Double Play

by Ranee S. Clark

Sophie Pope is devastated when she hears the news: her former boyfriend, college football star Anthony "Rocket" Rogers, is engaged to be married. Determined to win him back before he says I do, Sophie hatches a foolproof plan to stop the wedding. But when Rocket's best man, aspiring baseball player David Savage, thwarts her plot, she realizes the game is up. For David, though, it s just beginning . . .

David knows that Sophie is just another pretty face, and he's more than happy to save his best friend from her shallow advances. She's not his type at all, so he's baffled by his response to an awkward encounter with Donovan, another of Sophie's former flames. Despite himself, David feels driven by an inexplicable need to protect her. Pretending to be Sophie's new fiancé leads to unexpected sparks between the pair, and soon they're searching for excuses to spend time together. But when a curveball threatens to send them in opposite directions, will Sophie and David step up to the plate for the possibility of true love?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Sports, Lds, Lds Fiction, Clean Romance, Fake Dating

208 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2016

About the author

During her early years of reading, Ranee` S. Clark devoured fantasy books, which continued into her adulthood—since she often believes that a well-written romance novel is a delightful fantasy. Though raising three boys can sometimes hamper both romance with her own Mr. Charming and her writing, she tries to get a little of both in every day. And most of the time she succeeds.

Reviews

[Ranee Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah, I'm the author, so clearly I have a leeetle bit of a bias when it comes to this book. Still, I love it, of course. David was such a fun character to write in PLAYING FOR KEEPS and I enjoyed coming up with some more adventures for him in DOUBLE PLAY. I hope you love it too!

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time relating to the main characters in this book. Sophie is initially portrayed as a shallow, manipulative, and selfish fashionista. Her agenda to steal the groom was a turn off, but her interactions with David started bringing out her more relaxed side. I enjoyed the book more as the focus shifted to the two of them, and the banter and chemistry they shared. A big theme of the book was modesty and Sophie's ideal that a woman should be able to dress however she feels represents her and not be responsible for any inappropriate thoughts that it inspires in men who view her. She finds herself changing and wearing longer shorts and skirts around David because he respects her for her personality instead of solely for her looks, then feels conflicted that she might be doing it for him instead of herself. I appreciated her roommate's personal account that when she dressed immodestly, it influenced how she felt and acted, in a more edgy and worldly way, making choices that she ultimately came to regret. It was interesting to read about a Mormon "mean girl" and her journey of growing up a bit, even though I felt like she is a person I would avoid in real life.

(Thank you to Covenant Communications for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this one. Not only were the characters realistic, but the messages about modesty, and judging others was so, so good! As expected David is a lovable character and while I was concerned about the Sophie being the female MC, I shouldn't have been. She goes through such a character change it was impossible not to love her by the end... And also, I wish I had her fashion sense! Well done, can't wait to read the next book in this series!

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover. It's bright and bold and eye catching.

I didn't realize when I signed up for this book that it has characters from Playing for Keeps. It had been a while since I had read the book and the character names didn't sound familiar. It took a very short time to be reminded of the first story. This book can be read as a stand alone, but I think it would be helpful to know the back story.

Ranee Clark has a fun and witty writing style. It was a pleasure to read the words she penned. The characters have some depth behind them. I always enjoy when the people I am reading about seem that they could be real.

Sophie is a character that was hard to find sympathy for. In the beginning of the book she comes across as shallow and overbearing. It took a while to begin to appreciate and like her character. David is the best friend of a man that Sophie had set her sights for. He is the friend that was overlooked, but you know that is an amazing catch. I really liked him from the beginning of the book.

Ranee Clark is an author that I will look forward to reading in the future.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book. I love the first book in this series, Playing for Keeps, and I love Ranee Clark's writing style.

Sophie makes quite an impression in the first book. I wasn't her biggest fan and I was a bit nervous and a bit curious to see how the author would spin this book so I would love Sophie. Getting in Sophie's head surely helped that process along. Sophie grew on me throughout the book as I felt I understood her better.

