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Running Home to You: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 19 May 26In this sweeping sapphic sports romance, two college softball stars compete for each other’s hearts—if only they can get past their fear of striking out—from the nationally bestselling author of Play You For It.
When Abby Cruz transfers to Insley University and joins the softball team, it seems the only thing she and Kate Hutchins have in common is their love of the game. Abby’s raw talent and reckless behavior threaten Kate’s carefully controlled world, especially when their coach assigns Kate the unwelcome task of tutoring her rival.
As they learn to work together, they discover their differences are exactly what they’ve been missing off the field. Kate provides Abby with a sense of home after loss and grief. Abby, meanwhile, helps Kate embrace a freedom she’s never known because of her strict religious upbringing. As they chase a national title, it’s not long before the same love they have for the game grows for each other.
But much like on the diamond, their relationship requires perfect timing. While they try and fail to get it right over the next decade, the game keeps bringing them back together—from Puerto Rico to Tokyo, through courtrooms, churches, and Las Vegas casinos—as they fight to shake the weight of generational curses. But when an alumni game returns them to their college field, they must decide if it’s really the love of the game calling them home, or the one in their hearts that they’ve never been able to let go of.
When Abby Cruz transfers to Insley University and joins the softball team, it seems the only thing she and Kate Hutchins have in common is their love of the game. Abby’s raw talent and reckless behavior threaten Kate’s carefully controlled world, especially when their coach assigns Kate the unwelcome task of tutoring her rival.
As they learn to work together, they discover their differences are exactly what they’ve been missing off the field. Kate provides Abby with a sense of home after loss and grief. Abby, meanwhile, helps Kate embrace a freedom she’s never known because of her strict religious upbringing. As they chase a national title, it’s not long before the same love they have for the game grows for each other.
But much like on the diamond, their relationship requires perfect timing. While they try and fail to get it right over the next decade, the game keeps bringing them back together—from Puerto Rico to Tokyo, through courtrooms, churches, and Las Vegas casinos—as they fight to shake the weight of generational curses. But when an alumni game returns them to their college field, they must decide if it’s really the love of the game calling them home, or the one in their hearts that they’ve never been able to let go of.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 19, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
September 18, 2025
I DEVOURED this book. The imagery was so visceral I could smell the softball field, which made me beyond nostalgic for my own softball days. Abby & Kate’s imperfections made them so easy to root for, even in dark times.
Initially, I was wary of the religion aspect playing a major role in the story (it was hitting pretty close to home). But by the end of the book, I came to appreciate the level of complexity it added to the characters’ relationships with others and themselves.
My advice, buckle up. While not having too many pages, this book covers the span of roughly 10 years. An absolute rollercoaster of a decade, I might add.
Initially, I was wary of the religion aspect playing a major role in the story (it was hitting pretty close to home). But by the end of the book, I came to appreciate the level of complexity it added to the characters’ relationships with others and themselves.
My advice, buckle up. While not having too many pages, this book covers the span of roughly 10 years. An absolute rollercoaster of a decade, I might add.
August 31, 2025
These are happy tears coming out of my eyes, I swear.
Running Home To You was SUCH a rollercoaster, and I’m so upset it’s over. It’s so rare when a book instills so much emotion that I can physically feel it.
I’m happy there is POVs for both main characters, and really just made it all that much sweeter. No matter how much both characters upset me at times for their decisions, I couldn’t help but still want to give them a loving squeeze.
The story really showed the reality of our life choices, how things can affect us, how grief can control our lives. Abby and Kate had their fair share of mistakes and stupid moments, but they’re were realistic, not over exaggerated and I have an extreme appreciation for that.
My heart is so full now that I’m done, but I do wish there was more because I feel unsatisfied and want to know where Kate and Abby are, it was left so open-ended. This was such a great read, and I will definitely find myself reading the authors other books.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
Running Home To You was SUCH a rollercoaster, and I’m so upset it’s over. It’s so rare when a book instills so much emotion that I can physically feel it.
I’m happy there is POVs for both main characters, and really just made it all that much sweeter. No matter how much both characters upset me at times for their decisions, I couldn’t help but still want to give them a loving squeeze.
The story really showed the reality of our life choices, how things can affect us, how grief can control our lives. Abby and Kate had their fair share of mistakes and stupid moments, but they’re were realistic, not over exaggerated and I have an extreme appreciation for that.
My heart is so full now that I’m done, but I do wish there was more because I feel unsatisfied and want to know where Kate and Abby are, it was left so open-ended. This was such a great read, and I will definitely find myself reading the authors other books.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
October 5, 2025
I was really wanting something different from my typical read when I decided to pick this up. What a beautiful and tender story I received! The writing is exceptional and I think this is a huge win for sapphic readers looking for a realistic portrayal of love in a book.
The narrative is exceptionally well done and both characters have a strong presence throughout the entire storyline. It is written in both protagonists point of view and like the rest of the book the dual POVs are done well. This is a romance technically but it’s also about so many deeper topics and the characters journeys both to each other and themselves.
I really have nothing negative to say about this other than for me some of the sports related scenes felt a little long but this is a me thing more than the fault of the book or author—both are exactly what they claim to be!
Thanks so much for the ARC I was so pleasantly surprised with this one I can’t wait for more wlw to get their hands on a copy next year!
The narrative is exceptionally well done and both characters have a strong presence throughout the entire storyline. It is written in both protagonists point of view and like the rest of the book the dual POVs are done well. This is a romance technically but it’s also about so many deeper topics and the characters journeys both to each other and themselves.
I really have nothing negative to say about this other than for me some of the sports related scenes felt a little long but this is a me thing more than the fault of the book or author—both are exactly what they claim to be!
Thanks so much for the ARC I was so pleasantly surprised with this one I can’t wait for more wlw to get their hands on a copy next year!
September 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Softball, soulmates, and found family feels
Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Running Home to You. I went in expecting sports and romance, and came out with a full heart, teary eyes, and a new set of fictional besties.
Abby and Kate completely pulled me in. Watching them grow, mess up, figure things out, and still hold onto that spark between them was everything. They knew their flaws, they knew what they needed to work on, and they actually did the work. Growth, baby.
One of the things that hit hardest was the theme of found family. The Fab 5 friend group was chaotic in the best way, and I could picture every one of them like they were in my living room, probably stealing snacks and roasting each other. But underneath the laughs was something deeper, how sometimes your chosen family shows up for you in ways your actual family never could. The book really captured that ache of not measuring up to your family’s expectations, and the heartbreak of realizing they might not measure up either.
Also, yes, it’s a sports book, but you don’t need to know a single thing about softball. You just need to know what it feels like to care deeply about something. That passion comes through loud and clear.
This book was heartfelt, funny, and full of characters I genuinely rooted for. Would totally read more from this author.
Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Running Home to You. I went in expecting sports and romance, and came out with a full heart, teary eyes, and a new set of fictional besties.
Abby and Kate completely pulled me in. Watching them grow, mess up, figure things out, and still hold onto that spark between them was everything. They knew their flaws, they knew what they needed to work on, and they actually did the work. Growth, baby.
One of the things that hit hardest was the theme of found family. The Fab 5 friend group was chaotic in the best way, and I could picture every one of them like they were in my living room, probably stealing snacks and roasting each other. But underneath the laughs was something deeper, how sometimes your chosen family shows up for you in ways your actual family never could. The book really captured that ache of not measuring up to your family’s expectations, and the heartbreak of realizing they might not measure up either.
Also, yes, it’s a sports book, but you don’t need to know a single thing about softball. You just need to know what it feels like to care deeply about something. That passion comes through loud and clear.
This book was heartfelt, funny, and full of characters I genuinely rooted for. Would totally read more from this author.
September 19, 2025
I read an e-arc of this (thanks NetGalley)! It's not out for quite a while yet so I don't want to give too much away. This isn't what I expected, but I loved it. It didn't necessarily feel like a romance at times, but it definitely felt like a love story. It had that ability to evoke deep emotion, let its main characters be messy and imperfect while still being sympathetic enough that I was rooting for them both. I don't think it's going to be a book for everyone, but at the end of the day for me it had that magic stark that had me feeling along with its characters and staying up too late to see how it would end.
November 26, 2025
i am never listening to "spring into summer" by lizzy mcalpine again WITHOUT THINKING OF THEM EVER AGAIN!!!!!!! abbykate you will always be in my heart.
October 16, 2025
Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for letting me read this early :)
This was, and I don’t say this lightly, the best sapphic book I’ve read this year. I would even go as far as saying this is in my top 5 in all genres of the year.
This story follows Kate, a closeted religious woman who is an incredibly talented shortstop, and Abby, an out troubled woman who is dealing with a bucket of grief. Their story was a journey of firsts, of grief, of addiction, of love in all of its forms. The relationships between the teammates, between the families, and between themselves was something that will likely stick with me for the rest of my life.
I’m not normally a sports romance girl. It’s a trope I don’t particularly like because it often feels very shallow. The sport is supposed to be the driving plot, but with many of the ones I’ve read before this, the romance always takes center stage. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is just something that I feel detracts from what could be. A sport is full of hard work and pain and tension, and there is a lot that can be brought into a story with that! When romance is the driving plot, it makes the sport feel like an afterthought, or something that is meant to push the romance forward, rather than the characters themselves (maybe I’m just reading the wrong sports romances). This is the first story that actually proved to me that this trope can be, and is, a winner when the sport is there FOR the character. I don’t even like softball or baseball, but this was SO good that I think I need to get into it…seriously.
The description used in this book was vivid and gorgeous. I knew what everyone looked like, I felt all of the pain the characters felt, and I loved Abby and Kate like Kate and Abby would. I rooted for the characters, I cried for them. That is what I love in a book, and that is what makes this book so good. I’m honestly a little devastated that I don’t have a physical copy right now to annotate.
The religious guilt Kate felt in this story is something that I unknowingly dealt with for years, and I honestly got a little ptsd from the detail that went into it. I don’t know if the author herself went through that or if her research was done really well, but serious kudos to her. I was also impressed by the addiction plot closer to the end, because despite never dealing with that myself, it felt agonizing and raw and painful to read, and that is exactly what I imagine addiction feels like.
Anyway, this was a beautiful story. It was ultimately a story of when the right person in the wrong time finally becomes the right person in the right time, and Kate and Abby’s journey there was so incredibly beautiful. It felt well-earned. The ending was satisfying in a way I’m afraid no other story will ever reach, and I’m okay with that. I’ll always be able to come back to this one.
This was, and I don’t say this lightly, the best sapphic book I’ve read this year. I would even go as far as saying this is in my top 5 in all genres of the year.
This story follows Kate, a closeted religious woman who is an incredibly talented shortstop, and Abby, an out troubled woman who is dealing with a bucket of grief. Their story was a journey of firsts, of grief, of addiction, of love in all of its forms. The relationships between the teammates, between the families, and between themselves was something that will likely stick with me for the rest of my life.
I’m not normally a sports romance girl. It’s a trope I don’t particularly like because it often feels very shallow. The sport is supposed to be the driving plot, but with many of the ones I’ve read before this, the romance always takes center stage. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is just something that I feel detracts from what could be. A sport is full of hard work and pain and tension, and there is a lot that can be brought into a story with that! When romance is the driving plot, it makes the sport feel like an afterthought, or something that is meant to push the romance forward, rather than the characters themselves (maybe I’m just reading the wrong sports romances). This is the first story that actually proved to me that this trope can be, and is, a winner when the sport is there FOR the character. I don’t even like softball or baseball, but this was SO good that I think I need to get into it…seriously.
The description used in this book was vivid and gorgeous. I knew what everyone looked like, I felt all of the pain the characters felt, and I loved Abby and Kate like Kate and Abby would. I rooted for the characters, I cried for them. That is what I love in a book, and that is what makes this book so good. I’m honestly a little devastated that I don’t have a physical copy right now to annotate.
The religious guilt Kate felt in this story is something that I unknowingly dealt with for years, and I honestly got a little ptsd from the detail that went into it. I don’t know if the author herself went through that or if her research was done really well, but serious kudos to her. I was also impressed by the addiction plot closer to the end, because despite never dealing with that myself, it felt agonizing and raw and painful to read, and that is exactly what I imagine addiction feels like.
Anyway, this was a beautiful story. It was ultimately a story of when the right person in the wrong time finally becomes the right person in the right time, and Kate and Abby’s journey there was so incredibly beautiful. It felt well-earned. The ending was satisfying in a way I’m afraid no other story will ever reach, and I’m okay with that. I’ll always be able to come back to this one.
September 17, 2025
After Abby Cruz transfers to Insley University, she joins the softball team and meets Kate Hutchins. And it seems like the only thing they have in common is their love for the sport. Where Abby is reckless yet talented, Kate is controlled and plays everything by the rules. However, after Kate is assigned to be Abby’s tutor, they might find out that opposites attract.
I love seeing more sports romances coming into the sapphic romance sphere, and this book was no exception. Saldivar managed to handle some deep topics with incredible grace and did not gloss over anything and that was more than refreshing to read. This book didn’t try to pretend that your issues just go away because you fall in love, but rather highlighted that those problems sitting in the back of your mind are still there and they still need to be dealt with.
I thought the softball scenes were very well-written. As someone who is not very versed in softball other than knowing it as slightly different than baseball, I didn’t feel confused and felt invested in their games and practices that were described. Softball wasn’t just a background to the romance; it was the setting and that was what made it an authentic sports romance.
