah failed to convince me. I found Sarah to be a total pushover – especially when it came to her chauvinistic father (whom I totally despised by the way), and she was rather meek. She failed to show me that she had enough bite and tenacity to stand up in front of him and say, “You know what Dad, screw your narrow-minded view of women in this business. I’m going to show you how it’s supposed to be done.” It was hard to feel sympathetic towards her when I couldn’t believe in her myself.
In addition, I also found Sarah to still be a little star-struck over Tom; like there was still that younger girl crush that carried over with how she dealt with Tom’s ‘brazen adventure with women’. If Sarah was able to overlook her crush towards Tom like she claimed that she was, Sarah would’ve been able to handle the whole thing with Tom’s ex-girlfriend in a much more cool-headed way. Instead, I found her to be a bit childish in her reactions, thus showing her jealousy very early on.
As for Tom – well, I couldn’t really find anything that made him stand out to me either. He was okay, I guess. He showed that he could be a nice guy if he wanted to, and that he showed Sarah that he had faith in her, even if her family couldn’t. But he also fell into the line of “single man who didn’t want to commit” characters, which, let’s face it, is a dime a dozen in this genre. I don’t mind the trope, but I need the hero to be absolutely impressive (or dedicated to the heroine) to make me champion him all the way through.
Maybe I just wasn’t sold on the ‘good girl and bad boy’ theme like I used to be. Maybe I was a little bit tired with the idea that ‘good girl means that she lives a dull life’ or that a good girl will mean that “she wants to settle down and have a family”. All in all, the story was (BARELY) okay on my spectrum. I am not that invested enough with the rest of them to check out the sequel. As always, your mileage may vary and you may love this better than I.
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
July 19, 2015
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
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High Heat by Linda Morris was a sweet sport romance read that had all the potentials to be home run but it lacked that extra excitement and drive to push it to greatness. Although I enjoyed this book, the heroine's lack of backbone to stand up to her father and brother really kept me from truly engaging and really liking the story. Also, I understood the physical attraction that Tom and Sarah had, I felt the emotional connection lacked in a sense from having me fully be interested in the story. Overall, this book was an okay sports romance.
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High Heat by Linda Morris was a sweet sport romance read that had all the potentials to be home run but it lacked that extra excitement and drive to push it to greatness. Although I enjoyed this book, the heroine's lack of backbone to stand up to her father and brother really kept me from truly engaging and really liking the story. Also, I understood the physical attraction that Tom and Sarah had, I felt the emotional connection lacked in a sense from having me fully be interested in the story. Overall, this book was an okay sports romance.
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May 3, 2015
Tom is ever so honest, "no, I don’t do threeways. I can only concentrate on one thing at a time." He's such a nice guy, "no, I wanted to check on you. I could hear the retching through the wall of our duplex. Thin walls. You need anything." He takes direction well, I mean depending on what it is:
She slid her hands through his hair, keeping him close. “Yeah. Shut up and kiss me some more.”
His lips curved into a slow smile. “Okay.” He lowered his lips.
I really enjoyed this book I loved seeing Tom and Sarah become their own people.
She slid her hands through his hair, keeping him close. “Yeah. Shut up and kiss me some more.”
His lips curved into a slow smile. “Okay.” He lowered his lips.
I really enjoyed this book I loved seeing Tom and Sarah become their own people.
June 17, 2015
Slick's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Being a big lover of the sport of baseball and having read many baseball related romances I liked High Heat by Linda Morris but I wanted more from this story. I wanted the pro baseball player hero who was down for a rehab assignment to grow up a little and start listening to people who knew what they were talking about, I wanted the team's PR vice president heroine to stand up for herself when her father and the team's owner dressed her down on more than one occasion, I would have liked some more actual baseball scenes but most of all I would have liked the hero and heroine to actually have some meaningful conversations before they rushed into the "I love you" stage. So yes, I liked this story it had potential, but much like many minor league players and much like the hero of this story it needed some more guidance to make it better, stronger and able to go the distance.
Sarah Dudley's life has always been about baseball; playing it, wanting to be a part of a team and now working in PR for the Plainview Thrashers, her family's legacy. Sarah is smart, she is feisty and she knows baseball really well but for some reason she allows her bigoted, hateful, mean spirited father run roughshod over her and allows her brother to straddle the fence between her and her dad. I'll be quite honest it is rare I read a character that I absolutely hate, one I feel has no redeeming characteristics but Walter Dudley is someone I could have done without completely and totally.
I genuinely liked Tom Cord a major league pitcher for the White Sox is rehabbing after having Tommy John surgery. I felt this character was a little too big time baseball star cliché yet I couldn't help but get a kick out of the way he seemed to be able to turn any conversation into a sexual come on and the way his smile affected the women near him. His stubbornness about his pitching style and his inability to admit that he was struggling drove me nuts, but knowing athletes and knowing how important it is to get back to the big game what he did was extremely likely for most players.
I enjoyed the slow build up with these two and the fact that Sarah really didn't let Tom get away with his normal attitude (something Tom loved as well). It was fun to watch him really have to work for someone and the fact that Sarah had crushed on Tom when he played college ball with her brother just added to the fun of the story. What bothered me is how little they really talked about things that were important and that was largely due to Tom being very closed off and even when Sarah got him to open up some I still felt he was holding back like he was afraid to show too much of himself to her. As things heat up between them rumors fly putting Sarah at odds with both her brother and her father and leading to some pretty interesting situations and consequences. I must give Tom credit for really understanding how smart Sarah was about the game of baseball, about pitching and encouraging her to find a team that would appreciate all she had to offer just as I appreciate how hard Sarah tried to make Tom understand that he needed to change his mechanics to prolong the life of his pitching arm these two things showed how invested they were in each other.
