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Cooking Up a Curveball
332 pages, Paperback
Published June 19, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 24, 2026
Layla is a sports nutritionist for the Raptors baseball team. All the players are pleased with the work she’s been doing with them and they’ve all seen an improvement in their game. Except one. Max.
Max is new to the team having been transferred from the team he’d been with for years and as an older player he’s wondering how long he has left as a professional player. Max has the diet of a teenager, all fast food and grease and is refusing to eat anything suggested by Layla.
Whilst on an away game they both use a dating app to have much needed a hook up in a darkened room with a blindfold , she had no idea it was Max, he didn’t realise it was Layla until he recognised her pomegranate scent, but he didn’t stop and tell her, he was already struggling with his attraction to her, that he thought this one time would be fine.
Layla makes a remark about her old team and an incident that resulted in her leaving. Max wants to dig more to find out who was responsible for hurting her, he has his suspicions confirmed by Layla and wants to do something about it but she asks him not to; however when they play the team her attacker plays for, Max decides to teach him a lesson and hits a ball into his crotch, turns out he’s a player that doesn’t wear a cup! Max then finds him pinning Layla up against the wall which he stops and becomes Layla’s protector.
Later the same man turns up outside Layla’s hotel room causing a scene that brings all the players from their rooms. The Coach throws the man out and Layla finally tells him and Max what exactly happened.
Although the rest of the team don’t know all the details, the next day the team takes their revenge and he ends up injured.
After Layla discovers her flat was broken into and was punched by the thief, Max takes her back to his flat and despite the no fraternising clause in their contracts, the inevitable happens as the chemistry is so intense between them.
Their relationship develops until they both make a decision that affects their careers, thankfully the team management see how positive they both are for the team and reconsider their contracts. For the better.
Max comes clean to Layla and tells her about their actual first night, but she surprises him by saying she already knew.
I am voluntarily leaving this honest review after receiving an advanced copy.
Max is new to the team having been transferred from the team he’d been with for years and as an older player he’s wondering how long he has left as a professional player. Max has the diet of a teenager, all fast food and grease and is refusing to eat anything suggested by Layla.
Whilst on an away game they both use a dating app to have much needed a hook up in a darkened room with a blindfold , she had no idea it was Max, he didn’t realise it was Layla until he recognised her pomegranate scent, but he didn’t stop and tell her, he was already struggling with his attraction to her, that he thought this one time would be fine.
Layla makes a remark about her old team and an incident that resulted in her leaving. Max wants to dig more to find out who was responsible for hurting her, he has his suspicions confirmed by Layla and wants to do something about it but she asks him not to; however when they play the team her attacker plays for, Max decides to teach him a lesson and hits a ball into his crotch, turns out he’s a player that doesn’t wear a cup! Max then finds him pinning Layla up against the wall which he stops and becomes Layla’s protector.
Later the same man turns up outside Layla’s hotel room causing a scene that brings all the players from their rooms. The Coach throws the man out and Layla finally tells him and Max what exactly happened.
Although the rest of the team don’t know all the details, the next day the team takes their revenge and he ends up injured.
After Layla discovers her flat was broken into and was punched by the thief, Max takes her back to his flat and despite the no fraternising clause in their contracts, the inevitable happens as the chemistry is so intense between them.
Their relationship develops until they both make a decision that affects their careers, thankfully the team management see how positive they both are for the team and reconsider their contracts. For the better.
Max comes clean to Layla and tells her about their actual first night, but she surprises him by saying she already knew.
I am voluntarily leaving this honest review after receiving an advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Layla took the new job as nutritionist for the Raptors baseball team following a difficult time at the Atlanta baseball team. HR had ignored all her complaints.
Max was a grumpy baseball player who resisted all Layla’s attempts to change his diet when she saw his fridge her comment was funny “Oh are we living in a frat house”.
On an away trip they both use a dating app and have a hook up in a darkened room and a blindfold , she had no idea it was Max but he recognised her pomegranate scent.
A chance remark makes Max research her past and discovers the cause of her fears.
When they play the team of her past tormentor plays, after saving her from the aggressor, Max when playing the game takes aim and ball to the cup-less crotch takes the man down. Later the man turns up outside Layla’s hotel room causing a scene that brings all the players from their rooms. Coach throws the man out and Layla finally tells him and Max what exactly happened.
The next day the team take their revenge and he ends up accidentally injured.
Max and Layla try to keep apart as she could lose her job but when her apartment is broken into and wrecked he demands she moves in to his guest room.
Their relationship grows until they both make a decision that effects their careers but the owners and coaches have a different idea and a resolution of the problem works in their favour and at last Max reveals his secret that he knew who she was in their first night together.
This is a great story of how different people judge and believe women’s concerns
Max was a grumpy baseball player who resisted all Layla’s attempts to change his diet when she saw his fridge her comment was funny “Oh are we living in a frat house”.
On an away trip they both use a dating app and have a hook up in a darkened room and a blindfold , she had no idea it was Max but he recognised her pomegranate scent.
A chance remark makes Max research her past and discovers the cause of her fears.
When they play the team of her past tormentor plays, after saving her from the aggressor, Max when playing the game takes aim and ball to the cup-less crotch takes the man down. Later the man turns up outside Layla’s hotel room causing a scene that brings all the players from their rooms. Coach throws the man out and Layla finally tells him and Max what exactly happened.
The next day the team take their revenge and he ends up accidentally injured.
Max and Layla try to keep apart as she could lose her job but when her apartment is broken into and wrecked he demands she moves in to his guest room.
Their relationship grows until they both make a decision that effects their careers but the owners and coaches have a different idea and a resolution of the problem works in their favour and at last Max reveals his secret that he knew who she was in their first night together.
