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Stealing Home
A sweet, hidden identity, found family, slow burn, sports (baseball) romance.
A homerun of a romcom about a secretly famous baseball player, a guarded book editor, and the unexpected love they find while sharing one very spoiled dog.
Ryan Stallier is tired of women who only want him for his bank account or his batting average. Craving something real, he volunteers at a local animal shelter under an alias, hoping to do some good and fly under the radar.
He doesn't expect to meet a fiercely independent editor with a soft spot for rescue animals, a sharp wit, and zero ideal who he really is.
They spend one perfect morning together.
Then he disappears. Sort of.
When an emergency leaves Ryan scrambling for a dog sitter at the beginning of spring training, he remembers Emily, and the way she didn't treat him like a celebrity.
She remembers Ryder, not Ryan, and she's completely blindsided to find herself house-sitting in a luxury loft filled with baseball memorabilia, a professional-grade espresso machine... and his true identity.
Their connection picks up over late-night texts, video calls, and a growing stack of bookish inside jokes.
Emily's determined to keep it professional.
Ryan's trying not to fall harder than he already has.
But his injury threatens his future on the field, and Emily starts to wonder if she's just visiting someone else's life, they'll both have to decide what home really means.
And if they can build one together.
This heartwarming romantic comedy is closed-door but has all the sizzle, swoon, and happily ever after you're guaranteed to love. It features the normal romcom humor and wit, while also tackling some deeper themes such as acceptance, adhd, foster care, redefining yourself, and discovering what is the true meaning of home.
A homerun of a romcom about a secretly famous baseball player, a guarded book editor, and the unexpected love they find while sharing one very spoiled dog.
Ryan Stallier is tired of women who only want him for his bank account or his batting average. Craving something real, he volunteers at a local animal shelter under an alias, hoping to do some good and fly under the radar.
He doesn't expect to meet a fiercely independent editor with a soft spot for rescue animals, a sharp wit, and zero ideal who he really is.
They spend one perfect morning together.
Then he disappears. Sort of.
When an emergency leaves Ryan scrambling for a dog sitter at the beginning of spring training, he remembers Emily, and the way she didn't treat him like a celebrity.
She remembers Ryder, not Ryan, and she's completely blindsided to find herself house-sitting in a luxury loft filled with baseball memorabilia, a professional-grade espresso machine... and his true identity.
Their connection picks up over late-night texts, video calls, and a growing stack of bookish inside jokes.
Emily's determined to keep it professional.
Ryan's trying not to fall harder than he already has.
But his injury threatens his future on the field, and Emily starts to wonder if she's just visiting someone else's life, they'll both have to decide what home really means.
And if they can build one together.
This heartwarming romantic comedy is closed-door but has all the sizzle, swoon, and happily ever after you're guaranteed to love. It features the normal romcom humor and wit, while also tackling some deeper themes such as acceptance, adhd, foster care, redefining yourself, and discovering what is the true meaning of home.
146 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 19, 2025
8 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 19, 2025
Stealing Home is a swoon worthy, adorably sweet hidden identity sports romance and it was an absolute delight. It is absolutely impossible to start this one and put it down, this is a one sitting binge type of read. I mean the storyline was so darn cute, I am always a sucker for animals in books and this one just satisfied my need to the fullest. Rufus the dog was the real star of the show and the true matchmaker here, I was here for it! Even with the shortness of the book, the author is able to pack a punch and create a story that I will definitely remember.
Ryan and Emily's romance is filled with laughs, swoon worthy moments, bookish inside jokes and it just had me kicking my feet the entire time. Anne is truly a talented author and she has learned how to balance the romcom aspect as well as intertwine some more serious topics without making it feel heavy or lose the fun aspect of the book. I have read every single one of Anne's books and she truly amazes me with each one, her writing is effortless, flawless and just so addicting. She knows how to grip me with her stories, her characters and truly builds stories that squeeze my heart in the best way.
Overall, this was another fantastic book by Anne. It is perfect for in between the more serious and heavy reads. It will hook you right away and you'll be in cuteness overload I can promise you that! If you haven't given this author a shot, I highly recommend you do 🥰
✨ ️ Thank you to @anne.william.author for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ryan and Emily's romance is filled with laughs, swoon worthy moments, bookish inside jokes and it just had me kicking my feet the entire time. Anne is truly a talented author and she has learned how to balance the romcom aspect as well as intertwine some more serious topics without making it feel heavy or lose the fun aspect of the book. I have read every single one of Anne's books and she truly amazes me with each one, her writing is effortless, flawless and just so addicting. She knows how to grip me with her stories, her characters and truly builds stories that squeeze my heart in the best way.
Overall, this was another fantastic book by Anne. It is perfect for in between the more serious and heavy reads. It will hook you right away and you'll be in cuteness overload I can promise you that! If you haven't given this author a shot, I highly recommend you do 🥰
✨ ️ Thank you to @anne.william.author for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 3, 2026
Adorable! Loved all of the little nods to STL 🥰
August 14, 2025
A super cute Novella, this secret identity baseball book is a fun quick read! I loved Rufus the dog, and the way found family is portrayed in this book! I read an early copy, be sure to add this to your TBR!
August 14, 2025
Stealing Home is an absolute homerun of a romance—sweet, funny, heartfelt, and brimming with swoon-worthy moments. Anne William blends the charm of a hidden identity romance with the warmth of found family, the slow-burn spark of a sports love story, and the joy of one very spoiled dog who might just be the real matchmaker here.
What follows is a tender, witty, and utterly addictive romance told through late-night texts, bookish inside jokes, and moments that will make your heart squeeze. This isn’t just a romcom—it’s a story about trust, vulnerability, and finding where (and with whom) you truly belong. I adored how Anne William wove in deeper themes—ADHD, foster care, self-discovery, and redefining what “home” means—without losing the light, fizzy romcom energy.