As baseball romances go High Heat was enjoyable but lacked some key elements to make it a home run.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
Being a big lover of the sport of baseball and having read many baseball related romances I liked High Heat by Linda Morris but I wanted more from this story. I wanted the pro baseball player hero who was down for a rehab assignment to grow up a little and start listening to people who knew what they were talking about, I wanted the team's PR vice president heroine to stand up for herself when her father and the team's owner dressed her down on more than one occasion, I would have liked some more actual baseball scenes but most of all I would have liked the hero and heroine to actually have some meaningful conversations before they rushed into the "I love you" stage. So yes, I liked this story it had potential, but much like many minor league players and much like the hero of this story it needed some more guidance to make it better, stronger and able to go the distance.
Sarah Dudley's life has always been about baseball; playing it, wanting to be a part of a team and now working in PR for the Plainview Thrashers, her family's legacy. Sarah is smart, she is feisty and she knows baseball really well but for some reason she allows her bigoted, hateful, mean spirited father run roughshod over her and allows her brother to straddle the fence between her and her dad. I'll be quite honest it is rare I read a character that I absolutely hate, one I feel has no redeeming characteristics but Walter Dudley is someone I could have done without completely and totally.
I genuinely liked Tom Cord a major league pitcher for the White Sox is rehabbing after having Tommy John surgery. I felt this character was a little too big time baseball star cliché yet I couldn't help but get a kick out of the way he seemed to be able to turn any conversation into a sexual come on and the way his smile affected the women near him. His stubbornness about his pitching style and his inability to admit that he was struggling drove me nuts, but knowing athletes and knowing how important it is to get back to the big game what he did was extremely likely for most players.
I enjoyed the slow build up with these two and the fact that Sarah really didn't let Tom get away with his normal attitude (something Tom loved as well). It was fun to watch him really have to work for someone and the fact that Sarah had crushed on Tom when he played college ball with her brother just added to the fun of the story. What bothered me is how little they really talked about things that were important and that was largely due to Tom being very closed off and even when Sarah got him to open up some I still felt he was holding back like he was afraid to show too much of himself to her. As things heat up between them rumors fly putting Sarah at odds with both her brother and her father and leading to some pretty interesting situations and consequences. I must give Tom credit for really understanding how smart Sarah was about the game of baseball, about pitching and encouraging her to find a team that would appreciate all she had to offer just as I appreciate how hard Sarah tried to make Tom understand that he needed to change his mechanics to prolong the life of his pitching arm these two things showed how invested they were in each other.
As baseball romances go High Heat was enjoyable but lacked some key elements to make it a home run.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
June 14, 2015
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kimberlyfaye reads
.
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: I love a good sports romance. Baseball might not be my favorite sport, but I still can't help but enjoy some fictional baseball players every now and then.
I liked Sarah. My only complaint with her was that I wanted her to have a backbone. For a woman in such a powerful public relations role with a minor league baseball team, she was too much of a pushover when it came to her family, and her father in particular. I'll get to that later though. That man deserves a paragraph (rant) all of his own. She was good at her job and she was a likable lady.
Tom had his problems off the field (and in the tabloids, at times) in the past, but he really was a good guy. There's no denying he was driven when it came to his career, even if that drive led him to make some questionable choices with regards to his health. It was obvious from the start that he valued his career over everything else. Love and romance wasn't an option for him. He was all about "no strings attached" situations, though the connection he had with Sarah made him question that.
Ok. Now it's time to talk about my biggest problem with this book and one that made me almost stop reading it. This might get a little spoilery. Sarah's father was a loathsome human being. I never once got the impression that he loved her and wanted her to be happy AT ALL. From the time, after her mother's death, when he told her to give up baseball because it's not for girls, to him not wanting to hire her on at the ball club because she was a girl and right up to now, when he makes it obvious she's not a real part of the front office, no matter what her title said, the man was an asshole. I can't even attribute it to him being overly protective. He just wasn't a good guy. The way he treated her was not ok. He just left me with a totally icky feeling. Her brother, Paul, was better, but not by much. He did have some redeeming moments. Daddy dearest, however, did not.
High Heat was a good, quick read. There wasn't a huge amount of character development in this book, but both Sarah and Tom did come into their own a bit over the course of it. The romance wasn't especially swoony or overly sexy, but it did seem realistic. I liked Sarah and Tom together. I blew through this book in just a couple hours, so it was an easy read. After reading the teaser for the second book, Screwball, at the end, I'm definitely interested to see what comes next in the series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: I love a good sports romance. Baseball might not be my favorite sport, but I still can't help but enjoy some fictional baseball players every now and then.
I liked Sarah. My only complaint with her was that I wanted her to have a backbone. For a woman in such a powerful public relations role with a minor league baseball team, she was too much of a pushover when it came to her family, and her father in particular. I'll get to that later though. That man deserves a paragraph (rant) all of his own. She was good at her job and she was a likable lady.
Tom had his problems off the field (and in the tabloids, at times) in the past, but he really was a good guy. There's no denying he was driven when it came to his career, even if that drive led him to make some questionable choices with regards to his health. It was obvious from the start that he valued his career over everything else. Love and romance wasn't an option for him. He was all about "no strings attached" situations, though the connection he had with Sarah made him question that.
Ok. Now it's time to talk about my biggest problem with this book and one that made me almost stop reading it. This might get a little spoilery. Sarah's father was a loathsome human being. I never once got the impression that he loved her and wanted her to be happy AT ALL. From the time, after her mother's death, when he told her to give up baseball because it's not for girls, to him not wanting to hire her on at the ball club because she was a girl and right up to now, when he makes it obvious she's not a real part of the front office, no matter what her title said, the man was an asshole. I can't even attribute it to him being overly protective. He just wasn't a good guy. The way he treated her was not ok. He just left me with a totally icky feeling. Her brother, Paul, was better, but not by much. He did have some redeeming moments. Daddy dearest, however, did not.
High Heat was a good, quick read. There wasn't a huge amount of character development in this book, but both Sarah and Tom did come into their own a bit over the course of it. The romance wasn't especially swoony or overly sexy, but it did seem realistic. I liked Sarah and Tom together. I blew through this book in just a couple hours, so it was an easy read. After reading the teaser for the second book, Screwball, at the end, I'm definitely interested to see what comes next in the series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2015
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books.