My biggest gripe with this book was that I didn’t feel super invested in the romance after a certain point. The build up was phenomenal and the tension was palpable. After that though, I didn’t feel like there was a lot at stake and I started to feel like the book was starting to dawdle to the end. That being said, however, I still enjoyed the romance and did not dislike the relationship by any means. You could tell their connection was something special and I still cared about the characters.
Overall, Saldivar delivered exactly what she set out to do with this book and she did it well. The romance was good, the main plot was good, and all-in-all this was just a solid book and a good read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love seeing more sports romances coming into the sapphic romance sphere, and this book was no exception. Saldivar managed to handle some deep topics with incredible grace and did not gloss over anything and that was more than refreshing to read. This book didn’t try to pretend that your issues just go away because you fall in love, but rather highlighted that those problems sitting in the back of your mind are still there and they still need to be dealt with.
I thought the softball scenes were very well-written. As someone who is not very versed in softball other than knowing it as slightly different than baseball, I didn’t feel confused and felt invested in their games and practices that were described. Softball wasn’t just a background to the romance; it was the setting and that was what made it an authentic sports romance.
My biggest gripe with this book was that I didn’t feel super invested in the romance after a certain point. The build up was phenomenal and the tension was palpable. After that though, I didn’t feel like there was a lot at stake and I started to feel like the book was starting to dawdle to the end. That being said, however, I still enjoyed the romance and did not dislike the relationship by any means. You could tell their connection was something special and I still cared about the characters.
Overall, Saldivar delivered exactly what she set out to do with this book and she did it well. The romance was good, the main plot was good, and all-in-all this was just a solid book and a good read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2025
Big thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for the eARC. 4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this. Abby and Kate meet on their college softball team, and the book follows them through the next decade as they grow up, drift, reconnect, and try to figure out what they actually want from each other. They care about each other, but they’re young, carrying a lot, and not always ready at the same time.
The softball details were great (I will always notice when a sports book gets that wrong), and I liked how the game stayed in the background of their lives even as everything else shifted. But what really stood out was how the author handles the heavier topics that shape them: religious guilt and pressure, homophobia, alcoholism, addiction, abuse, and the different ways people try to outrun or hide from the things that hurt. None of it felt thrown in for shock value—it actually mattered to who they became.
Abby and Kate are both messy, stubborn, and trying their best, and watching them grow separately before they can really show up for each other made their relationship feel more grounded. It’s a slow burn in the sense that the emotional work takes time, and I appreciated that the book lets them take that time instead of forcing an easy fix.
Overall, a heartfelt and surprisingly layered read.
I really enjoyed this. Abby and Kate meet on their college softball team, and the book follows them through the next decade as they grow up, drift, reconnect, and try to figure out what they actually want from each other. They care about each other, but they’re young, carrying a lot, and not always ready at the same time.
The softball details were great (I will always notice when a sports book gets that wrong), and I liked how the game stayed in the background of their lives even as everything else shifted. But what really stood out was how the author handles the heavier topics that shape them: religious guilt and pressure, homophobia, alcoholism, addiction, abuse, and the different ways people try to outrun or hide from the things that hurt. None of it felt thrown in for shock value—it actually mattered to who they became.
Abby and Kate are both messy, stubborn, and trying their best, and watching them grow separately before they can really show up for each other made their relationship feel more grounded. It’s a slow burn in the sense that the emotional work takes time, and I appreciated that the book lets them take that time instead of forcing an easy fix.
Overall, a heartfelt and surprisingly layered read.
September 24, 2025
“i think i miss you so much that i search for you in others”
abby cruz, a self-proclaimed second generation screw up, never expected her world to flip upside down when she transferred to insley, never could have expected someone like kate. kate, a devout christian, grew up with a very narrow viewpoint on love, that was until she met abby. kate and abby are juggling college softball, grief, new love, lost love, and all the emotions in between. when i tell you this book had me sobbing at 1 am, im talking the kind of crying that leaves you with swollen eyes, clogged nose and a headache. i am so grateful to have been given an arc for running home to you. samantha saldivar really hit it out the park with this one!
such an easy 5 star for me.
abby cruz, a self-proclaimed second generation screw up, never expected her world to flip upside down when she transferred to insley, never could have expected someone like kate. kate, a devout christian, grew up with a very narrow viewpoint on love, that was until she met abby. kate and abby are juggling college softball, grief, new love, lost love, and all the emotions in between. when i tell you this book had me sobbing at 1 am, im talking the kind of crying that leaves you with swollen eyes, clogged nose and a headache. i am so grateful to have been given an arc for running home to you. samantha saldivar really hit it out the park with this one!
such an easy 5 star for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My wife recommended this book to me because she said it reminded her of us...and did it ever?! I resonated with Kate's story so much of struggling with faith, being gay and knowing your parents won't accept you . My wife resonated with Abby in trying to understand all of it and help guide you through it. This book was written so perfect and I loved the ending. Thank you for letting me read it early :) it's going to be a book I think about for a long, long time. THANK YOU SAMANTHA SALDIVAR and thank you Netgalley for this arc!
September 13, 2025
“Abby swallowed. Of course, he played like her. That was the whole reason she was there. Why she never stopped chasing the game. I miss you so much that I search for you in others.”
When Abby Cruz transfers to Insley University and joins the softball team, she meets Kate Hutchins. While they seem to be polar opposites – Abby is raw talent and recklessness while Kate is hard-work and control – their love of the game draws together their love for each other. Over the next decade, we follow them as they are both pulled together and push each other away. We watch them deal with grief and loneliness, drug and alcohol addiction, the loss of faith and finding it again, the weight of their parents, successes and failures, and finally, being able to truly find themselves.
This is the first book in a while that I am just in denial that it is over. It was so good. My heart was both so full and yet ached so much for these characters. I loved the dual perspective that the author wrote in and am just amazed with how human and how real they were. They weren’t perfect characters and they made mistakes left and right, but they were real and they found themselves (and each other) in the end.
This book was such a tender romance and while there was a great love story, there was an even more beautiful story about two people learning who they are and finally learning what they want from the world. I could feel myself both on the softball field and following the characters around, wanting to cheer them on and to give them words of comfort.
This book is a must read and I wish I had it when I was younger. Thank you Samantha Saldivar for writing this book and thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy.
4.5 stars.
Content warnings: homophobia, drug addiction, alcoholism, grief
When Abby Cruz transfers to Insley University and joins the softball team, she meets Kate Hutchins. While they seem to be polar opposites – Abby is raw talent and recklessness while Kate is hard-work and control – their love of the game draws together their love for each other. Over the next decade, we follow them as they are both pulled together and push each other away. We watch them deal with grief and loneliness, drug and alcohol addiction, the loss of faith and finding it again, the weight of their parents, successes and failures, and finally, being able to truly find themselves.
This is the first book in a while that I am just in denial that it is over. It was so good. My heart was both so full and yet ached so much for these characters. I loved the dual perspective that the author wrote in and am just amazed with how human and how real they were. They weren’t perfect characters and they made mistakes left and right, but they were real and they found themselves (and each other) in the end.
This book was such a tender romance and while there was a great love story, there was an even more beautiful story about two people learning who they are and finally learning what they want from the world. I could feel myself both on the softball field and following the characters around, wanting to cheer them on and to give them words of comfort.
This book is a must read and I wish I had it when I was younger. Thank you Samantha Saldivar for writing this book and thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy.
4.5 stars.
Content warnings: homophobia, drug addiction, alcoholism, grief
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December 11, 2025dnf
October 28, 2025
This ARC was gifted to me by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I have a giant smile on my face as I write this, and I don't even know where to start beyond saying: run to your nearest bookstore and pick this up as soon as it drops! I will certainly be grabbing a physical copy after devouring the digital ARC and was already looking up other books by Saldivar halfway through the read.
My only five-star read of October, sliding into home right at the end. I cannot stop thinking about this story and how it was presented. Both of the main characters were developed in-depth, wholly and were uniquely their own people and personalities with their own heavy stock of background, history, passions, dislikes, etc. There are often so many sapphic romances where I have trouble remembering which name belongs to which character or they seem too similar or just one-dimensional. This was FAR from the case here. I was interested in the lives and progress of each character individually in addition to how their relationship with each other advanced, retreated, and then flourished.
I don't know if I hold some bias because I dabbled in softball in high school and am an attorney who has experienced law school myself, but this was all written in a way that felt so real. You could envision the training, rigor, passion, and practice behind each softball practice and game. Law school was presented in a serious and accurate manner (which never happens) including the rigor it takes even to apply and get in (in terms of applications, LSATs, etc.) and actual anxieties like class rank and summer internships, clerkships, etc. were woven in realistically.
There's a word I'm searching for that I just can't find, so I'll stick with depth and nuance. This is well-researched, well-written, and just feels like passion bled into every page. I feel like many authors pick up topics like alcohol and drug abuse and mention it, but don't allow the character to hit an actual bottom and let us crawl out from it with them or tease a background of religion but do it in a caricature or watered down way. Saldivar didn't shy away from these ideas and brought levels to them without making judgments on them.
I was savoring so many lines, feelings, and moments. Getting swept up in the story-telling. Rooting for these characters to be together, but also to find and take care of themselves. This was my first Saldivar read, but it absolutely won't be the last and I hope this book gets the promotion and word of mouth it deserves because it is so delicately and deliberately pieced together and is an instant must-read. Off to find a hopefully signed physical copy so I can read this again when it drops this spring!
I have a giant smile on my face as I write this, and I don't even know where to start beyond saying: run to your nearest bookstore and pick this up as soon as it drops! I will certainly be grabbing a physical copy after devouring the digital ARC and was already looking up other books by Saldivar halfway through the read.
My only five-star read of October, sliding into home right at the end. I cannot stop thinking about this story and how it was presented. Both of the main characters were developed in-depth, wholly and were uniquely their own people and personalities with their own heavy stock of background, history, passions, dislikes, etc. There are often so many sapphic romances where I have trouble remembering which name belongs to which character or they seem too similar or just one-dimensional. This was FAR from the case here. I was interested in the lives and progress of each character individually in addition to how their relationship with each other advanced, retreated, and then flourished.
I don't know if I hold some bias because I dabbled in softball in high school and am an attorney who has experienced law school myself, but this was all written in a way that felt so real. You could envision the training, rigor, passion, and practice behind each softball practice and game. Law school was presented in a serious and accurate manner (which never happens) including the rigor it takes even to apply and get in (in terms of applications, LSATs, etc.) and actual anxieties like class rank and summer internships, clerkships, etc. were woven in realistically.
There's a word I'm searching for that I just can't find, so I'll stick with depth and nuance. This is well-researched, well-written, and just feels like passion bled into every page. I feel like many authors pick up topics like alcohol and drug abuse and mention it, but don't allow the character to hit an actual bottom and let us crawl out from it with them or tease a background of religion but do it in a caricature or watered down way. Saldivar didn't shy away from these ideas and brought levels to them without making judgments on them.
I was savoring so many lines, feelings, and moments. Getting swept up in the story-telling. Rooting for these characters to be together, but also to find and take care of themselves. This was my first Saldivar read, but it absolutely won't be the last and I hope this book gets the promotion and word of mouth it deserves because it is so delicately and deliberately pieced together and is an instant must-read. Off to find a hopefully signed physical copy so I can read this again when it drops this spring!
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November 25, 2025This was the most incredible book I've read all year! I felt every feeling possible- I laughed, cried, was anxious, angry, annoyed, happy, etc. I felt what both MC felt so immensely. I could see every detail of every scene so clearly. I related to the characters more than I would've liked to at times and I was forced to face some personal feelings that I had been avoiding. This book was very healing for me. It made anxious waiting for the other shoe to drop, knowing Abby and Kate wouldn't stay together for some time but the HEA made it all worth it!! 20/5 stars!!! Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2025
Really, really, really good. As someone who never played a sport in school, I did not predict that I would be able to connect so well to these softball players and their love for the game and each other. What a true, honest love story. I felt every emotion along these girls, from the grief and sadness to the yearning and adoration. It takes really good writing to make an audience be able to fully follow a character’s journey not only through one part of their life, but also through the 10 some years we follow Abby and Kate in this novel. I loved their story so much. The friendship between the teammates also felt very rooted in real life, and I felt like I could see myself and my friends amongst these girls.
There are so many good quotes that wish I could share, but the publisher has asked for quotes not to be shared yet, so I will wait. Just know that when this book finally releases in May, I am going to be highlighting the crap out of my copy. Very excited for the world to get to enjoy this story as much as I did!!
Thank you Ballantine and Netgalley for this ebook arc!!
There are so many good quotes that wish I could share, but the publisher has asked for quotes not to be shared yet, so I will wait. Just know that when this book finally releases in May, I am going to be highlighting the crap out of my copy. Very excited for the world to get to enjoy this story as much as I did!!
Thank you Ballantine and Netgalley for this ebook arc!!
September 3, 2025
This book was excellent, and it was so easy to give it 5 stars. Frankly I didn’t know what to expect - this is an author I’ve never read before and since it’s an ARC there aren’t a lot of reviews (yet!). But I love a good sapphic romance and I used to play softball (and I love baseball, let’s go Mets!) so I was excited when I got approved for an ARC.
Running Home To You is not your average sports romance, it really is so much more than that. There are a lot of important themes (like religious upbringings vs. homosexuality, women in sports, etc) intertwined with beautiful sapphic yearning that made my heart soar. Abby & Kate’s 10 year love story felt so real and organic and was perfectly crafted - not rushed or slow at all.
If you’re looking for a sign to read this book, take this one!
Thanks NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC!
Running Home To You is not your average sports romance, it really is so much more than that. There are a lot of important themes (like religious upbringings vs. homosexuality, women in sports, etc) intertwined with beautiful sapphic yearning that made my heart soar. Abby & Kate’s 10 year love story felt so real and organic and was perfectly crafted - not rushed or slow at all.
If you’re looking for a sign to read this book, take this one!
Thanks NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ballantine/Dell for this ARC!
⭐ 3.5
Kate is the perfect player, the perfect daughter and the perfect student. Abby, however, is a trainwreck. Grieving her mother and angry at her absent father, she still ends up being better than anyone else on the field. Even better than perfect Kate. While Abby is a natural, her game effortless, Kate always works the hardest – and yet, Kate is left without the position she worked so hard for. But Kate's conflicting feelings towards Abby aren't just because Abby got her spot as shortstop. The gay panic is panicking y'all.
The story goes back and forth in time, alternating POVs. It's not explicit when it changes POVs/the timeline and I'd prefer if we had clearer indicators of that. It's not impossible to infer who and when while you read, but it's a detail that could facilitate thigs. Personally, I'm not a fan of stories that jump from present to past to present... I think maybe that's why some things feel too rushed and unexplored. I do love a sports, sapphic romance, though. And that it delivers. I enjoyed it, even thought I felt completely lost during the games (I know absolutely nothing about softball or baseball).
Saldivar does it again with the angst, right on point, so much that it was almost *too much* for me. If religious bigotry and religion vs sexuality is a trigger for you, please mind that this is a big part of this book. One of the MCs struggles a lot with it, with self-acceptance and heteronormativity, and it's really intense. The same with depression and suicidal tendencies. I think it's important that trigger warnings are shown somewhere on the pre-textual pages... It took me more than what usually does to finish a book this size, but not because the story is bad. Because it made me feel to much; I got genuinely too sad to keep reading. The characters feel deeply and you can't help but feel their feelings along with them.
I love the fivesome friend group, and watching their bond grow along with them is really beautiful. Could've it been more explored? Yeah, but it's wholesome nonetheless. Mick is an angel, a true golden retriever butch lesbian. Adorable. I wish we'd seen more of Jill early on, she's a sweetheart, and TK brings in the sarcastic humor and messiness. Kate is the heart, obviously. And Abby is the stray cat, wary at first, but then the group showers it with love so it slowly opens up and warms up to them. I wish the book explored more its side characters, especially these ones that are so important to the story and Kate and Abby's lives.
A few things that put me off, however, were how the characters and some bits of the story felt inconsistent at times. Of course, humans overall are inconsistent, but sometimes I felt like I was being pulled into too many directions and it made me wonder like, would this character really be doing/saying this? Does this match their personality from what I've seen so far? Also, the way the author talks about Puerto Rico when Abby decides to explore the city gave me a bit of the ick. I grew up in South America so I'm tired of people acting like the USA is this beautiful utopia where women can go out exploring any time of the day without the fear of being attacked. And I know PR is, technically, US territory but it doesn't matter. It was very unnecessary to add that part about the teammates warning Abby not to go out and she saying like "here I feel danger peeking from every corner"... just don't. Please.
Anyway, back to the writing. Some phrases and paragraphs feel a bit chunky and odd, in a sense that the way they're written breaks the flow of the story. It's little details, words here and there that seem like they don't fit, that could've been written differently. Like, is this something real people say? Is this conventional?
Even so, the story involves you and hooks you in. I couldn't help but fall in love with the characters, and I still hold them dear close to my heart. I had no choice but to read this book slowly to digest all the feelings it evoked in me.
TW: Suicidal thoughts, homophobia, religious bigotry, mental illness, addiction, drug abuse, grief.
⭐ 3.5
Kate is the perfect player, the perfect daughter and the perfect student. Abby, however, is a trainwreck. Grieving her mother and angry at her absent father, she still ends up being better than anyone else on the field. Even better than perfect Kate. While Abby is a natural, her game effortless, Kate always works the hardest – and yet, Kate is left without the position she worked so hard for. But Kate's conflicting feelings towards Abby aren't just because Abby got her spot as shortstop. The gay panic is panicking y'all.
The story goes back and forth in time, alternating POVs. It's not explicit when it changes POVs/the timeline and I'd prefer if we had clearer indicators of that. It's not impossible to infer who and when while you read, but it's a detail that could facilitate thigs. Personally, I'm not a fan of stories that jump from present to past to present... I think maybe that's why some things feel too rushed and unexplored. I do love a sports, sapphic romance, though. And that it delivers. I enjoyed it, even thought I felt completely lost during the games (I know absolutely nothing about softball or baseball).
Saldivar does it again with the angst, right on point, so much that it was almost *too much* for me. If religious bigotry and religion vs sexuality is a trigger for you, please mind that this is a big part of this book. One of the MCs struggles a lot with it, with self-acceptance and heteronormativity, and it's really intense. The same with depression and suicidal tendencies. I think it's important that trigger warnings are shown somewhere on the pre-textual pages... It took me more than what usually does to finish a book this size, but not because the story is bad. Because it made me feel to much; I got genuinely too sad to keep reading. The characters feel deeply and you can't help but feel their feelings along with them.
I love the fivesome friend group, and watching their bond grow along with them is really beautiful. Could've it been more explored? Yeah, but it's wholesome nonetheless. Mick is an angel, a true golden retriever butch lesbian. Adorable. I wish we'd seen more of Jill early on, she's a sweetheart, and TK brings in the sarcastic humor and messiness. Kate is the heart, obviously. And Abby is the stray cat, wary at first, but then the group showers it with love so it slowly opens up and warms up to them. I wish the book explored more its side characters, especially these ones that are so important to the story and Kate and Abby's lives.
A few things that put me off, however, were how the characters and some bits of the story felt inconsistent at times. Of course, humans overall are inconsistent, but sometimes I felt like I was being pulled into too many directions and it made me wonder like, would this character really be doing/saying this? Does this match their personality from what I've seen so far? Also, the way the author talks about Puerto Rico when Abby decides to explore the city gave me a bit of the ick. I grew up in South America so I'm tired of people acting like the USA is this beautiful utopia where women can go out exploring any time of the day without the fear of being attacked. And I know PR is, technically, US territory but it doesn't matter. It was very unnecessary to add that part about the teammates warning Abby not to go out and she saying like "here I feel danger peeking from every corner"... just don't. Please.