David though? He is the hero star of the show. Even though he makes a couple mistakes, he is so kind to Sophie. He really is the sure thing against Sophie's up and down. I loved David. Oh, and I love that he has a heart for baseball. I love baseball!

It was also good to see the characters of the previous book making their way through wedding preparations. It was nice to have them included in this book. Old friends and all that.

I read through this book so quickly. It was easy to settle in with and I loved reading it.

This is an LDS fiction book with religious elements. Clean!

[Sharon]

By Sharon Landis on January 14, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
I don't do spoiler reviews so you can read on without fear!!

Double Play is a great read! I love the characters Ranee Clark has created. This is a sequel to Playing for Keeps and is filled with the same fun and playfulness as we have come to love with these characters. Sophie Pope is a girl with her own style and personality. She works for her mom in a wedding planning business and prides herself on her ability to pick the perfect wedding dress. She has a natural talent for style and fashion.

David Savage is a football wide receiver who knows nothing of women's fashion. He is everyone's best friend and his heart is as big as they come. He is a true gentleman and treats all the women in his life with respect and patience.

When Sophie feels it is her duty to derail the wedding of Davids best friend, David feels it is his duty to derail Sophie. The roller coaster ride they find themselves on is fun to watch and as with any relationship it has it ups and downs. You will love this novel by Ranee Clark she is one of my favorite authors and an auto-buy for me!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much disliked Sophie in the first book in this series Playing for Keeps. I had little interest in reading a book all about her but so enjoyed the first book that I was willing to give it a try. The first part of this book was a struggle because Sophie is so unlikable but somehow Ranee managed to make me like Sophie by the end of this book. Start with Playing for Keeps then follow up with this one.

Content: Clean

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. I liked watching Sophie change from a vain, shallow person to a strong, confident woman! Both David and Sophie have to change and grow, and both of them became better people! It was fun watching them figure out themselves, each other, and their relationship!

Content: Clean
Source: Borrowed copy

[Tressa (Wishful Endings)]

Enjoyable read. Review to come.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book that follows some of the side characters introduced in her book Playing for Keeps. The main character was a little hard for me to relate to and not as likable, but she definitely grows throughout the book. The BYU and Provo settings play a big part of the book, which is fun if you've lived there.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Needed a fun romance & this hit the spot. Read it in a night and might have stayed up late (shocker! haha) Cute college romance that had fun characters and I liked how involved the guys were in the story. David was my favorite! 4.5*

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, this book is a companion to Playing for Keeps. Unless you want things spoiled, do not read this book without reading that book first.

Beautiful Sophie is good at what she does. She's good at fashion, organizing, and pulling off beautiful weddings, as a wedding planner, but she's also shallow. For her, it's all about looking good, and good she always looks. I was very fascinated by all of the clothing coordination. Does Ms. Clark have a hidden talent for fashion? In an effort to win back her ex-boyfriend, who is now engaged, Sophie offers to plan his wedding for cheap. Things backfire for her in a humorous and almost pitiful way, but she's not one to be knocked down for long. Handsome David, the groom's best friend, steps in the thwart her attempts and to rescue her.

From the start, I didn't really like Sophie, but as the story progressed, she grew on me and my heart was softened towards her. I was humbly reminded through these pages that more often than not, people are the way they are for a reason. A lot of times, walls are built and prickles emerge for protection. David is a very genial kind of guy, one who's heart is in the right place, but his actions don't always convey that message. I couldn't help but absolutely adore him though!

This couple has been friends for years and their interactions don't start out romantic at all. Much to their surprise, feelings start to develop without them realizing it. The humor, flirty romance, and growth is very endearing and sweet. Their romance isn't easy, since both characters are flawed and they have some hurdles to tackle and huge decisions to make, some of which will shatter their fragile relationship. I love a story with some depth to it and felt this book fulfilled that desire. The characters are realistic and developed in a way that I couldn't help but want to be friends with them in real life! I can't wait to read what the author comes up with next.