HIGH HEAT is a fun baseball romance. Sarah Dudley is VP of public relations for the Thrashers, a minor league baseball team in Indiana. Her family owns the Thrashers and she and her brother both work for their dad. Sarah loves baseball; she played when she was younger and knows a lot about the game. Unfortunately, because she is a woman, she is not taken seriously, not even by her father.
Tom Cord is a pitcher who has been playing in the big leagues for years, until an elbow injury sidelines him. He is in the last leg of his recovery and is rehabbing with the Thrashers, before he goes back to the majors. He is nearing the end of this career, but he loves playing baseball and isn’t ready to retire.
Ticket sales are down for the Thrashers and Sarah hopes adding Tom to roster will help spark interest in the team and fill more seats. Sarah knew Tom when he roomed with her brother in college and she had a crush on him. He is still attractive, but he has a reputation as a womanizer and she knows she should stay away from him. Tom isn’t interested in a relationship, he needs to concentrate on healing and getting back to the majors, but he has never met anyone like Sarah. She is down to earth and doesn’t care about his fame or money.
Sarah is smart and I admire her baseball knowledge. It’s not easy working in a male dominated field. She lives a dull life in a small town and is surprised Tom is interested in her and she also worries if she gets involved with him, she will get hurt. Tom is a nice guy who likes to have a good time. Unfortunately, his wild antics keep getting him bad press. Once Tom meets Sarah, he starts to question the decisions he has made and the women he has dated. I always enjoy a story about a good looking baseball player. Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with the characters in this story. This is the first book in the new Hard Hitters series.This book was reviewed by a member of the review staff at Cocktails and Books. The name of the reviewer can be found under the post categories.
May 16, 2015
http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com/
I received a copy of this book to write an honest review for Cocktails and Books and Netgalley.
HIGH HEAT is a fun baseball romance. Sarah Dudley is VP of public relations for the Thrashers, a minor league baseball team in Indiana. Her family owns the Thrashers and she and her brother both work for their dad. Sarah loves baseball; she played when she was younger and knows a lot about the game. Unfortunately, because she is a woman, she is not taken seriously, not even by her father.
Tom Cord is a pitcher who has been playing in the big leagues for years, until an elbow injury sidelines him. He is in the last leg of his recovery and is rehabbing with the Thrashers, before he goes back to the majors. He is nearing the end of this career, but he loves playing baseball and isn’t ready to retire.
Ticket sales are down for the Thrashers and Sarah hopes adding Tom to roster will help spark interest in the team and fill more seats. Sarah knew Tom when he roomed with her brother in college and she had a crush on him. He is still attractive, but he has a reputation as a womanizer and she knows she should stay away from him. Tom isn’t interested in a relationship, he needs to concentrate on healing and getting back to the majors, but he has never met anyone like Sarah. She is down to earth and doesn’t care about his fame or money.
Sarah is smart and I admire her baseball knowledge. It’s not easy working in a male dominated field. She lives a dull life in a small town and is surprised Tom is interested in her and she also worries if she gets involved with him, she will get hurt. Tom is a nice guy who likes to have a good time. Unfortunately, his wild antics keep getting him bad press. Once Tom meets Sarah, he starts to question the decisions he has made and the women he has dated. I always enjoy a story about a good looking baseball player. Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with the characters in this story. This is the first book in the new Hard Hitters series.
I received a copy of this book to write an honest review for Cocktails and Books and Netgalley.
HIGH HEAT is a fun baseball romance. Sarah Dudley is VP of public relations for the Thrashers, a minor league baseball team in Indiana. Her family owns the Thrashers and she and her brother both work for their dad. Sarah loves baseball; she played when she was younger and knows a lot about the game. Unfortunately, because she is a woman, she is not taken seriously, not even by her father.
Tom Cord is a pitcher who has been playing in the big leagues for years, until an elbow injury sidelines him. He is in the last leg of his recovery and is rehabbing with the Thrashers, before he goes back to the majors. He is nearing the end of this career, but he loves playing baseball and isn’t ready to retire.
Ticket sales are down for the Thrashers and Sarah hopes adding Tom to roster will help spark interest in the team and fill more seats. Sarah knew Tom when he roomed with her brother in college and she had a crush on him. He is still attractive, but he has a reputation as a womanizer and she knows she should stay away from him. Tom isn’t interested in a relationship, he needs to concentrate on healing and getting back to the majors, but he has never met anyone like Sarah. She is down to earth and doesn’t care about his fame or money.
Sarah is smart and I admire her baseball knowledge. It’s not easy working in a male dominated field. She lives a dull life in a small town and is surprised Tom is interested in her and she also worries if she gets involved with him, she will get hurt. Tom is a nice guy who likes to have a good time. Unfortunately, his wild antics keep getting him bad press. Once Tom meets Sarah, he starts to question the decisions he has made and the women he has dated. I always enjoy a story about a good looking baseball player. Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with the characters in this story. This is the first book in the new Hard Hitters series.
May 30, 2015
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As VP of public relations for her family's minor league baseball team, it's Sarah's job to keep professional pitcher Tom from getting into too much trouble with the media. Having already caused some controversy, Tom is pitching for her hometown team while he rehabs his pitching arm before heading back to the pros. Things get complicated when Sarah and Tom start and affair, despite the fact they know it won't go anywhere past Tom's short stay and despite the fact that Sarah has been warned by both her father and her brother to stay away from him.
The plot was fairly simple and straightforward, but it was sweet and fun to read. This was my first baseball novel, and even though I'm not necessarily a baseball fan, I found the dynamic of this to be entertaining. The story was paced well, and things didn't seem to drag on, though I felt the whole thing about Sarah's dad doing his best to protect her started to get annoying, more because her dad was a super unlikable character.
Though I didn't like the dad or the brother, Sarah and Tom were fun characters. My issue with Sarah is that she was kind of a pushover, and it was painful to watch her hope that her father would come around and give her a higher position with the company. Tom was a nice guy who just fell into that trope of a good guy who didn't want to commit and had a rough time of it with ex-girlfriends. I loved how he wasn't impressed with the way Sarah was treated and seemed to have more faith in her than her family did.
