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Running Home to You: A Novel
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 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.
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.
384 pages, Paperback
Published May 19, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
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.
May 22, 2026
”If faith is surrender, then I think playing softball is the closest I’ve ever been to God. It must not be a coincidence then that I found you there too.”
Oh my fucking god. This is what I’ve been waiting for my entire life. THE YEARNING. THE TENSION. THE ANGST. The concept of shifting your entire world worldview to accommodate this one person.
Running Home to You opens with Abby visiting her old college, haunted by memories unbeknownst to us. She is called out to by someone, we aren’t sure who, that freezes her in place. As we go back in time and begin Abby and Kate’s story, that opening chapter is a nagging thought in our minds. How did she get there? Who is calling out to her? What is about to happen?
This book is definitely not for people who hate when characters get in the way of their own happiness. Abby and Kate have a lot that they have to work through before they can truly be together. Every time we get close to their happiness, it’s ripped from our hands again. Kate had a perfect life, until Abby broke open everything she believed in. Abby had been lost and alone, until Kate let her finally lean on somebody. As Kate begins to struggle with her religious identity, Abby doesn’t want to be the one who causes Kate to lose everyone she loves. Especially knowing first hand how it destroys a person. The push and pull, self destruction, and cowardliness that spans the following years leaves their relationship ever changing. And boy does it hurt. But as we learn, it was truly necessary for them to fully heal before having their happy end.
One thing that makes or breaks a sports romance novel for me is how prevalent the sport is to the story. I want to see game play, team bonding, and the relationship our main character has with the sport in my sports romances. And this delivered tenfold. Seeing Abby’s deeply complex love/hate relationship with softball really brought the story to life. Softball isn’t just a vehicle for the romance, it’s an active participant in our character’s relationships. Abby falling back in love with softball because of how Kate plays the game. Kate being a symbol of what she wishes the sport was for her. It’s so beautiful.
This book will really take you on a rollercoaster of emotions but it’s so worth the ride!
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.
April 8, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy of this book.
Samantha Saldivar never fails to impress and amaze readers with how she authentically incorporates real life within the romance. Abby and Kate were faced with so much hardship and pain, and Saldivar has you feeling all of it with them as you simultaneously cheer them towards their happy ending. There’s something so powerful about how the novel showcases our human struggles and also shows real world experiences that are foremost a result of harmful stereotypes/narratives regarding our LGBT+ community. This book is such an important read, especially with the news and this administration being so harmful towards the community. While the romance is beautiful, I think the journey towards self acceptance and love that each character goes through is the real masterpiece of this novel. This book is a reminder that harmful words cause more damage than people give credit for, and that only kindness can heal us all.
Samantha Saldivar never fails to impress and amaze readers with how she authentically incorporates real life within the romance. Abby and Kate were faced with so much hardship and pain, and Saldivar has you feeling all of it with them as you simultaneously cheer them towards their happy ending. There’s something so powerful about how the novel showcases our human struggles and also shows real world experiences that are foremost a result of harmful stereotypes/narratives regarding our LGBT+ community. This book is such an important read, especially with the news and this administration being so harmful towards the community. While the romance is beautiful, I think the journey towards self acceptance and love that each character goes through is the real masterpiece of this novel. This book is a reminder that harmful words cause more damage than people give credit for, and that only kindness can heal us all.
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!
Did Not Finish
April 16, 2026The theme and general atmosphere of the book is heavy and being 30% in with no catharsis in sight, I'm going to have to drop this for now. I am currently in a pretty bad depressive episode and this isn't what I want to read at the moment. I'll definitely be coming back to it though, because I really like Abby and I want to see where her story goes. Thank you Netgalley and Dell for the arc!
July 2, 2026
perfect. no notes. more soon.
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.
May 22, 2026
Edited to Add: This was my favorite book I read in 2025 and I'm so happy it's finally out so I can recommend it to people.
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.
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.