Content: mild religious content; mild romance (kissing). Clean!

*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*

[The Flipped Page (Susan K) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Clean romance, Christian, LDS
Cute story of friends becoming attracted to each other. Sophie and David's friendship, stemming from Sophie's attraction and pursuit of Anthony Rocket Rogers, is put to a screeching halt when she realizes she is attracted to David. As they try to understand their growing attraction, and learn to work around the things that matter most to them, their sweet and fun interactions make for a fun read. Sophie's fierce independence after a manipulative relationship, and David trying to figure out how to accept and work with Sophie's not quite towing the traditional LDS accepted line made for a fun story. While this is a side story from R. S. C's other novel, it is stand-alone, and can be read by itself. Ms. Clark discusses some of the nuances in the various strands with some heavy issues in the traditional LDS setting, and some women's issues in this novel, and it is interesting to see the sides she presents. I think something of everything, with some good self-reflection, and some catharsis from both of the main characters.
This was a cute, fun story, more of a 3.5, but I loved the honesty of the characters, and their self discovery and reflection over the course of the novel, so willing to go up on the stars for that. This was definitely a novel about discovery, discovery of a romance between two friends, self-discovery, and discovery of how to compromise in a great way.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sequel to Playing for Keeps. I didn't like Sophie in Playing for Keeps so I wasn't sure how I would like reading a book that focused on her. My opinion on her didn't change at first since her main goal was to break up Anthony and Ty. They are engaged so Sophie finds a way to become more involved with them. They see through her so are able to thwart her, which created some funny scenes.

David is Anthony's best friend so he starts to play interference. As he gets to know Sophie better, he sees her in a different light, and starts looking forward to spending time with her. It's not all smooth sailing as there are obstacles for them to overcome.

I must admit, as I got to know Sophie better, she grew on me, too. It always helps to understand where someone is coming from when they are difficult to like. David was more flawed in this book, too, but he was still likable from the beginning and it helped to see Sophie through his eyes.

I personally think you'll get more out of this book if you read Playing for Keeps first. There's quite a bit of background and history between the characters that will help this book make more sense. It's a clean, fun read that kept me turning pages to see if Sophie would get her happy ending!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher to review. My opinion is 100% my own.

Mel's Shelves

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clark has written another cute, clean romance with fun characters and an interesting plot. I'll admit I wasn't sure the fashion and sports angles would come together very well, but they ended up working pretty well. It was fun to read about Anthony and Ty again (Playing for Keeps) and David was a favorite character from the first book as well so I enjoyed reading more about him. Sophie I wasn't thrilled with at the beginning as she plots to try to break up Anthony and Ty, but as she and David get more interested in each other I liked her better. I think what I enjoyed the most about this book though was how real the characters seemed. Each character had his/her own strengths and weaknesses and it showed in the relationships. Both Sophie and David have their own flaws that complicate the relationship. It was also great to see how Sophie and David helped each other improve in terms of who they were and their actions and beliefs. Sophie learns that how she dresses has a huge impact on how she feels and David learns that dating a girl to change her isn't the best way to go. A sweet clean read for those who enjoy realistic stories with a dash of sports and fashion.

[Sblprl1 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did it again, I accidentally picked up one of those horrible "Mormon Romance" novels at the library. Seriously, they need to put in large print the website for the publisher instead of very fine print on the back.

Since I didn't have anything else with me to read while out of town, I forced my way through it. Neither of the happy couple are very nice people and so it is difficult to try and cheer them on. Why is it there is not a single non Mormon person in the entire story? The one character that almost made a break for it is turned into a bad person.

And what is it with tank tops? You would think that they are one step short of pasties. Instead of being appropriate hot summer day attire.

Well, I guess this experience reminds me that I need to look closer at who published the book when checking out the new releases at my local, small town in Utah library.