The Romance Factor was a solid 3/5. No heart feels, but it was definitely sweet. The Sex Factor is also a 3/5. While there wasn't a whole lot of foreplay and it wasn't as naughty as some of the other books, there were a few steamy moments.
Overall, a good book. I wouldn't mind reading more in the series and more baseball romances in general.
As VP of public relations for her family's minor league baseball team, it's Sarah's job to keep professional pitcher Tom from getting into too much trouble with the media. Having already caused some controversy, Tom is pitching for her hometown team while he rehabs his pitching arm before heading back to the pros. Things get complicated when Sarah and Tom start and affair, despite the fact they know it won't go anywhere past Tom's short stay and despite the fact that Sarah has been warned by both her father and her brother to stay away from him.
The plot was fairly simple and straightforward, but it was sweet and fun to read. This was my first baseball novel, and even though I'm not necessarily a baseball fan, I found the dynamic of this to be entertaining. The story was paced well, and things didn't seem to drag on, though I felt the whole thing about Sarah's dad doing his best to protect her started to get annoying, more because her dad was a super unlikable character.
Though I didn't like the dad or the brother, Sarah and Tom were fun characters. My issue with Sarah is that she was kind of a pushover, and it was painful to watch her hope that her father would come around and give her a higher position with the company. Tom was a nice guy who just fell into that trope of a good guy who didn't want to commit and had a rough time of it with ex-girlfriends. I loved how he wasn't impressed with the way Sarah was treated and seemed to have more faith in her than her family did.
The Romance Factor was a solid 3/5. No heart feels, but it was definitely sweet. The Sex Factor is also a 3/5. While there wasn't a whole lot of foreplay and it wasn't as naughty as some of the other books, there were a few steamy moments.
Overall, a good book. I wouldn't mind reading more in the series and more baseball romances in general.
May 12, 2015
Like a lot of women, Sarah works for her family business; which is a minor league baseball team. She has always loved baseball, and has always had an eye for her brother's former roommate and buddy who made it to the MLB. Now Tom is doing a rehab stint with her team, Sarah isn't like the women he wants to date. Or is she?
I wanted to like this book. I love reading books centered around the game of baseball. I was excited about Sarah's baseball knowledge but for me her character was sort of flat. A lot of time was devoted to how she wished she could do more with the team but her Dad was very opinionated with his ideas of where women should be. (Which by the way almost had me DNF this book). It affected all aspects of her character and I was so depressed that even her brother wouldn't defend her. Tom was a little to clique for me - the bachelor baseball player. Even when he had a scene that showed some promise he was more than just baseball and women he didn't break through and shine.
The conflict that erupted brought me no satisfaction - you know that point in a movie or book where you cheer - yeah never happened.
So why did I finish if the characters didn't enthrall me. It was the baseball - the author was on point with her baseball - and even had details about Tom's injury that brought him to the minors that few would think to include. Now in the end I would prefer characters I could enjoy spending time with than great technical details - but in this case the technicalities kept me reading.
This is the first in a series - If book 2 takes place in the big leagues with Tom's MLB team I might consider it because it would mean a whole new set of characters.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest review
I wanted to like this book. I love reading books centered around the game of baseball. I was excited about Sarah's baseball knowledge but for me her character was sort of flat. A lot of time was devoted to how she wished she could do more with the team but her Dad was very opinionated with his ideas of where women should be. (Which by the way almost had me DNF this book). It affected all aspects of her character and I was so depressed that even her brother wouldn't defend her. Tom was a little to clique for me - the bachelor baseball player. Even when he had a scene that showed some promise he was more than just baseball and women he didn't break through and shine.
The conflict that erupted brought me no satisfaction - you know that point in a movie or book where you cheer - yeah never happened.
So why did I finish if the characters didn't enthrall me. It was the baseball - the author was on point with her baseball - and even had details about Tom's injury that brought him to the minors that few would think to include. Now in the end I would prefer characters I could enjoy spending time with than great technical details - but in this case the technicalities kept me reading.
This is the first in a series - If book 2 takes place in the big leagues with Tom's MLB team I might consider it because it would mean a whole new set of characters.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest review
May 5, 2015
I love books when the best friends get with a sister they turn out so cute!
Sarah has know Tom for a while and she has always been love with him but he remembers her as just a skinny teenager but now she is all woman. I liked how Sarah never really got over him but won't put up with him trying to charm her. The banter was really cute. I didn't like Sarah's dad and how he always was putting her down in front of people and behind her back.
You can see right away that there is a connection between Sarah and Tom although they try hard not to do anything about it. Tom promised her brother he wouldn't do anything so if Sarah wants him she is the one who had to Make the move. Which was brilliant on his part. Once she does he's like her drug and it came out so sweet. I love how he took care of her when she was sick. He's a good guy despite what everyone thinks of him.
I can't wait to see who the next book is about and see how this series grows. It has some really good qualities that I love in a series and characters.
Sarah has know Tom for a while and she has always been love with him but he remembers her as just a skinny teenager but now she is all woman. I liked how Sarah never really got over him but won't put up with him trying to charm her. The banter was really cute. I didn't like Sarah's dad and how he always was putting her down in front of people and behind her back.
You can see right away that there is a connection between Sarah and Tom although they try hard not to do anything about it. Tom promised her brother he wouldn't do anything so if Sarah wants him she is the one who had to Make the move. Which was brilliant on his part. Once she does he's like her drug and it came out so sweet. I love how he took care of her when she was sick. He's a good guy despite what everyone thinks of him.
I can't wait to see who the next book is about and see how this series grows. It has some really good qualities that I love in a series and characters.
January 1, 2016
A great start to a new series! Loved the characters!
June 9, 2015
Read my review on RomanceJunkies.com by clicking on the link below:
http://www.romancejunkiesreviews.com/...
http://www.romancejunkiesreviews.com/...