May 21, 2026
holyyyyyyy fuckinggggggg shittttttttt guys!!!!!!!!!!!!! what. a. book.
okay so i loved the authors debut a lot but this one just blows it out of the water. i had no clue what i was getting into when i picked it up, i expected smth like play you for it, which did veer more contemporary than most romcoms but this went above and beyond that.
this book takes place over a really long time (7 or more years, i lost track a little bit) and saldivar’s masterful writing makes it feel so immersive and much longer than 372 pages. in the best way. because of that amount of time and the brilliancy of her writing, the characters change and grow and regress sooooo much while still having 1) really strong central personal battles they are fighting throughout the book (which when distilled seem very simple and almost cliched: homophobic christian parents and alcoholic parents but in actuality are so complicated and take so many different shapes and are just brilliantly done) and 2) feeling like the same characters who i never stopped rooting for, both personally and to get together.
the long length of time also meant that it didn’t have as clear of a “we need to win *insert game*” stakes as some sports games BUT unlike some sports romances (like, famously heated rivalry) this didn’t mean the sports played no role in the conflict and stakes. (sorry ab that silly double negative there, whoopsies). the book covers two years of them in college, which is a decent amount of it, and that does have the classic “we wanna win championships” but past that, abby’s journey is still so intertwined with what the game means to her and how she wants to have it in her life. also there’s just a lot of different variations of how softball is shown, from practices to games to a little league game to an alumni reunion game. so it’s very much present on page and does a lot of work to show you who the main characters are, which is brilliantly shown in one passage where kate contemplates what her goals in life are as she begins her first big case at her firm. so yeah, softball is not an excuse for flirty sexy sportsy moments in this book but the backbone of the characters and gives some good stakes, but also doesn’t overstay it’s welcome on page. just. a brilliant balance of it. (also it’s v well written and i learned a lot!!! i really love the sport and i’d never read an actual text book (i’ve read graphic novels ab softball) so it was cool to see stuff from a player’s pov).
okay onto the characters. i am just obsessed with any book that can make it’s female characters messy as fuck, make them make terrible choices, hurt each other and others, make them just screw up over and over again and still have you like them. i say female characters, because i personally believe that both authors and readers give male characters more slack, which is why mlm is a more popular genre then wlw, amongst other things. but anyways, i digress, this book is a masterclass in messiness that doesn’t feel forced but really allows its characters to grow and change and fuck up and that makes the book all the better for it. there’s such a push for cozy, stakeless books rn and while i occasionally enjoy those, books like this make me go BUT LOOK. IT CAN BE SO GOOD TO HAVE BAD SHIT HAPPEN. so yeah, that was awesome.
i loved every step of their relationship, the yearning, the love, the hurt, the pain. i especially love that they both had to fix things within themselves before they could truly be together. that really made the book for me.
this book also just has some brilliant lines, like clutching my chest HOLY FUCKING SHIT lines and some, i cant stop grinning lines.
amazing secondary characters, lovely friendships, really complicated family dynamics, just brilliant character and relationship work all around. funny and sweet and heart wrenching and a little sexy and devastating and satisfying and just really fucking brilliant.
so yeah, i’m very very very into this book and i am so immensely excited to see what saldivar does next because holy shit what would it look like for her to write an even better book??????? i have no clue, she’s already hit a home run with this one ;)
okay so i loved the authors debut a lot but this one just blows it out of the water. i had no clue what i was getting into when i picked it up, i expected smth like play you for it, which did veer more contemporary than most romcoms but this went above and beyond that.
this book takes place over a really long time (7 or more years, i lost track a little bit) and saldivar’s masterful writing makes it feel so immersive and much longer than 372 pages. in the best way. because of that amount of time and the brilliancy of her writing, the characters change and grow and regress sooooo much while still having 1) really strong central personal battles they are fighting throughout the book (which when distilled seem very simple and almost cliched: homophobic christian parents and alcoholic parents but in actuality are so complicated and take so many different shapes and are just brilliantly done) and 2) feeling like the same characters who i never stopped rooting for, both personally and to get together.
the long length of time also meant that it didn’t have as clear of a “we need to win *insert game*” stakes as some sports games BUT unlike some sports romances (like, famously heated rivalry) this didn’t mean the sports played no role in the conflict and stakes. (sorry ab that silly double negative there, whoopsies). the book covers two years of them in college, which is a decent amount of it, and that does have the classic “we wanna win championships” but past that, abby’s journey is still so intertwined with what the game means to her and how she wants to have it in her life. also there’s just a lot of different variations of how softball is shown, from practices to games to a little league game to an alumni reunion game. so it’s very much present on page and does a lot of work to show you who the main characters are, which is brilliantly shown in one passage where kate contemplates what her goals in life are as she begins her first big case at her firm. so yeah, softball is not an excuse for flirty sexy sportsy moments in this book but the backbone of the characters and gives some good stakes, but also doesn’t overstay it’s welcome on page. just. a brilliant balance of it. (also it’s v well written and i learned a lot!!! i really love the sport and i’d never read an actual text book (i’ve read graphic novels ab softball) so it was cool to see stuff from a player’s pov).
okay onto the characters. i am just obsessed with any book that can make it’s female characters messy as fuck, make them make terrible choices, hurt each other and others, make them just screw up over and over again and still have you like them. i say female characters, because i personally believe that both authors and readers give male characters more slack, which is why mlm is a more popular genre then wlw, amongst other things. but anyways, i digress, this book is a masterclass in messiness that doesn’t feel forced but really allows its characters to grow and change and fuck up and that makes the book all the better for it. there’s such a push for cozy, stakeless books rn and while i occasionally enjoy those, books like this make me go BUT LOOK. IT CAN BE SO GOOD TO HAVE BAD SHIT HAPPEN. so yeah, that was awesome.
i loved every step of their relationship, the yearning, the love, the hurt, the pain. i especially love that they both had to fix things within themselves before they could truly be together. that really made the book for me.
this book also just has some brilliant lines, like clutching my chest HOLY FUCKING SHIT lines and some, i cant stop grinning lines.
amazing secondary characters, lovely friendships, really complicated family dynamics, just brilliant character and relationship work all around. funny and sweet and heart wrenching and a little sexy and devastating and satisfying and just really fucking brilliant.
so yeah, i’m very very very into this book and i am so immensely excited to see what saldivar does next because holy shit what would it look like for her to write an even better book??????? i have no clue, she’s already hit a home run with this one ;)
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 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!
Read
June 24, 2026Thank you to PRH Audio for a free copy of this audiobook.
Wow, what a rollercoaster! This book made me feel so many things. I loved the yearning, the storytelling, the found family, the tension, and the softball scenes. Simply put, I loved everything about this book.
These characters go through so much. While technically a second chance romance, you could also call this a third, fourth, or even a fifth chance romance. The timeline in this book spans about a decade, allowing both characters plenty of time to hit their fair share of highs and lows before coming out the other side. I loved both character’s growth, their change, and, most importantly, their healing.
I enjoyed the narration. I’m forever a huge fan of Natalie Naudus, and, knowing a little of her backstory, I thought she was the perfect person to voice these characters.
As a heads up, there’s some heavier topics explored. They include grief, su1cidal ideation, substance abuse, religious trauma/homophobia, and grappling with your faith and sexuality. As a lesbian with religious trauma, I particularly liked the way the latter was touched on.
Overall, I highly recommend you check this one out!
Wow, what a rollercoaster! This book made me feel so many things. I loved the yearning, the storytelling, the found family, the tension, and the softball scenes. Simply put, I loved everything about this book.
These characters go through so much. While technically a second chance romance, you could also call this a third, fourth, or even a fifth chance romance. The timeline in this book spans about a decade, allowing both characters plenty of time to hit their fair share of highs and lows before coming out the other side. I loved both character’s growth, their change, and, most importantly, their healing.
I enjoyed the narration. I’m forever a huge fan of Natalie Naudus, and, knowing a little of her backstory, I thought she was the perfect person to voice these characters.
As a heads up, there’s some heavier topics explored. They include grief, su1cidal ideation, substance abuse, religious trauma/homophobia, and grappling with your faith and sexuality. As a lesbian with religious trauma, I particularly liked the way the latter was touched on.
Overall, I highly recommend you check this one out!
May 25, 2026
The word I keep coming back to with this book is "remarkable." Ridiculously ambitious, dense with Feelings and Ideas and beautiful prose. I'm an annoyingly picky romance reader and this left me in tatters. Cannot recommend it in strong enough terms.