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fabulous book by Ranee. Sophie was a hard sell for me. As I continued reading though, I started to appreciate Sophie's character and once a certain part happened, I knew I could give her a chance. David surprised me, as perfect as I thought he was in PLAYING FOR KEEPS, I found he was just as flawed as Sophie. I enjoyed each character's realizations and growth. This book is charming, fun and the romantic tension between the two was very well written.
I received a paperback copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.7 stars
I liked the concept of this book but it was so modest about everything and it kind of drove me nuts. I like modest books and un-modest books but this one was too much. And plus the characters drove me a little crazy, Sophie was a brat towards everyone for most of the book. David was too missionary modest and wanting to change Sophie. Ty was a pushover and Anthony well he seemed more of a background character. Not the greatest book

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Double Play is an easy read with a cute story. Sophie Pope is the main character, who is really upset that her on-again/off-again boyfriend has proposed to the wrong girl. She decides to win him back any way she can. Sophie is an enigma. On the one hand, she is a "force to be reckoned with," a "mean girl," and a ruthless contender. On the other hand, she is vulnerable, unsure of herself, and trying to become a kinder, wiser, more loving person. I couldn't tell if Ranee Clark was purposefully making Sophie so wishy-washy, back-and-forth or if she kept forgetting how she wanted her character to be. It kind of correlated with her noun-verb agreements, which often didn't match, and her use of past, present, and future verbs, making the story hard to follow. My favorite character is David, the best friend who must spar against Sophie and eventually realizes that there is more to this girl than a pretty face and immodest clothing. All in all, a fun read.

[D.L. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh gosh, I hated the 'heroine' in this book. She was impossibly vapid, spoiled, and conceited. Her life revolved around clothes, clothes, and did I mention, clothes. She was a mean girl in high school too and IMO she never really evolved from that. Other than being attracted to her physical 'perfection', I have no idea what the 'hero' actually saw in her. Worse, it seems she went to college solely to get her MRS. degree. Ugh. Such a mess. Plus, it was pretty darn boring. I doubt I'll read another one of this author's books.

[Cherilyn (Cherwhatyouread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed that both David and Sophie had a change of heart about their perspectives on things. They both really had to grow. I liked that they were friends but not necessarily best friends and how they really discovered so much more about each other but still we’re always comfortable together.

Favorite Quote:
She believed him when he’d said she was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. His eyes said it. His melty, dark brown eyes said that she, without a lick of makeup and resembling a zombie, was beautiful. He might have seen right into her soul. He thought she had a beautiful soul.

[Denice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series, so we see characters from the previous book. We see that Sophie is self-centered but has a very good eye for fashion. I loved as the story progressed that Sophie was able to see so much character growth and not be such a mean girl. David is a really great guy and is able to show Sophie that she is more than just clothes and how she dresses. I liked the sweet chemistry, fun storyline. I loved this sweet clean story.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, clean read

I love sports and it's fun to read a book about those playing sports dating and getting married. I also liked you saw both peoples point of view, not just the girls or guys.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had started this a while ago and never got far in it. I started out really disliking the main character. But I picked it up again and flew through it. She grew as a person and I really enjoy the book!

[Amanda Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this once several years ago… before reading the first one. I had really liked it. After picking it up again to read, I wasn’t as impressed. It took some effort to get into it this time around. Overall, still a good book.

[Miriam Mackay · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing sequel to the first book. I enjoyed seeing David Savage's relationship with Sophie Pope grow and evolve. There wasn't as much energy or conflict as I was hoping, and so it dipped in entertainment value for me a little bit.

[Cherri · Rating 3 out of 5]

David gets Rocket's left behinds. Falls in love with Sophie, and tries to keep her from undermining Rocket's marriage

[Ranee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drawn to this author since we share the same name spelling :) Kind of a cute story but quirky characters vacillating in their opinions, but also learning some things along the way.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

True friendship really can lead to a "love ever after" for David and Sophie. Great read!

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute follow up to Playing for Keeps. Fun, clean chick-lit to destress with after a long week. Characters started out pretty unlikable, but they grew on you.