January 19, 2020
Sarah- why did you wait for your father to fire you when you should have quit when your own family doesn't know your worth? Tom- you're willing to throw your entire career away instead of listening to experienced people on how you can improve your game without further injuries. Clearly, this couple together was quite the pair. Didn't really feel the connection but happy the couple got some sense into them by the end.
May 2, 2016
Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick
High Heat is the first book in the Hard Hitters Series by Linda Morris. This is a contemporary sports romance, and each book is a standalone. I love sports romance stories, so I couldn't wait to read this book. I had never read anything by Linda Morris before, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. Unfortunately while I enjoyed parts of this book, this ended up being just an okay read for me.
Sarah Dudley grew up loving baseball. While her mother encouraged Sarah to go after whatever she wanted, after her death everything changed. Her father owns a minor league team, and while he appointed Sarah to VP of public relations he prefers that she keep herself away from everything else baseball including the players. But when her brother's former best friend and major league pitcher Tom Cord shows up to the club while in rehab for a shoulder surgery, she finds herself back to having the crush on him she did years before. Though Tom is known for his casual hookups with models and reality stars, Sarah finds herself getting to know the man beneath the facade and they start to become friends. But neither one of them can deny the chemistry and heat between them. Knowing that Tom is headed to Chicago as soon as his rehab is up though and with his reputation, is there any chance of something more for them?
I have to admit that a lot of my issues with this story were with Tom and Sarah. While I felt the chemistry and attraction between them, I wasn't really feeling their connection. Tom was pretty cocky, and unfortunately for me it wasn't in a charming way. The crap that would come out of his mouth was a serious turn-off to me, and I found myself wondering what Sarah saw in him besides his good looks. While he had his moments that he was better, I just didn't ever really warm up to him. Sarah was another problem for me. She didn't seem to really have a mind of her own, and she had no backbone whatsoever. She allowed her father and brother to push her around and make decisions for her, or basically convince her to do things that she wouldn't have otherwise. She also had been seeing someone she had absolutely no interest in for over two years, and yet she refused to break it off for no reason that I could see. She had never had sex with him and didn't even seem to enjoy spending time with him, so it made no sense to me why she would continue things with him (even off and on). She was hard to like or really support, and I just felt like she needed to stand up for herself and start living her life according to what she wanted, even if that meant leaving the family business behind.
I also felt like this story was pretty slow and I just wasn't invested. Because I didn't really care for the main characters, I found myself wanting to skim just to find out how things would play out. I also didn't care for Sarah's family, especially her dad, so there really wasn't much to hold my interest here. So while this book was okay, it wasn't anything special or memorable to me. I don't know that I will read anymore in this series, but depending on who the next book is about I might give it a shot. If you are a sports romance fan, particularly a baseball fan, you might consider giving this one a shot. I just wish that I had felt more of a connection between Tom and Sarah for this one to have worked better for me personally.
**ARC Provided by Publisher**
High Heat is the first book in the Hard Hitters Series by Linda Morris. This is a contemporary sports romance, and each book is a standalone. I love sports romance stories, so I couldn't wait to read this book. I had never read anything by Linda Morris before, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. Unfortunately while I enjoyed parts of this book, this ended up being just an okay read for me.
Sarah Dudley grew up loving baseball. While her mother encouraged Sarah to go after whatever she wanted, after her death everything changed. Her father owns a minor league team, and while he appointed Sarah to VP of public relations he prefers that she keep herself away from everything else baseball including the players. But when her brother's former best friend and major league pitcher Tom Cord shows up to the club while in rehab for a shoulder surgery, she finds herself back to having the crush on him she did years before. Though Tom is known for his casual hookups with models and reality stars, Sarah finds herself getting to know the man beneath the facade and they start to become friends. But neither one of them can deny the chemistry and heat between them. Knowing that Tom is headed to Chicago as soon as his rehab is up though and with his reputation, is there any chance of something more for them?
I have to admit that a lot of my issues with this story were with Tom and Sarah. While I felt the chemistry and attraction between them, I wasn't really feeling their connection. Tom was pretty cocky, and unfortunately for me it wasn't in a charming way. The crap that would come out of his mouth was a serious turn-off to me, and I found myself wondering what Sarah saw in him besides his good looks. While he had his moments that he was better, I just didn't ever really warm up to him. Sarah was another problem for me. She didn't seem to really have a mind of her own, and she had no backbone whatsoever. She allowed her father and brother to push her around and make decisions for her, or basically convince her to do things that she wouldn't have otherwise. She also had been seeing someone she had absolutely no interest in for over two years, and yet she refused to break it off for no reason that I could see. She had never had sex with him and didn't even seem to enjoy spending time with him, so it made no sense to me why she would continue things with him (even off and on). She was hard to like or really support, and I just felt like she needed to stand up for herself and start living her life according to what she wanted, even if that meant leaving the family business behind.
I also felt like this story was pretty slow and I just wasn't invested. Because I didn't really care for the main characters, I found myself wanting to skim just to find out how things would play out. I also didn't care for Sarah's family, especially her dad, so there really wasn't much to hold my interest here. So while this book was okay, it wasn't anything special or memorable to me. I don't know that I will read anymore in this series, but depending on who the next book is about I might give it a shot. If you are a sports romance fan, particularly a baseball fan, you might consider giving this one a shot. I just wish that I had felt more of a connection between Tom and Sarah for this one to have worked better for me personally.
**ARC Provided by Publisher**
June 23, 2015
In this sweet sports romance, Sarah Dudley is the public relations VP of the Plainview Thrashers, a minor league team out of Indiana that her family has owned for generations. Sarah was not only raised on baseball but she has an intense love for it as well, she could tell you better then some coaches what a player needs. But ever since the death of her mother, Sarah's father has sidelined her and her love of the sport.
Tom Cord is a veteran pitcher who while down, is not out. Recovering from an elbow injury and resulting surgery, he is rehabbing in the small town of Plainview with their minor league for a few weeks before moving up to Chicago's major league. Where he belongs. It is the only thing on his mind, until he meets Sarah Dudley...
High Heat was a cute contemporary romance for sports fans but not the heavy-hitter that I was hoping for. Sarah has lived and breathed baseball since she was a baby and has dreams to be more involved with the sport as a manager, coach, or anything else to get her down in the dirt. But her father has a stern stance on women in sports, and no matter how much Sarah tries to prove herself competent her father will not be swayed. Sarah had a lot of potential to be a strong, female character. She had the attitude and the back bone, but when it came to her family all of that melted away and she allowed them to walk all over her. Her father was a colossal bigot and an incredibly unlikable character up until the very end. We never do get any kind of reconciliation between him and Sarah, which I found to be disappointing.
Tom has a fun and free demeanor. Sexy, talented, and boy did he know it! Tom has his own form to pitching and no matter what doctors, coaches, ect. tell him, he is sticking with what works in the here and now. Now matter what it might mean some time in the future. This was another character that could have been so much more. Tom's attitude throughout the story left a lot to be desired. I know a lot grown men have a 16 year old teenager trapped inside their body but those aren't the ones that I want to read about. Don't get me wrong, it was humorous most of the time but other times it took me back and made me say, "Really?!" He was also stupidly stubborn at times, but this to some extent fit an athletic character as many are superstitious and don't want to mess with a sure thing either.
Sarah use to have a teenage crush on Tom when he played ball in college with her brother. When these two meet again Tom pretends not to remember Sarah and though she has grown out of her gangling tom-boy looks, he remembers her all too well. Sarah and Tom butt heads from the beginning and I liked Sarah's spunk when it came to Tom. Their romance was an enjoyably slow-build and Sarah definitely made Tom work for it. There weren't many deep, meaningful conversations between the two however. Mostly surface talk, and Tom remained a tough nut to crack through most of the story line which impeded my ability to connect with him. They were invested in each other though and they had good chemistry. I really liked how Tom urged Sarah to go for the job she loved while Sarah tried to encourage Tom to work on his pitching mechanics so there would be less chance for further injury.
The over-all idea of the story in High Heat was good. The delivery was weaker then I would have liked but the bottom line is High Heat was a predominantly enjoyable baseball romance.
Tom Cord is a veteran pitcher who while down, is not out. Recovering from an elbow injury and resulting surgery, he is rehabbing in the small town of Plainview with their minor league for a few weeks before moving up to Chicago's major league. Where he belongs. It is the only thing on his mind, until he meets Sarah Dudley...
High Heat was a cute contemporary romance for sports fans but not the heavy-hitter that I was hoping for. Sarah has lived and breathed baseball since she was a baby and has dreams to be more involved with the sport as a manager, coach, or anything else to get her down in the dirt. But her father has a stern stance on women in sports, and no matter how much Sarah tries to prove herself competent her father will not be swayed. Sarah had a lot of potential to be a strong, female character. She had the attitude and the back bone, but when it came to her family all of that melted away and she allowed them to walk all over her. Her father was a colossal bigot and an incredibly unlikable character up until the very end. We never do get any kind of reconciliation between him and Sarah, which I found to be disappointing.
Tom has a fun and free demeanor. Sexy, talented, and boy did he know it! Tom has his own form to pitching and no matter what doctors, coaches, ect. tell him, he is sticking with what works in the here and now. Now matter what it might mean some time in the future. This was another character that could have been so much more. Tom's attitude throughout the story left a lot to be desired. I know a lot grown men have a 16 year old teenager trapped inside their body but those aren't the ones that I want to read about. Don't get me wrong, it was humorous most of the time but other times it took me back and made me say, "Really?!" He was also stupidly stubborn at times, but this to some extent fit an athletic character as many are superstitious and don't want to mess with a sure thing either.
Sarah use to have a teenage crush on Tom when he played ball in college with her brother. When these two meet again Tom pretends not to remember Sarah and though she has grown out of her gangling tom-boy looks, he remembers her all too well. Sarah and Tom butt heads from the beginning and I liked Sarah's spunk when it came to Tom. Their romance was an enjoyably slow-build and Sarah definitely made Tom work for it. There weren't many deep, meaningful conversations between the two however. Mostly surface talk, and Tom remained a tough nut to crack through most of the story line which impeded my ability to connect with him. They were invested in each other though and they had good chemistry. I really liked how Tom urged Sarah to go for the job she loved while Sarah tried to encourage Tom to work on his pitching mechanics so there would be less chance for further injury.
The over-all idea of the story in High Heat was good. The delivery was weaker then I would have liked but the bottom line is High Heat was a predominantly enjoyable baseball romance.
June 25, 2015
Received review copy through NetGalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Sarah Dudley works PR for the minor baseball team, Plainview Thrashers... but if her father had any say in it, she would stay far, far away. He believes that baseball is a man's world and only gave her the position to keep her quiet, more or less. He believes her role should be entirely seen and not heard... Not seen would work for him, too.
Back when her brother was in college, Sarah had the biggest crush on his roommate, Tom. Tom was the epitome of the college star athlete, though, and would never notice mousey, tomboy Sarah. He left college for the major league and after a few stellar seasons, he threw out his elbow in game 7 of the World Series -- and therefore blames himself for the team's loss.
Now he's on the road to recovery from Tommy John surgery and part of his rehab stint is to play for the farm team, sending him to Plainview. The bright side? Getting to see his friend, Paul, who's girlfriend is a major ... witch... and doesn't let him talk to just about anyone.
Sarah was nervous about seeing him again after these years; didn't matter though, the man didn't recognize her (....at first).
When Sarah critiques his pitching, he's a bit of an ass to her, but when her father comes down to the field and lays into her, Tom can't help but feel a little bit of sympathy for her... but he wouldn't show it to her. He doesn't listen to anyone's opinion on his pitching though -- he's thrown the same way for years, who cared if it was a little unconventional in style?
I found Tom to be cocky and arrogant. But I suppose that fits in with the over-paid athlete theme (but, helloooo, Tom, you're only getting paid a quarter of your major deal these days). He figured he'd be in Plainview for one or two games, week or so max. He could live it up in a city two hours out of the way and be just fine. He could over practice his arm if he wanted, because that was just the way he did things. And then later, staying in the other half of Sarah's duplex? Well, the girl was obviously into him, so what did it hurt..?
I thought that Sarah was over-fixated on Tom's celebrity girlfriends. I found her to be almost stuck in the whole college-crush world. Here we were given a strong lead female who worked in a man's world, yet she was falling over her feet and acting young around Tom -- who was an asshole to her. I wasn't her biggest fan for chunks of the story.
While I liked the idea of the story and I enjoyed the progression of the romance aspect -- as well as Tom's settling down and becoming an actually pretty sweet guy -- sometimes the writing style didn't sit well with me. I felt that there was an overuse of the thesaurus... I'm all for changing up your words now and then, but there were times I felt that it was "big word after big word" and no longer felt true.
Regardless... I enjoyed the story and look forward to where Linda brings this Hard Hitting series.
Sarah Dudley works PR for the minor baseball team, Plainview Thrashers... but if her father had any say in it, she would stay far, far away. He believes that baseball is a man's world and only gave her the position to keep her quiet, more or less. He believes her role should be entirely seen and not heard... Not seen would work for him, too.
Back when her brother was in college, Sarah had the biggest crush on his roommate, Tom. Tom was the epitome of the college star athlete, though, and would never notice mousey, tomboy Sarah. He left college for the major league and after a few stellar seasons, he threw out his elbow in game 7 of the World Series -- and therefore blames himself for the team's loss.
Now he's on the road to recovery from Tommy John surgery and part of his rehab stint is to play for the farm team, sending him to Plainview. The bright side? Getting to see his friend, Paul, who's girlfriend is a major ... witch... and doesn't let him talk to just about anyone.
Sarah was nervous about seeing him again after these years; didn't matter though, the man didn't recognize her (....at first).
When Sarah critiques his pitching, he's a bit of an ass to her, but when her father comes down to the field and lays into her, Tom can't help but feel a little bit of sympathy for her... but he wouldn't show it to her. He doesn't listen to anyone's opinion on his pitching though -- he's thrown the same way for years, who cared if it was a little unconventional in style?
I found Tom to be cocky and arrogant. But I suppose that fits in with the over-paid athlete theme (but, helloooo, Tom, you're only getting paid a quarter of your major deal these days). He figured he'd be in Plainview for one or two games, week or so max. He could live it up in a city two hours out of the way and be just fine. He could over practice his arm if he wanted, because that was just the way he did things. And then later, staying in the other half of Sarah's duplex? Well, the girl was obviously into him, so what did it hurt..?
I thought that Sarah was over-fixated on Tom's celebrity girlfriends. I found her to be almost stuck in the whole college-crush world. Here we were given a strong lead female who worked in a man's world, yet she was falling over her feet and acting young around Tom -- who was an asshole to her. I wasn't her biggest fan for chunks of the story.
While I liked the idea of the story and I enjoyed the progression of the romance aspect -- as well as Tom's settling down and becoming an actually pretty sweet guy -- sometimes the writing style didn't sit well with me. I felt that there was an overuse of the thesaurus... I'm all for changing up your words now and then, but there were times I felt that it was "big word after big word" and no longer felt true.
Regardless... I enjoyed the story and look forward to where Linda brings this Hard Hitting series.
June 6, 2015
Tom Cord is a major league pitcher who is coming off an elbow injury and rehabbing in a small town minor league team. He's a little bitter, he was traded while on leave and he's known for his escapades with the women.
Sarah Dudley is the VP of marketing and daughter of the team's owner. Sarah's brother Paul went to college with Tom and knows his reputation with the ladies. Sarah has two jobs raising revenue while Tom's in town and staying out of his bed. One she's sure she can do with Tom's help...staying out of his bed, not so much. She's had a crush on him since her brother brought him home for the holidays when she was a teenager.
I enjoyed reading a story where the woman knew as much about the sport as the player. However, I did not like her relationship with her father. He was mean and domineering. She does not get a backbone till the end of the story, when she has to choose between her job or Tom.
Sweet love story with a straight and simple plot.
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
Sarah Dudley is the VP of marketing and daughter of the team's owner. Sarah's brother Paul went to college with Tom and knows his reputation with the ladies. Sarah has two jobs raising revenue while Tom's in town and staying out of his bed. One she's sure she can do with Tom's help...staying out of his bed, not so much. She's had a crush on him since her brother brought him home for the holidays when she was a teenager.
I enjoyed reading a story where the woman knew as much about the sport as the player. However, I did not like her relationship with her father. He was mean and domineering. She does not get a backbone till the end of the story, when she has to choose between her job or Tom.
Sweet love story with a straight and simple plot.
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
June 11, 2015
Had a hard time with this book. At the end of the book I was left wondering why Tom and Sarah even liked each other. There was no development of their attraction to each other besides physical. Did not like Sarah's family at all. They acted like they were from the early 1900's and Sarah just gritted her teeth and took everything that they dished out.
One part that set the tone (and not a good one) for me for the rest of the book was right after Tom and Sarah get together. One minute she is telling herself that this is just a hook up, nothing will come from it and she can't expect anything more from Tom and the next she is asking him personal questions and telling him that if he doesn't open up to her then their relationship is over.
One part that set the tone (and not a good one) for me for the rest of the book was right after Tom and Sarah get together. One minute she is telling herself that this is just a hook up, nothing will come from it and she can't expect anything more from Tom and the next she is asking him personal questions and telling him that if he doesn't open up to her then their relationship is over.
June 25, 2015
Sarah works for the family business but instead of working directly with baseball teams, she's head of PR because her father doesn't believe a woman's place is outside of the office. Playing in the World Series, Tom tears his elbow and as he's recovering, his team drops him. He's picked up by another team but has to spend a few weeks with a minor league. With no place to stay but over an hour away, Sarah offers Tom the other half of her duplex. As an affair begins, Sarah is caught between her family and Tom. Tom knows he's leaving soon but wants Sarah to come with him. Sarah chooses her family despite her father treating her poorly but she really misses Tom. Great ending!
*I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2015
Read the full review on Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.
Sarah was independent and smart, but she allowed herself to be treated as if she was less than what she was worth simply because she was a female. Her father was a jackass, but I did like her older brother Paul and his being a supportive, protective sibling. I liked her with Tom, though their story did some to jump from one point to another at times, making it a bit lacking in terms of having that true and passionate emotional connection. Still, it was obvious that they wanted what was best for one another, even though telling each other the truth may cause friction. Overall, High Heat was pretty good and it gets 3.5 stars. ♥
Sarah was independent and smart, but she allowed herself to be treated as if she was less than what she was worth simply because she was a female. Her father was a jackass, but I did like her older brother Paul and his being a supportive, protective sibling. I liked her with Tom, though their story did some to jump from one point to another at times, making it a bit lacking in terms of having that true and passionate emotional connection. Still, it was obvious that they wanted what was best for one another, even though telling each other the truth may cause friction. Overall, High Heat was pretty good and it gets 3.5 stars. ♥
Read
April 10, 2016Great start to a baseball romance series. Discover small town minor league, a family owned and run farm team and the players who put their all into it.
Sarah Dudley is the owner's daughter and her father can't get over a women working in a man's sport. Wait till she puts it all on the line.
Tom Cord has been sent to recover but will his wild reputation follow him? Can he do what he needs to do without a PR mess or will he need Sarah to get him out of yet another disaster?
With rules about mixing business with pleasure will she follow them or break them to get what she wants?
This sizzlin' book is a fabulous start to a must read series. I can't wait to discover what happens next.
If you love baseball the you will LOVE this series
Sarah Dudley is the owner's daughter and her father can't get over a women working in a man's sport. Wait till she puts it all on the line.
Tom Cord has been sent to recover but will his wild reputation follow him? Can he do what he needs to do without a PR mess or will he need Sarah to get him out of yet another disaster?
With rules about mixing business with pleasure will she follow them or break them to get what she wants?
This sizzlin' book is a fabulous start to a must read series. I can't wait to discover what happens next.
If you love baseball the you will LOVE this series
June 30, 2015
This was an okay book to me. It wasn't....extraordinary. I remember reading a review and the person said that they couldn't warm up to the characters. I really thought they weren't trying, but it's true. It was kind of hard to warm up to the characters and fully involve yourself in the book (maybe it's just me). Then I thought it's just my non-infatuation with baseball but no. The characters were just...ehh. I like Tom, certain parts made laugh here and there but. Idk. It's an enjoyable book nonetheless. 3 stars.
June 23, 2015
I really wanted to love this one, unfortunately between Tom and Sarah's father, I just couldn't force myself to do more than skim most of it.
I disliked Tom from the start and never warmed up to him which made it really hard to enjoy the romance. And all the drama with his ex added onto the drama with Sarah's dad totally ruined any happy feels that I did have while reading it.
Oh well... Onto to something else :(
*ARC kindly provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I disliked Tom from the start and never warmed up to him which made it really hard to enjoy the romance. And all the drama with his ex added onto the drama with Sarah's dad totally ruined any happy feels that I did have while reading it.
Oh well... Onto to something else :(
*ARC kindly provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2015
There were parts in this book that I endured and parts that I liked a lot. The parts I hated was the owner of the Teachers, MC's father. Jerk. I liked how knowledgeable Sarah was with baseball and I learned a lot about pitching. I didn't love Tom. If you did then I'm happy for you. I just didn't connect the chemistry and it might of been because he realized himself so late in the book and I didn't care by then. I was mostly livid at her dad's assholery.
July 5, 2015
For someone who's not American and gas never watched a baseball game in her life this was really interesting. Of course the baseball wasn't the best part. No, that would be the amazingly sexy man that is Tom Cord.
I loved every second of this book. It was funny, romantic, steamy and emotional. Hell I even cried at the end.
I will definitely be checking out the next book.
Full review over here: https://bookishwives.wordpress.com/20...
I loved every second of this book. It was funny, romantic, steamy and emotional. Hell I even cried at the end.
I will definitely be checking out the next book.
Full review over here: https://bookishwives.wordpress.com/20...
June 15, 2015
For someone who's not American and gas never watched a baseball game in her life this was really interesting. Of course the baseball wasn't the best part. No, that would be the amazingly sexy man that is Tom Cord.
I loved every second of this book. It was funny, romantic, steamy and emotional. Hell I even cried at the end.
I will definitely be checking out the next book.
I loved every second of this book. It was funny, romantic, steamy and emotional. Hell I even cried at the end.
I will definitely be checking out the next book.
August 8, 2018
Solid 3 star book for me.
It didn't have a whole lot of drama. Focused on baseball which I quite enjoy.
I like Tom and Sarah. They were good together. It didn't go too in depth though and I didn't really connect with the characters so that's why it's only a 3 star book. I still liked them but I didn't love them.
Overall it's a good start to a series that I will probably be continuing.
It didn't have a whole lot of drama. Focused on baseball which I quite enjoy.
I like Tom and Sarah. They were good together. It didn't go too in depth though and I didn't really connect with the characters so that's why it's only a 3 star book. I still liked them but I didn't love them.
Overall it's a good start to a series that I will probably be continuing.
May 22, 2015
I really wanted to love this book but for me it was just alright. One of the things I really didn't like about the book was Sarah's dad I just could never warm up to him. I think with some refining and thoughtful editing this could develop into a great series.
June 11, 2015
★★★½ A very nice baseball romance. Nothing fantastic, but perfect to read snuggled to our significant other while he's watching some baseball.
For more romance reviews, check out my website:https://katherinasbooks.wordpress.com
For more romance reviews, check out my website:https://katherinasbooks.wordpress.com
February 8, 2016
Good Read
I was looking for something to pass a day or so of time until the next book was released from an author I love to read. I have found another author I will be looking up her books! I may have some catching up to do. Great book. Well written.
I was looking for something to pass a day or so of time until the next book was released from an author I love to read. I have found another author I will be looking up her books! I may have some catching up to do. Great book. Well written.
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