(the joke version of this review: i never been "writing quasi platonic homoerotic love letters to your bestie about softball and philosophy and the nature of god" level horny goddamn)
(the joke version of this review: i never been "writing quasi platonic homoerotic love letters to your bestie about softball and philosophy and the nature of god" level horny goddamn)
May 19, 2026
An emotional, second chance, Sapphic sports romance that explores women's baseball, coming out, family trauma, addiction, sobriety and so much more. While I found this a touch long, it was great on audio narrated by my fav, Natalie Naudus and captured my heart from start to finish. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
June 23, 2026
There are so few books I read where, when I finish, I’m already looking forward to the inevitable re-read. I loved these characters- even the supporting ones. This book has so much heart.
I just wish we got to see Abby and Kate happy together for longer than we did (this is a slooow burn). They spend so much of the book fighting their own battles and working their way back to each other, I wish we could have existed in that ending for a bit longer.
I just wish we got to see Abby and Kate happy together for longer than we did (this is a slooow burn). They spend so much of the book fighting their own battles and working their way back to each other, I wish we could have existed in that ending for a bit longer.
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.
June 24, 2026
saldivar has outdone herself. incredible book! i loved the characters sm. both abby and kate go through some tough stuff and their issues are treated with so much care and nuance. took me a bit to get into it but it was well worth the read
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher for this eARC! I’ll admit, a character with a heavy religious belief is typically one that is hard for me to get on with but the conflict of it in this is handled so well. And as a huge romantic baseball person, the game of this is so incredible. The use of turning two between our main characters at short stop and second base is GREAT. I really enjoyed this one.
May 7, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC.
I have never read a softball romance before and didn’t realize I needed that in my life. I loved the found family throughout the story as our characters grew up and stayed close to the softball members. Our two female main characters, Abby and Kate, both had their own trials and tribulations to go through in the story, and Samantha really brought them both to life with their personality traits, imperfections, and everything in between.
I think I loved Abby‘s character the most. Her character growth in the story really shined, and she is someone that I would love to have on my side. I liked Kate’s story with coming into her career (we love a female that pushes for her dream career even when men tell her it’s not important), however, I struggled with the religion aspect of the conflict. I felt that it was well written for the most part, but it’s hard for me to comprehend how long it took her to get out of that religious psychosis mindset. I understand that when you’re raised in that sort of lifestyle, it’s a lot to unlearn, but at the same time, I wanted to shake her and tell her that she needs to figure it out already. The religion aspect felt like it was just there to create conflict when nothing else would, especially in the first half of the book, whereas Abby struggles seemed more real and fit her character naturally.
All of the side characters I absolutely loved, and the writing was *chef’s kiss*. I would describe this novel more as a literary fiction than a romance, but it is heavy on the pining. Not a complaint, though, I love me some lit fic. If you’re looking to read a book with two people who are undeniably soulmates, then you found the perfect novel to pick up.
I have never read a softball romance before and didn’t realize I needed that in my life. I loved the found family throughout the story as our characters grew up and stayed close to the softball members. Our two female main characters, Abby and Kate, both had their own trials and tribulations to go through in the story, and Samantha really brought them both to life with their personality traits, imperfections, and everything in between.
I think I loved Abby‘s character the most. Her character growth in the story really shined, and she is someone that I would love to have on my side. I liked Kate’s story with coming into her career (we love a female that pushes for her dream career even when men tell her it’s not important), however, I struggled with the religion aspect of the conflict. I felt that it was well written for the most part, but it’s hard for me to comprehend how long it took her to get out of that religious psychosis mindset. I understand that when you’re raised in that sort of lifestyle, it’s a lot to unlearn, but at the same time, I wanted to shake her and tell her that she needs to figure it out already. The religion aspect felt like it was just there to create conflict when nothing else would, especially in the first half of the book, whereas Abby struggles seemed more real and fit her character naturally.
All of the side characters I absolutely loved, and the writing was *chef’s kiss*. I would describe this novel more as a literary fiction than a romance, but it is heavy on the pining. Not a complaint, though, I love me some lit fic. If you’re looking to read a book with two people who are undeniably soulmates, then you found the perfect novel to pick up.
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.
May 20, 2026
5 ⭐️
🌶️ - low spice, minimal explicit scenes with less descriptive details
3rd person, dual POV
Wow. My heart was completely destroyed by this book. It’s a bloody pile of mush. I probably could have cried through the entirety, but I mostly held them back until the last 20% when the tears flowed freely 😭
Kate and Abby each had such profound journeys to go on and as much as it pained them (and me!), they needed to go on those journeys alone before they could finally, truly come back to one another.
Abby’s struggles with grief, depression, substance abuse/addiction, and self-loathing were heartbreaking. And so satisfying when she came out the other side.
Kate’s identity was so tied up in the way she was raised that I rejoiced when she took any step away from the bigotry and shame of being a queer person. I found this book handled the religious guilt and confusion extremely well by showing harsh realities without vilifying it. Kate eventually became who she was meant to be and embraced it.
I was so proud of both of them 😭 I felt like a mama bear by the end, just waiting for these characters to be in the right place at the right time in the right head space.
And then the friend group! What a group of ladies. Samantha took me on another emotional journey with this book that I may never recover from, but loved all the same.
Thanks to NetGalley, Dell Romance, & Ballantine Books for the advance copy 💝 Happy release day!
🌶️ - low spice, minimal explicit scenes with less descriptive details
3rd person, dual POV
Wow. My heart was completely destroyed by this book. It’s a bloody pile of mush. I probably could have cried through the entirety, but I mostly held them back until the last 20% when the tears flowed freely 😭
Kate and Abby each had such profound journeys to go on and as much as it pained them (and me!), they needed to go on those journeys alone before they could finally, truly come back to one another.
Abby’s struggles with grief, depression, substance abuse/addiction, and self-loathing were heartbreaking. And so satisfying when she came out the other side.
Kate’s identity was so tied up in the way she was raised that I rejoiced when she took any step away from the bigotry and shame of being a queer person. I found this book handled the religious guilt and confusion extremely well by showing harsh realities without vilifying it. Kate eventually became who she was meant to be and embraced it.
I was so proud of both of them 😭 I felt like a mama bear by the end, just waiting for these characters to be in the right place at the right time in the right head space.
And then the friend group! What a group of ladies. Samantha took me on another emotional journey with this book that I may never recover from, but loved all the same.
Thanks to NetGalley, Dell Romance, & Ballantine Books for the advance copy 💝 Happy release day!
May 27, 2026
Let me just preface this by saying, I grew up Catholic, I was six the first time I felt anything towards a woman and immediately mentally told myself to stop because I wasn’t gay, I’m from Puerto Rico and I have mild daddy issues, so I felt like this book was written just for me.
I really appreciated having the story from Kate’s POV and from Abby’s POV. There are books and stories in which you’re just left to wonder what the other main character felt or thought, but this story definitely needed that dual POV. Most of all I loved that they were just flawed young adults who come from different backgrounds just trying to make it through life as they know it.
This story deals with a lot of sensitive subjects like: queer sexual awakening, religious trauma, addiction, loss of a parent, mommy and daddy issues, homophobia, misogyny, among others. Be careful with reading if any of those may trigger you.
I don’t want to talk much more because I feel like it’s one of those book that you have to experience for yourself. If any part of my self description at the top fits you, do yourself the favor of reading this wonderful book.
Thank you to Samantha Saldivar, Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.
I really appreciated having the story from Kate’s POV and from Abby’s POV. There are books and stories in which you’re just left to wonder what the other main character felt or thought, but this story definitely needed that dual POV. Most of all I loved that they were just flawed young adults who come from different backgrounds just trying to make it through life as they know it.
This story deals with a lot of sensitive subjects like: queer sexual awakening, religious trauma, addiction, loss of a parent, mommy and daddy issues, homophobia, misogyny, among others. Be careful with reading if any of those may trigger you.
I don’t want to talk much more because I feel like it’s one of those book that you have to experience for yourself. If any part of my self description at the top fits you, do yourself the favor of reading this wonderful book.
Thank you to Samantha Saldivar, Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2026
This is most definitely not a comfort read & I loved it. It is a gut punch, a slow burn, and absolutely one of the best sapphic romances I have read. Kate Hutchins and Abby Cruz are the most perfectly imperfect MCs with so much depth, complexity, and imperfection that I was hooked from the first chapter. I devoured this story with so many emotional highs and lows.