This is a great story of how different people judge and believe women’s concerns
July 2, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
The nicknames in this book almost took me out! I loved every second of this read and the yearning and angst was well done. I love to watch a man that is so against relationships fall… and fall hard. Layla also was so strong and set in her personality, I loved that about her.
Max has been traded from his favorite team and from the place he calls home. Living in a strange city, trying to acclimate to his new surroundings is harder than he expected. He is just waiting for his time to be up, unwilling to change. That is, until his coach forces him to change his diet and do whatever Layla tells him to do.
Layla has the fresh start she was looking for. She is ready to build something amazing with this team. She will not let the pretty boy ruin her job and get her fired. She is willing to do whatever she needs to do to be successful and move on from her dark past.
✨ What to Expect ✨
💼 Workplace Romance
⚾️ Professional Baseball MMC
🥦 Dietician FMC
🚫 Forbidden Romance
🌤️ Grumpy x Sunshine
💪🏻 Protective MMC
😍 He Falls First
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
The nicknames in this book almost took me out! I loved every second of this read and the yearning and angst was well done. I love to watch a man that is so against relationships fall… and fall hard. Layla also was so strong and set in her personality, I loved that about her.
Max has been traded from his favorite team and from the place he calls home. Living in a strange city, trying to acclimate to his new surroundings is harder than he expected. He is just waiting for his time to be up, unwilling to change. That is, until his coach forces him to change his diet and do whatever Layla tells him to do.
Layla has the fresh start she was looking for. She is ready to build something amazing with this team. She will not let the pretty boy ruin her job and get her fired. She is willing to do whatever she needs to do to be successful and move on from her dark past.
✨ What to Expect ✨
💼 Workplace Romance
⚾️ Professional Baseball MMC
🥦 Dietician FMC
🚫 Forbidden Romance
🌤️ Grumpy x Sunshine
💪🏻 Protective MMC
😍 He Falls First
Review of advance copy received from Author
Cooking Up a Curveball is the third book in the Mile High series but the first of the series that I have read. I will definitely be going back and reading the others.
Layla and Max’s (Peaches and Sunshine) story is complicated while being very sweet. The chemistry between these two is intense and you cheer for them from page one. Jennifer J. Williams really is able to develop her characters in a short amount of time. Just enough to give you the information that you need without holes that leave you with major questions. I also like that the characters are older than most main characters in current novels. Not old. Just at an age where they have experience and a past. Good or bad. I can’t wait to read the next in the series.
I am voluntarily leaving this honest review after receiving and advanced copy.
Layla and Max’s (Peaches and Sunshine) story is complicated while being very sweet. The chemistry between these two is intense and you cheer for them from page one. Jennifer J. Williams really is able to develop her characters in a short amount of time. Just enough to give you the information that you need without holes that leave you with major questions. I also like that the characters are older than most main characters in current novels. Not old. Just at an age where they have experience and a past. Good or bad. I can’t wait to read the next in the series.
I am voluntarily leaving this honest review after receiving and advanced copy.
June 28, 2026
This one was such a fun read—I ended it with a big smile.
Cooking Up a Curve Ball pairs a pro baseball fielder with a no-nonsense nutritionist FMC, and their dynamic just works. The banter is quick, a little snarky, and kept me hooked from the start. There’s definitely chemistry, but it’s balanced nicely with humor and some genuinely sweet moments.
What I liked most was the character growth. Both leads felt real, a little messy in the best way, and easy to root for. Watching their relationship develop felt natural instead of rushed, which made the payoff even better.
Overall, it’s light, entertaining, and full of personality. If you like sports romance with a bit of sass and heart, this one’s worth picking up.
I’ll definitely be checking out more from Jennifer Williams.
Cooking Up a Curve Ball pairs a pro baseball fielder with a no-nonsense nutritionist FMC, and their dynamic just works. The banter is quick, a little snarky, and kept me hooked from the start. There’s definitely chemistry, but it’s balanced nicely with humor and some genuinely sweet moments.
What I liked most was the character growth. Both leads felt real, a little messy in the best way, and easy to root for. Watching their relationship develop felt natural instead of rushed, which made the payoff even better.
Overall, it’s light, entertaining, and full of personality. If you like sports romance with a bit of sass and heart, this one’s worth picking up.
I’ll definitely be checking out more from Jennifer Williams.
July 27, 2026
ARC Review.
I really enjoyed this book, read it one sitting and I couldn’t put it down.
The relationship between Layla and Max was developed beautifully and the banter between them was top tier and enjoyable. I loved how Max was very protective of Layla without invading her space or overstepping. He just knew how and when was appropriate.
The chemistry between the characters was beautiful displayed in the writing it wasn’t forced, which can be easily felt. The development of both characters as individuals can be seen as the story progresses.
I really enjoyed this book, read it one sitting and I couldn’t put it down.
The relationship between Layla and Max was developed beautifully and the banter between them was top tier and enjoyable. I loved how Max was very protective of Layla without invading her space or overstepping. He just knew how and when was appropriate.
The chemistry between the characters was beautiful displayed in the writing it wasn’t forced, which can be easily felt. The development of both characters as individuals can be seen as the story progresses.
June 29, 2026
A fun, sexy story with an underlying SA plot line that is handled really well and does not define who Layla is.
This is an enemy to lovers - Max a grumpy baseball player traded to a team he doesn't love and Layla the team's nutritionist. They have their differences over how his eating habits should go which makes for entertaining banter. Great found family as well. Great read all around.
This is an enemy to lovers - Max a grumpy baseball player traded to a team he doesn't love and Layla the team's nutritionist. They have their differences over how his eating habits should go which makes for entertaining banter. Great found family as well. Great read all around.
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