Anyway, back to the writing. Some phrases and paragraphs feel a bit chunky and odd, in a sense that the way they're written breaks the flow of the story. It's little details, words here and there that seem like they don't fit, that could've been written differently. Like, is this something real people say? Is this conventional?
Even so, the story involves you and hooks you in. I couldn't help but fall in love with the characters, and I still hold them dear close to my heart. I had no choice but to read this book slowly to digest all the feelings it evoked in me.
TW: Suicidal thoughts, homophobia, religious bigotry, mental illness, addiction, drug abuse, grief.
November 15, 2025
📚Running Home to You
✍🏻Samantha Saldivar
Blurb:
In this sweeping sapphic sports romance, two college softball stars compete for each other’s hearts—if only they can get past their fear of striking out—from the nationally bestselling author of Play You For It.
When Abby Cruz transfers to Insley University and joins the softball team, it seems the only thing she and Kate Hutchins have in common is their love of the game. Abby’s raw talent and reckless behavior threaten Kate’s carefully controlled world, especially when their coach assigns Kate the unwelcome task of tutoring her rival.
As they learn to work together, they discover their differences are exactly what they’ve been missing off the field. Kate provides Abby with a sense of home after loss and grief. Abby, meanwhile, helps Kate embrace a freedom she’s never known because of her strict religious upbringing. As they chase a national title, it’s not long before the same love they have for the game grows for each other.
But much like on the diamond, their relationship requires perfect timing. While they try and fail to get it right over the next decade, the game keeps bringing them back together—from Puerto Rico to Tokyo, through courtrooms, churches, and Las Vegas casinos—as they fight to shake the weight of generational curses. But when an alumni game returns them to their college field, they must decide if it’s really the love of the game calling them home, or the one in their hearts that they’ve never been able to let go.
My Thoughts:
Running Home to You is Absolutely phenomenal read, heart wrenching and healing. t was heartbreaking watching Abby's spiral into grief and addiction, but so emotional and inspiring watching her pull herself out. And Kate's journey to accepting herself and relationship with God through so much internal turmoil was so well written. This book hit on all my must-haves for good romances: strong secondary characters within the found family, deep character backstories, robust plot that isn’t centered around a forced outing, and relatable character flaws and growth. This is one of those books that left me both full and aching when I finished. It’s a romance, yes, but it’s also a story about identity, about carrying grief, about what it means to find yourself after being broken down. And that final chapter absolutely wrecked me in the best way.. I enjoyed this book and would recommend to those who enjoy reading emotional, dark, romance, sad, tense then add this to your TBR list.
Thanks NetGalley, Dell and Author Samantha Saldivar for the complimentary copy of " Running Home to You" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#Dell
#RunningHometoYou
#Samantha Saldivar
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️Trigger Warnings:Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol
✍🏻Samantha Saldivar
Blurb:
In this sweeping sapphic sports romance, two college softball stars compete for each other’s hearts—if only they can get past their fear of striking out—from the nationally bestselling author of Play You For It.
When Abby Cruz transfers to Insley University and joins the softball team, it seems the only thing she and Kate Hutchins have in common is their love of the game. Abby’s raw talent and reckless behavior threaten Kate’s carefully controlled world, especially when their coach assigns Kate the unwelcome task of tutoring her rival.
As they learn to work together, they discover their differences are exactly what they’ve been missing off the field. Kate provides Abby with a sense of home after loss and grief. Abby, meanwhile, helps Kate embrace a freedom she’s never known because of her strict religious upbringing. As they chase a national title, it’s not long before the same love they have for the game grows for each other.
But much like on the diamond, their relationship requires perfect timing. While they try and fail to get it right over the next decade, the game keeps bringing them back together—from Puerto Rico to Tokyo, through courtrooms, churches, and Las Vegas casinos—as they fight to shake the weight of generational curses. But when an alumni game returns them to their college field, they must decide if it’s really the love of the game calling them home, or the one in their hearts that they’ve never been able to let go.
My Thoughts:
Running Home to You is Absolutely phenomenal read, heart wrenching and healing. t was heartbreaking watching Abby's spiral into grief and addiction, but so emotional and inspiring watching her pull herself out. And Kate's journey to accepting herself and relationship with God through so much internal turmoil was so well written. This book hit on all my must-haves for good romances: strong secondary characters within the found family, deep character backstories, robust plot that isn’t centered around a forced outing, and relatable character flaws and growth. This is one of those books that left me both full and aching when I finished. It’s a romance, yes, but it’s also a story about identity, about carrying grief, about what it means to find yourself after being broken down. And that final chapter absolutely wrecked me in the best way.. I enjoyed this book and would recommend to those who enjoy reading emotional, dark, romance, sad, tense then add this to your TBR list.
Thanks NetGalley, Dell and Author Samantha Saldivar for the complimentary copy of " Running Home to You" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#Dell
#RunningHometoYou
#Samantha Saldivar
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️Trigger Warnings:Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol
September 16, 2025
I went into Running Home to You expecting a sapphic sports romance, and while it definitely delivered on that front, it gave me so much more than I anticipated. Between the softball backdrop and the camaraderie of the team, I couldn’t help but fall in love with this book. But what really set this book apart was the way it layered in family expectations, religion, grief, and addiction, all without ever losing sight of Abby and Kate’s story.
Watching Abby and Kate grow over the span of a decade was both heartbreaking and inspiring. Their relationship wasn’t an easy, straight path; in fact, it was far from it. They went from rivals, to reluctant teammates, to friends, to something so much deeper. And the beauty of it was in the realism: they made mistakes, they hurt each other, they carried the weight of family trauma and personal demons, but through it all, their love for the game (and eventually, for each other) grounded them.
The author’s writing really shines in the details. The softball setting felt so real I could almost smell the grass and dirt on the field. The religious trauma hit close to home for me personally, but instead of feeling heavy, it added depth to Kate’s character and made her arc that much more powerful. Abby was reckless and foolish, full of grief, and battled with addiction and it felt raw and honest, but still full of hope.
This is one of those books that left me both full and aching when I finished. It’s a romance, yes, but it’s also a story about identity, about carrying grief, about what it means to find yourself after being broken down. And that final chapter absolutely wrecked me in the best way.
This is an amazing sapphic romance that blends sports, slow burn tension, and authentic emotion, and you need to pick this one up. I’ll be thinking about Abby and Kate for a long time.
Content warnings: homophobia, religious trauma, drug addiction, alcoholism, grief
Thank you to NetGalley, Samantha Saldivar, and Dell for the eARC of this book.
Watching Abby and Kate grow over the span of a decade was both heartbreaking and inspiring. Their relationship wasn’t an easy, straight path; in fact, it was far from it. They went from rivals, to reluctant teammates, to friends, to something so much deeper. And the beauty of it was in the realism: they made mistakes, they hurt each other, they carried the weight of family trauma and personal demons, but through it all, their love for the game (and eventually, for each other) grounded them.
The author’s writing really shines in the details. The softball setting felt so real I could almost smell the grass and dirt on the field. The religious trauma hit close to home for me personally, but instead of feeling heavy, it added depth to Kate’s character and made her arc that much more powerful. Abby was reckless and foolish, full of grief, and battled with addiction and it felt raw and honest, but still full of hope.
This is one of those books that left me both full and aching when I finished. It’s a romance, yes, but it’s also a story about identity, about carrying grief, about what it means to find yourself after being broken down. And that final chapter absolutely wrecked me in the best way.
This is an amazing sapphic romance that blends sports, slow burn tension, and authentic emotion, and you need to pick this one up. I’ll be thinking about Abby and Kate for a long time.
Content warnings: homophobia, religious trauma, drug addiction, alcoholism, grief
Thank you to NetGalley, Samantha Saldivar, and Dell for the eARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"Running Home to You," is a contemporary sports romance novel that follows Abby and Kate from their college years playing softball to their lives years after college, through trials and tribulations, soul searching and hitting the bottom of the barrel.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the "found family," in the softball team, and how even though life occasionally throws curveballs (see what I did there?) your found and chosen family is often a stronger bound than your blood family. The descriptions of the softball games took me right back to high school, and I had no problem following the action. Kate and Abby were also super sweet, and I was rooting for them for the entire book.
I did have a hard time getting through the first half of the book, finding things progressing rather slowly and not holding my interest with some awkward wording, transitions, and abrupt switching between point of view with the various characters. It wasn't always evident who was speaking at any given time because dialogue tags were missed, so it wasn't always as enjoyable as I would have liked because I kept getting pulled out of the story for the stylistic issues. If I hadn't agreed to read it as an ARC reader, I likely would have stopped reading before the end of the story.
I also would have appreciated more transparency about the roll religion played in the book - in the blurb it's mentioned that Kate has a strict religious upbringing, but it's definitely a huge part of the story (however it's also sprung on the reader rather late in the story and suddenly becomes a much bigger thing). It felt like it was added in after the story was already being written, and then became a big part of the plot. I don't *mind* there being a strong religious undertone to a book, but I'd rather have known ahead of time.
Overall, a solid sapphic contemporary sport romance, with some heavy themes for readers to digest as they read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book!
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the "found family," in the softball team, and how even though life occasionally throws curveballs (see what I did there?) your found and chosen family is often a stronger bound than your blood family. The descriptions of the softball games took me right back to high school, and I had no problem following the action. Kate and Abby were also super sweet, and I was rooting for them for the entire book.
I did have a hard time getting through the first half of the book, finding things progressing rather slowly and not holding my interest with some awkward wording, transitions, and abrupt switching between point of view with the various characters. It wasn't always evident who was speaking at any given time because dialogue tags were missed, so it wasn't always as enjoyable as I would have liked because I kept getting pulled out of the story for the stylistic issues. If I hadn't agreed to read it as an ARC reader, I likely would have stopped reading before the end of the story.
I also would have appreciated more transparency about the roll religion played in the book - in the blurb it's mentioned that Kate has a strict religious upbringing, but it's definitely a huge part of the story (however it's also sprung on the reader rather late in the story and suddenly becomes a much bigger thing). It felt like it was added in after the story was already being written, and then became a big part of the plot. I don't *mind* there being a strong religious undertone to a book, but I'd rather have known ahead of time.
Overall, a solid sapphic contemporary sport romance, with some heavy themes for readers to digest as they read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wow...just wow. I don't know what I was expecting when I opened this book but this blew all of it out of the water. This honestly may be one of my favorite books ever.
Right from the jump, you know this isn't going to be an uncomplicated, cozy love story, but the emotions and depth that this book reached literally kept me from putting it down. I think what I loved about this book was that it balanced everything so well. Yes there was grief, loss, trauma, addiction, and more, but there was also hope, love, friendship, found family, and characters truly finding themselves and who they want to be in this world.
The chemistry between Kate and Abby is undeniable but I also think that their struggle, their fight for each other, the ups and downs that they felt real. It wasn't something that you'd only read about in books or impossible scenarios that brought them together. It felt like real life, real hardships, real victories, and real love.
I honestly was not expecting to cry as much as I did at a softball book but oh my god was it so worth it. This is one of the books that I wish I could go back and read again for the first time.
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy to read. Thank you to the author as well for writing such a beautiful, complicated, hopeful story.
Right from the jump, you know this isn't going to be an uncomplicated, cozy love story, but the emotions and depth that this book reached literally kept me from putting it down. I think what I loved about this book was that it balanced everything so well. Yes there was grief, loss, trauma, addiction, and more, but there was also hope, love, friendship, found family, and characters truly finding themselves and who they want to be in this world.
The chemistry between Kate and Abby is undeniable but I also think that their struggle, their fight for each other, the ups and downs that they felt real. It wasn't something that you'd only read about in books or impossible scenarios that brought them together. It felt like real life, real hardships, real victories, and real love.
I honestly was not expecting to cry as much as I did at a softball book but oh my god was it so worth it. This is one of the books that I wish I could go back and read again for the first time.
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy to read. Thank you to the author as well for writing such a beautiful, complicated, hopeful story.
September 1, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for the advanced reader copy
Abby Cruz's life is in a downward spiral: her father, a famous baseball player, has been MIA in her life, her mother recently died, and she was kicked off her D1 softball team at UCLA for reckless behavior after her mother's death. It's by luck and connections that she finds herself as a transfer at Insley University, where she makes enemies instead of friends by competing with the team's most beloved player, Kate Hutchins, for starting short stop. But, when the coach makes Kate responsible for helping Abby keep her grades high enough to stay on the team, the women find that they aren't enemies. They become friends and perhaps more?
This was a poignant friends to lovers/second chance romance. It was refreshing to see a softball romance, with everything so focused on hockey and Formula 1, and to see two female athletes in the main roles. The author did a great job of creating two main characters who had strong personalities and had sufficient baggage to create conflict between them. This is a book I'll definitely be getting in print when it finally comes out.
Running Home to You is out May 19, 2026.
Abby Cruz's life is in a downward spiral: her father, a famous baseball player, has been MIA in her life, her mother recently died, and she was kicked off her D1 softball team at UCLA for reckless behavior after her mother's death. It's by luck and connections that she finds herself as a transfer at Insley University, where she makes enemies instead of friends by competing with the team's most beloved player, Kate Hutchins, for starting short stop. But, when the coach makes Kate responsible for helping Abby keep her grades high enough to stay on the team, the women find that they aren't enemies. They become friends and perhaps more?
This was a poignant friends to lovers/second chance romance. It was refreshing to see a softball romance, with everything so focused on hockey and Formula 1, and to see two female athletes in the main roles. The author did a great job of creating two main characters who had strong personalities and had sufficient baggage to create conflict between them. This is a book I'll definitely be getting in print when it finally comes out.
Running Home to You is out May 19, 2026.
December 1, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The religious upbringing part in the synopsis had me hesitating, but Samanatha did a beautiful job navigating that storyline. This book gave me something that I've been desperately wanting from the most recent romance. It gave us insight into the lead's solo journey through self-discovery. I always wanted to read how the characters put in the work. Samantha did a great job writing that.
I would love to give a round of applause for the secondary characters. They were such great friends, and more importantly, they acted like college kids during that time. It is not the job of someone so young to mentally care for someone in the way that Abby needed.
One thing I needed was a more fleshed-out ending. Abby and Kate should have had more private conversations and steadily worked their way back to each other. I would've also liked to see an epilogue of them in the future. Honestly, we(they) deserve it after everything they went through lol
Also, trigger warning for alcoholism and drug abuse.
I would love to give a round of applause for the secondary characters. They were such great friends, and more importantly, they acted like college kids during that time. It is not the job of someone so young to mentally care for someone in the way that Abby needed.
One thing I needed was a more fleshed-out ending. Abby and Kate should have had more private conversations and steadily worked their way back to each other. I would've also liked to see an epilogue of them in the future. Honestly, we(they) deserve it after everything they went through lol
Also, trigger warning for alcoholism and drug abuse.
October 13, 2025
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Samantha Salvidar for the ARC of this wonderful book.
My god, this book was beautiful. I just finished it and I'm still crying. I sobbed more than once, I laughed a lot and I loved every second of it.
The story hit on so many difficult topics - addiction, death, religious trauma, homophobia, grief. And yet, there was so much joy in the book, as well. Joy for found family, and love that spanned a decade and several continents. It was heartbreaking watching Abby's spiral into grief and addiction, but so emotional and inspiring watching her pull herself out. And Kate's journey to accepting herself and relationship with God through so much internal turmoil was so well written.
This book speaks so much to the importance of timing. How you have to grow and find yourself in order to be able to accept and love someone fully.
I am so excited for Samantha Saldivar's next book, and will be sure to read anything she writes.
My god, this book was beautiful. I just finished it and I'm still crying. I sobbed more than once, I laughed a lot and I loved every second of it.
The story hit on so many difficult topics - addiction, death, religious trauma, homophobia, grief. And yet, there was so much joy in the book, as well. Joy for found family, and love that spanned a decade and several continents. It was heartbreaking watching Abby's spiral into grief and addiction, but so emotional and inspiring watching her pull herself out. And Kate's journey to accepting herself and relationship with God through so much internal turmoil was so well written.
This book speaks so much to the importance of timing. How you have to grow and find yourself in order to be able to accept and love someone fully.
I am so excited for Samantha Saldivar's next book, and will be sure to read anything she writes.
October 28, 2025
Anddddd itsssss outta hereeee!!!
Crowded bleachers, the ping of a metallic bat, and the crack a ball sent flying through the air. This story will have you smacking a mit with anticipation, ready to run the bases with the team!
Kate Hutchins and Abby Cruz start off as rivals for the coveted shortstop position on the same team. But through forced proximity (spurred by their coach to help each other's game) and careful flirting, their rivalry turns into something more. But there are deep struggles on both sides. Can faith help Kate reconcile these confusing new feelings for her teammate? Will Abby, blessed with unmeasured talent, find the love of the game after experiencing loss and tragedy?
This book is a home run (pun intended) and a wonderful showcase of spiritual struggle, personal growth and the need for community. It is a gentle persuasion to be honest with yourself, to lean on others when you need support and keep the door open for love.
Crowded bleachers, the ping of a metallic bat, and the crack a ball sent flying through the air. This story will have you smacking a mit with anticipation, ready to run the bases with the team!
Kate Hutchins and Abby Cruz start off as rivals for the coveted shortstop position on the same team. But through forced proximity (spurred by their coach to help each other's game) and careful flirting, their rivalry turns into something more. But there are deep struggles on both sides. Can faith help Kate reconcile these confusing new feelings for her teammate? Will Abby, blessed with unmeasured talent, find the love of the game after experiencing loss and tragedy?
This book is a home run (pun intended) and a wonderful showcase of spiritual struggle, personal growth and the need for community. It is a gentle persuasion to be honest with yourself, to lean on others when you need support and keep the door open for love.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I liked this book. I really did. I love baseball/softball, so a good story surrounding two queer women playing softball seemed like a homerun. I was right. It was a great story, and I identified so hard with Kate it wasn't even funny. Seeing how her relationship with Abby came to be, working around their separate dreams, wants, boyfriends, families, personal issues...it's a lot, but written well. As an exvangelical, I did have to take my time in reading this, as it did get super personal at times. At times it felt like I was reading someone's deconstruction diary. But overall I enjoyed the book, and while I'd be selective in who I recommend it to within my exvangelical community, it is a great read
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I dove blindly into this book looking for a cozy sapphic love story. This book delivers on the sapphic love story, but it’s a heavy hitter. There are a lot of deeper themes the reader dives into, including religion. This is not your typical, whimsical love story. The characters are layered and nuanced with tough outer shells aching for someone to break them down. It hits close to home for anyone who has experienced a love that has felt so right but is told by others it is “wrong”. This book dives into a much more thought provoking theme than I was expecting, but I enjoyed the depth.
September 20, 2025
Thank you to Penguin Random House for the ARC! Based on the cover and title, I was expecting a formulaic romance—but this was far from that. While the novel starts a bit slow, it quickly grips your heart and doesn’t let go. At its core, the romance drives the story, but it’s also about Abby and Kate’s journey to discover themselves and allow others to truly see them.
What stood out to me most was how raw and real it felt—capturing the messiness of life and the reality that sometimes love alone isn’t enough to be fully ready for another person.
What stood out to me most was how raw and real it felt—capturing the messiness of life and the reality that sometimes love alone isn’t enough to be fully ready for another person.
December 3, 2025
Thank you so very much to NetGalley, Ballantine and Samantha Saldivar for sharing this ARC with me, in exchange for my honest review.
I completely devoured Running Home To You in one sitting. The character development and world building is top knotty. Ms. Samantha's writing is excellent. I could almost smell all the smells from a baseball field...the hotdogs, the fresh cut grass and the dirt.
One of my many favorite quotes:
"I miss you so much that I search for you in others."
I truly recommend this book to all y'all.
I completely devoured Running Home To You in one sitting. The character development and world building is top knotty. Ms. Samantha's writing is excellent. I could almost smell all the smells from a baseball field...the hotdogs, the fresh cut grass and the dirt.
One of my many favorite quotes:
"I miss you so much that I search for you in others."
I truly recommend this book to all y'all.
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