Abby and Kate meet in junior year of college. Abby is grieving her mother's death and while highly talented, is equally reckless and battling addiction. Meanwhile Kate is trying to pave her own path, while battling against a strict religious upbringing and homophobic parents. These are messy, flawed characters who make bad decisions, hurt each other and themselves over the course of a decade. The romance in this story is not elaborate or grand; rather it is slow, tedious, and unwavering. As the characters manage several challenging seasons of life, they ultimately need to process their our past trauma before they can find their way back to each other. I felt a little wrecked after reading, but wow was it worth it!
Lastly, a huge shout out to the found family and cast of side characters. They were absolutely hysterical, well developed, and added a necessary layer to the story telling. The softball gals were incredible and I loved seeing them all evolve alongside our MCs.
Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Abby and Kate meet in junior year of college. Abby is grieving her mother's death and while highly talented, is equally reckless and battling addiction. Meanwhile Kate is trying to pave her own path, while battling against a strict religious upbringing and homophobic parents. These are messy, flawed characters who make bad decisions, hurt each other and themselves over the course of a decade. The romance in this story is not elaborate or grand; rather it is slow, tedious, and unwavering. As the characters manage several challenging seasons of life, they ultimately need to process their our past trauma before they can find their way back to each other. I felt a little wrecked after reading, but wow was it worth it!
Lastly, a huge shout out to the found family and cast of side characters. They were absolutely hysterical, well developed, and added a necessary layer to the story telling. The softball gals were incredible and I loved seeing them all evolve alongside our MCs.
Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2026
This author just became an autobuy after having loved Play Your For It last year and now Running Home to You.
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.
I obviously love a sports romance and I don’t think I’ve read a softball one before so kudos to the author for choosing a unique sport. Loved the LGBTQIA+ representation but what I loved most of all was how REAL this story felt. It covered some very heavy and serious topics such as religion, homophobia, coming out, grief, loss of parent, and many many more. But while heavy, it was also very inspirational and even had its funny moments.
I have no doubt this will be on my favs of the year list. Please check all of the triggers but if you’re safe to read this i highly recommend that you do!
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.
I obviously love a sports romance and I don’t think I’ve read a softball one before so kudos to the author for choosing a unique sport. Loved the LGBTQIA+ representation but what I loved most of all was how REAL this story felt. It covered some very heavy and serious topics such as religion, homophobia, coming out, grief, loss of parent, and many many more. But while heavy, it was also very inspirational and even had its funny moments.
I have no doubt this will be on my favs of the year list. Please check all of the triggers but if you’re safe to read this i highly recommend that you do!
June 17, 2026
This story was deep and emotional and so beautiful. I absolutely adore the way Saldivar writes her characters, especially the side characters. They are all so complex and unique while still being relatable. I picked this book on a whim and I am so glad I did.
Thank you Ballantine and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review
Thank you Ballantine and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review
May 12, 2026
OKAYYYY this book fully engulfed me. We are talking like, I had to stay up until 3am because I could not bear to put it down, and I read it in two sittings - but there is so much depth and the pacing was perfect. I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately and this brought me back to life.
I found myself relating to both Kate and Abby in different ways. Both experience some real and tough situations, but Samantha Saldivar wrote everything so masterfully. Running Home to You felt genuine, real, and tender.
Saldivar was a new author to me, and I will definitely be eagerly awaiting new releases and checking out what's already published, because WOW. I was fully engulfed in this world, and I don't even know that much about softball. I genuinely cried a couple times because ALL of these characters became so incredibly real and meaningful to me.
I don't want to spoil anything, but if you've ever struggled with grief, or queer identity and faith, this one hits close to home. Highly recommend - this is my favorite read of the year!
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC!
I found myself relating to both Kate and Abby in different ways. Both experience some real and tough situations, but Samantha Saldivar wrote everything so masterfully. Running Home to You felt genuine, real, and tender.
Saldivar was a new author to me, and I will definitely be eagerly awaiting new releases and checking out what's already published, because WOW. I was fully engulfed in this world, and I don't even know that much about softball. I genuinely cried a couple times because ALL of these characters became so incredibly real and meaningful to me.
I don't want to spoil anything, but if you've ever struggled with grief, or queer identity and faith, this one hits close to home. Highly recommend - this is my favorite read of the year!
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC!
May 21, 2026
I have been waiting so long for this book to come out and it absolutely blew me away!! I went in only knowing it was about softball and had no idea the characters that I would meet. I am sitting here an hour later still thinking about them💟
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