If you love sports romances with heart, dogs that steal the show, and characters you can’t stop rooting for, Stealing Home belongs on your shelf. I can’t recommend it enough.
“He was a baseball star in disguise. She was a book editor with no idea who he really was. The dog knew all along. 🐾⚾❤️”
What follows is a tender, witty, and utterly addictive romance told through late-night texts, bookish inside jokes, and moments that will make your heart squeeze. This isn’t just a romcom—it’s a story about trust, vulnerability, and finding where (and with whom) you truly belong. I adored how Anne William wove in deeper themes—ADHD, foster care, self-discovery, and redefining what “home” means—without losing the light, fizzy romcom energy.
If you love sports romances with heart, dogs that steal the show, and characters you can’t stop rooting for, Stealing Home belongs on your shelf. I can’t recommend it enough.
“He was a baseball star in disguise. She was a book editor with no idea who he really was. The dog knew all along. 🐾⚾❤️”
August 20, 2025
This story was really, really sweet.
It is a short Novella but ut packs a good punch. I love how the author managed to avoid the instalove, despite the story being on the shorter side.
Our MMC is sweet, flirty, and has a big heart. I mean - volunteering at the animal shelter... *swoon*
Our FMC is also sweet and generous, but guarded after a difficult childhood. It is lovely watching her grow throughout the story.
Also both main characters are Bookish.
Animals, books, sweet romance, does ut get any better than that?
There is also a nice cast of side characters. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I think this will be a fun series of sweet romances.
I recommend to anyone who likes sports romance, animal companions, and Bookish MCs.
I was gifted an ARC by the author, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
It is a short Novella but ut packs a good punch. I love how the author managed to avoid the instalove, despite the story being on the shorter side.
Our MMC is sweet, flirty, and has a big heart. I mean - volunteering at the animal shelter... *swoon*
Our FMC is also sweet and generous, but guarded after a difficult childhood. It is lovely watching her grow throughout the story.
Also both main characters are Bookish.
Animals, books, sweet romance, does ut get any better than that?
There is also a nice cast of side characters. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I think this will be a fun series of sweet romances.
I recommend to anyone who likes sports romance, animal companions, and Bookish MCs.
I was gifted an ARC by the author, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 15, 2025
Loved this clean, sporty, hidden identity romance with fur babies and Rufus the dog! The sense of longing for security and belonging is evident in this beautiful novella with the characters’ back histories strongly affecting how they navigate their present circumstances.
This story had it all with the sport, volunteering, cute animals and the slowburn romance along with the precious friendships to encourage the main characters!
Recommended - please read!
Received this as an Advanced Reader Copy from the author and this is my own opinion given voluntarily.
This story had it all with the sport, volunteering, cute animals and the slowburn romance along with the precious friendships to encourage the main characters!
Recommended - please read!
Received this as an Advanced Reader Copy from the author and this is my own opinion given voluntarily.
August 18, 2025
Absolutely loved this one! A shorter read but everything perfect! I loved Ryan & Emily together. All the emotions as she wants a place to belong and he wants to be loved for him, not his fame as a baseball player. Keeping my fingers crossed we get more from this world!
August 14, 2025
I loved all of Anne William’s previous books, so I was ecstatic when I found out she had written another after a long break. This one is a novella, so I read it in one afternoon, but it was so good. Ryan almost seems like a unicorn: handsome, professional athlete, prefers reading to partying, loves animals and volunteers at shelters anonymously, loves his family and is a gentleman. He was just what Emily needed to help her find home and fall in love. I can’t wait to read about Alex and Sarah next!
September 6, 2025
Mini Review
Stealing Home by Anne William was heartfelt and had a lot of sweet and swoony moments.
It had so many of my favorite things rolled into one package.
Things I loved:
*The connection between Ryan & Emily
*The main characters are bookworms
*foster care representation
*Ryan’s matchmaker mama
*Emily’s best friend
* a cute dog
This is a novella with a dual point-of-view. You get swoony kisses, fun texts, bookish quotes you can relate too, a MLB player, and a book editor female main character. Other tropes included hidden identity, & found family. You can grab a copy of this one in ebook, paperback, KU.
Stealing Home by Anne William was heartfelt and had a lot of sweet and swoony moments.
It had so many of my favorite things rolled into one package.
Things I loved:
*The connection between Ryan & Emily
*The main characters are bookworms
*foster care representation
*Ryan’s matchmaker mama
*Emily’s best friend
* a cute dog
This is a novella with a dual point-of-view. You get swoony kisses, fun texts, bookish quotes you can relate too, a MLB player, and a book editor female main character. Other tropes included hidden identity, & found family. You can grab a copy of this one in ebook, paperback, KU.
August 19, 2025
Don't let the shorter length of this one fool you... it might be a quick read (easily read in just a sitting or two), but it packs an emotional punch just the same... and I absolutely adored it. Right from their first meeting volunteering together at an animal shelter, Ryan and Emily had a great connection over their mutual love of animals and books, despite her not knowing his true identity--- a famous MLB player! Hockey romance gets all the hype (and admittedly, I do love it as well), but lately I've been finding I'm absolutely loving baseball romances just as much... if not more! And this one only helps to solidify that opinion with its swoon worthy moments and smiles throughout, but also taking on tougher topics like foster care that gave it a tenderness as well. I loved the sweet chemistry between Ryan and Emily. More than anything though, I loved the feeling of home that this story brought! If you love baseball romance and stories that will pull at your heartstrings, this is absolutely one not to be missed!
Stealing Home is a closed-door romance with kisses only and minor language.
**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.
Stealing Home is a closed-door romance with kisses only and minor language.
**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews