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The Last Out
I don't care how hard it is. I'm keeping my promise.
Kyle Chambers, of the expansion baseball team the San Antonio RoadRunners, is nearing the end of a moderately distinguished pitching career. He is hoping for two or three more years out of his aging arm when a locker room altercation with a homophobic rookie results in an injured shoulder. Intensive physical therapy gets him back to the big leagues, but his performance is only mediocre.
"Sometimes out is the only way up."
Duncan Poole has been solving problems for others through statistical calculations in his head since childhood. After a stellar college career in mathematics, he enters the infant field of sabermetrics helping major league baseball teams by analyzing performance statistics.
After meeting, Duncan agrees to help Kyle and the pair discover there is more than baseball between the rising statistician and the aging pitcher. Romance blossoms, but Duncan rebels against the idea of years in the closet. A deal is struck. He will guide Kyle's comeback season and pursue the romantic relationship if Kyle promises to come out before the season ends.
Kyle Chambers, of the expansion baseball team the San Antonio RoadRunners, is nearing the end of a moderately distinguished pitching career. He is hoping for two or three more years out of his aging arm when a locker room altercation with a homophobic rookie results in an injured shoulder. Intensive physical therapy gets him back to the big leagues, but his performance is only mediocre.
"Sometimes out is the only way up."
Duncan Poole has been solving problems for others through statistical calculations in his head since childhood. After a stellar college career in mathematics, he enters the infant field of sabermetrics helping major league baseball teams by analyzing performance statistics.
After meeting, Duncan agrees to help Kyle and the pair discover there is more than baseball between the rising statistician and the aging pitcher. Romance blossoms, but Duncan rebels against the idea of years in the closet. A deal is struck. He will guide Kyle's comeback season and pursue the romantic relationship if Kyle promises to come out before the season ends.
167 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2017
8 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 15, 2017
3 stars – The only thing I remembered about the blurb for The Last Out when I sat down to read the story was that one of the characters is a professional baseball player, so when the second character was introduced (at 19%), I was really excited to find out he is a numbers geek. It was a smooth, quick, and enjoyable read for half the novella, and then things started to unravel…
As is the case with almost every professional-athlete M/M romance I’ve read, Kyle Chambers keeps his homosexuality a secret from the public, keeping his occasional sexual encounters discreet. After suffering a preseason injury to his pitching arm caused by an altercation with a homophobic rookie, thoughts of retirement weigh heavily on him. He isn’t ready to hang up the cleats, so he pushes for a comeback, but after a lengthy recovery, his performance is not as good as it was until he meets one of the team’s data-crunching front-office geeks, Duncan Poole. Duncan is fascinated by statistics, so when he learns of Kyle’s intention to return after the injury, it’s a new puzzle for Duncan to solve. His analysis of the numbers leads him to have suggestions for helping the struggling pitcher, though it takes some extra work on his part to those suggestions to Kyle. After the two meet for the first time—conveniently enough, at a gay bar—it isn’t long before sparks fly between them and they start a clandestine relationship. But Duncan doesn’t want a long-term relationship if it’s closeted, so they come to an agreement: Duncan will continue to crunch the numbers to keep Kyle’s comeback season on top and Kyle will come out before the season ends.
I loved the relationship that bloomed between these two guys at the start, but when it became clear that the plot was going to become a me-or-the-closet conflict, I got worried. It turns out that worry was for good reason, because not long after the deal was made, Duncan switched from being the geek I was rooting for to the sort of character I hate to read in these tropes: nearly every scene that followed had Duncan hinting at or outright asking about when Kyle would come out. While it really doesn’t matter to me that Kyle is a professional athlete—he could have been a trash collector and my opinion on this would stay the same—coming out is a very personal conflict every LGBTQ person must handle at their own pace. Duncan did not come across as supportive so much as pushy, and because that behavior went on so long, I lost my love for him by the time things got to their happy ending. This situation bothers me any time I see an author use a pushy character try to do more than just encourage another out of the closet. It really bothers me when the author is, I presume, a gay man.
It’s a shame because the writing and writing style were good, the setting and storyline were good—as a big baseball fan, I loved the fact that there was a lot of baseball talk here—and with the exception of a few small things—for example, Kyle's altercation with the rookie at the start of the book and a threatening phone call he received later in the book both turned out to serve no further purpose in the story—The Last Out really could have been one of the best novellas I’ve read. Instead, it won’t be something I ever read again.
Despite being a book blogger, I purchased my copy of The Last Out because I thought I would enjoy it. This was my fair and honest review.
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As is the case with almost every professional-athlete M/M romance I’ve read, Kyle Chambers keeps his homosexuality a secret from the public, keeping his occasional sexual encounters discreet. After suffering a preseason injury to his pitching arm caused by an altercation with a homophobic rookie, thoughts of retirement weigh heavily on him. He isn’t ready to hang up the cleats, so he pushes for a comeback, but after a lengthy recovery, his performance is not as good as it was until he meets one of the team’s data-crunching front-office geeks, Duncan Poole. Duncan is fascinated by statistics, so when he learns of Kyle’s intention to return after the injury, it’s a new puzzle for Duncan to solve. His analysis of the numbers leads him to have suggestions for helping the struggling pitcher, though it takes some extra work on his part to those suggestions to Kyle. After the two meet for the first time—conveniently enough, at a gay bar—it isn’t long before sparks fly between them and they start a clandestine relationship. But Duncan doesn’t want a long-term relationship if it’s closeted, so they come to an agreement: Duncan will continue to crunch the numbers to keep Kyle’s comeback season on top and Kyle will come out before the season ends.
I loved the relationship that bloomed between these two guys at the start, but when it became clear that the plot was going to become a me-or-the-closet conflict, I got worried. It turns out that worry was for good reason, because not long after the deal was made, Duncan switched from being the geek I was rooting for to the sort of character I hate to read in these tropes: nearly every scene that followed had Duncan hinting at or outright asking about when Kyle would come out. While it really doesn’t matter to me that Kyle is a professional athlete—he could have been a trash collector and my opinion on this would stay the same—coming out is a very personal conflict every LGBTQ person must handle at their own pace. Duncan did not come across as supportive so much as pushy, and because that behavior went on so long, I lost my love for him by the time things got to their happy ending. This situation bothers me any time I see an author use a pushy character try to do more than just encourage another out of the closet. It really bothers me when the author is, I presume, a gay man.
It’s a shame because the writing and writing style were good, the setting and storyline were good—as a big baseball fan, I loved the fact that there was a lot of baseball talk here—and with the exception of a few small things—for example, Kyle's altercation with the rookie at the start of the book and a threatening phone call he received later in the book both turned out to serve no further purpose in the story—The Last Out really could have been one of the best novellas I’ve read. Instead, it won’t be something I ever read again.
Despite being a book blogger, I purchased my copy of The Last Out because I thought I would enjoy it. This was my fair and honest review.
Follow Me: Reviews by Tammy & Kim | Facebook | Twitter
January 14, 2017
If, like me, you love baseball and M/M romance books, invest some time in The Last Out. Declan Rhodes has hit a grand slam with this book. I may be a little biased, as I love baseball, and Rhodes has previously written books on players coming to terms with being gay, but with The Last Out he has written his best baseball novel to date. Duncan is a math whiz who is hired by the San Antonio RoadRunners (in Rhodes' universe MLB has placed an expansion team in San Antonio) as part of their sabermetrics team. Kyle is a starting pitcher who is in the closet. A homophobic remark by a rookie second baseman sends Kyle's fist into the rookie's jaw, which throws Kyle's shoulder completely out of whack. When he comes back to the RoadRunners after being on the disabled list and a rehab assignment, Kyle begins experimenting with sidearm pitching. This improves his game, but it's Duncan who notices that a few tweaks to Kyle's sidearm pitching will make him a phenomenal starter. Breaking protocol, Duncan approaches Kyle directly, bypassing the pitching staff, to let Kyle know what improvements he should make to his new sidearm delivery. Kyle is instantly smitten with Duncan, and the feeling is mutual, but there's a snag. Duncan is out, Kyle isn't, and Duncan wants Kyle to come out while he's still playing, not wait until retirement.
Rhodes' character and plot development are spot on with this book, and you truly feel the needs and growth of both Kyle and Duncan as the story progresses. My only complaint about this book is that I wish it had been longer. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but then again, baseball and sex always work for me. 5 stars, and well worth the purchase.
Rhodes' character and plot development are spot on with this book, and you truly feel the needs and growth of both Kyle and Duncan as the story progresses. My only complaint about this book is that I wish it had been longer. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but then again, baseball and sex always work for me. 5 stars, and well worth the purchase.
January 11, 2017
The Last Out is the story of an aging and injured pitcher, Kyle Chambers and Duncan Poole , an analyzing statistican who comes to Kyle's rescue . When they both realize there's more to them than only baseball and romance blossoms , will Kyle promise Duncan who's openly gay, to come out before the season ends ???? There's only one way to find out ... I love Declan Rhodes books and his emotional and heartfelt writing and while I 'm not so familiair with baseball as I am with football, this story learned me so much more .This is a real good and detailed baseball story with a great build up . Though there were some parts in this book that felt a little dragged out , some other parts were really fantastic . I truly loved this interesting and captivating story of really being true to yourself, it's very well written and it's voluntarily reviewd as an advanced reader copy .
January 13, 2017
I loved this book, I just want to crawl inside Kyle and be him for a moment. I loved his personality, his affection and dedication for the game, and his love for his math wizard Duncan. Such an incredible coming out story! Can I get a book about Brent now? I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
January 11, 2017
This is the first book I've read by this author. It was a beautifully written story of finding love and being true to yourself. Duncan wants to be able to have a relationship out in the open and Kyle wants to keep it a secret. I loved seeing how their relationship did progress. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
*I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. This is my honest review.*
*I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. This is my honest review.*
January 12, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This was a great book. I loved the characters and the story about Kyle and Declan finding each other. I look forward to reading more from this author.
This was a great book. I loved the characters and the story about Kyle and Declan finding each other. I look forward to reading more from this author.
January 13, 2017
This is the second book of Declan Rhodes I have read and was very excited as it was a m/m romance in a sports theme.....my favourite romance theme! Ok, so to begin with, it's quite heavy in baseball and this detracts slightly from the story but Kyle and Duncan are certainly likeable characters.
I really like Declan's style of writing but am frustrated that he either seems to miss points he was intending to explore further, like the threatening phone call Duncan receives but no further is mentioned of it, or simply decides not to follow these up which are a bit disappointing as a reader. Declan's books are short and I think this is what detracts me as a firm fan because I always seem to want something more....they feel slightly rushed and all too brief.
That being said, Kyle and Duncan's story is a good one. It's a bit frustrating at times but that's more to do with the speed Declan is trying to get across his story! Kyle is an aging baseball star who injures his pitching arm, damaging his shoulder in a confrontation with a homophobic teammate. Oh, and of course he is in the closet. Duncan, a numbers man who uses his love of the sport to predict results, is a much younger and openly gay man who is proud of who he is.
This leads to some interesting conversations and moments between these two and both have to decide what they want from their relationship and whether it's worth the risks involved. Duncan seems quite aggressive in his confrontations with Kyle about his sexuality and frustration he is in such a public eye but is closeted. It does make him less likeable unlike Duncan but, I think again it is simply the fact the story is so short that this seems so intense.
Is this book worth the read....if you like m/m romances and sports, this certainly ticks all the boxes. You go on a mini roller coaster with them and in the short time we have with these characters they are interesting and their story is a good one! Give it a try!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book
I really like Declan's style of writing but am frustrated that he either seems to miss points he was intending to explore further, like the threatening phone call Duncan receives but no further is mentioned of it, or simply decides not to follow these up which are a bit disappointing as a reader. Declan's books are short and I think this is what detracts me as a firm fan because I always seem to want something more....they feel slightly rushed and all too brief.
That being said, Kyle and Duncan's story is a good one. It's a bit frustrating at times but that's more to do with the speed Declan is trying to get across his story! Kyle is an aging baseball star who injures his pitching arm, damaging his shoulder in a confrontation with a homophobic teammate. Oh, and of course he is in the closet. Duncan, a numbers man who uses his love of the sport to predict results, is a much younger and openly gay man who is proud of who he is.
This leads to some interesting conversations and moments between these two and both have to decide what they want from their relationship and whether it's worth the risks involved. Duncan seems quite aggressive in his confrontations with Kyle about his sexuality and frustration he is in such a public eye but is closeted. It does make him less likeable unlike Duncan but, I think again it is simply the fact the story is so short that this seems so intense.
Is this book worth the read....if you like m/m romances and sports, this certainly ticks all the boxes. You go on a mini roller coaster with them and in the short time we have with these characters they are interesting and their story is a good one! Give it a try!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book
January 10, 2017
I requested an ARC and volunteered to leave a review. This is a beautiful story of a baseball pitcher who is on his 15th year in the pros and closeted. He knows he wants to be able to be free and live his life with a man that he loves but does not want to come out until he retires. Kyle meets Duncan and all that waiting changes when he realizes he's met the man he wants his forever with. But does he come out?
Duncan is a numbers man. He fell in love with sports because his mind can calculate quickly what adjustments can be made to help a player improve. He worked for a New York baseball team until he wrote a book. He feels like his mathematical mind is a disease because it won't shut off. But I bet he's happy when it lands him a job with the RoadRunners where he meets the handsome Kyle Chambers. He sees immediately what adjustments Kyle needs to make to prolong his pitcher career and shares this with Kyle. They develop a friendship but Duncan is out and proud and refuses to be shut in for anyone regardless if he is falling for the handsome closeted pitcher.
The book is really good and truly worth reading.
Duncan is a numbers man. He fell in love with sports because his mind can calculate quickly what adjustments can be made to help a player improve. He worked for a New York baseball team until he wrote a book. He feels like his mathematical mind is a disease because it won't shut off. But I bet he's happy when it lands him a job with the RoadRunners where he meets the handsome Kyle Chambers. He sees immediately what adjustments Kyle needs to make to prolong his pitcher career and shares this with Kyle. They develop a friendship but Duncan is out and proud and refuses to be shut in for anyone regardless if he is falling for the handsome closeted pitcher.
The book is really good and truly worth reading.
January 11, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book!
When I first started I wanted to give up cus I'm not a baseball fan and there is a lot of baseball talk in this book, but I'm so glad I finished it. I absolutely loved it. It was my first LGBTQA novel and I wasn't disappointed. The relationship between the two men was beautifully written.
Kyle is a MBL star and he is close to retiring age, and Duncan is in the sabermetrics field who helps major league baseball teams by analyzing performance statistics.
Kyle has an altercation with a homophobic rookie which results in injuring his pitching shoulder?
Duncan meets Kyle to help him with his game and a romance starts, but Kyle is in the closet. Will he come out for Duncan? Will their relationship last?
Read the book, I didn't regret finishing it. I'd read more of Mr. Rhodes work, just have to get use to the sports talk lol.
When I first started I wanted to give up cus I'm not a baseball fan and there is a lot of baseball talk in this book, but I'm so glad I finished it. I absolutely loved it. It was my first LGBTQA novel and I wasn't disappointed. The relationship between the two men was beautifully written.
Kyle is a MBL star and he is close to retiring age, and Duncan is in the sabermetrics field who helps major league baseball teams by analyzing performance statistics.
Kyle has an altercation with a homophobic rookie which results in injuring his pitching shoulder?
Duncan meets Kyle to help him with his game and a romance starts, but Kyle is in the closet. Will he come out for Duncan? Will their relationship last?
Read the book, I didn't regret finishing it. I'd read more of Mr. Rhodes work, just have to get use to the sports talk lol.
January 11, 2017
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book.
Duncan is in love with statistics, baseball statistics to be exact. His love of stats came after wanting to help his sister with her sport. His ambition growing up was to be a statistician for a major league baseball team. He got his dream working in New York until he wrote an anonymous paper and his employer found out. He got a job offer from the San Antonio Roadrunners. Kyle is the star pitcher for the San Antonio Roadrunners, after a locker room incident his career is on the line due to injury. Duncan approaches Kyle about how he can continue playing with a change to how he pitches. What starts as help turns into a relationship, although Kyle wants to keep it a secret. They both make a promise to each other, Duncan to help Kyle with his pitching and Kyle for coming out. Do they honour their promises and get their HEA?
Duncan is in love with statistics, baseball statistics to be exact. His love of stats came after wanting to help his sister with her sport. His ambition growing up was to be a statistician for a major league baseball team. He got his dream working in New York until he wrote an anonymous paper and his employer found out. He got a job offer from the San Antonio Roadrunners. Kyle is the star pitcher for the San Antonio Roadrunners, after a locker room incident his career is on the line due to injury. Duncan approaches Kyle about how he can continue playing with a change to how he pitches. What starts as help turns into a relationship, although Kyle wants to keep it a secret. They both make a promise to each other, Duncan to help Kyle with his pitching and Kyle for coming out. Do they honour their promises and get their HEA?
January 11, 2017
There was a lot that I really liked about this book. I loved that Brent called Duncan out for being selfish while he was whining about being impatient that Kyle wasn't coming out as quickly as Duncan wanted. This scene really emphasized the fact that while coming out is always similar for everyone, no one's experience is exactly like anyone else's.
One thing that I thought was odd was that I didn't really think that either Kyle or Duncan were being particularly subtle about being in a relationship where they could be seen, and I had honestly expected that Kyle was going to be outed by some nosy media outlet before the end of the book. But I thought that Kyle's eventual coming out scene was absolutely awesome, and very fitting with Kyle's character.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
One thing that I thought was odd was that I didn't really think that either Kyle or Duncan were being particularly subtle about being in a relationship where they could be seen, and I had honestly expected that Kyle was going to be outed by some nosy media outlet before the end of the book. But I thought that Kyle's eventual coming out scene was absolutely awesome, and very fitting with Kyle's character.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
January 11, 2017
As Kyle faces the possibility that his days as a pitcher are numbered, he is sidelined with an injury early in the spring training season. He meets Duncan, who's great with statistics and is pushing for sabermetrics, a relatively new and as yet unknown concept of using performance statistics to analyze and improve a player's game. While things start heating up between them, Kyle also wants to keep their relationship a secret. He's heard and seen enough negativity to believe that he should keep some things to himself. Seeing how they come to terms with their feelings was emotional and well drawn out by author Declan Rhodes. Sweet and thought-provoking.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
February 2, 2017
The last one out is about an in the closet gay baseball player wanting to make the end of his career count. He injures his arm trying to teach a rookie a lesson, but he's determined not to give up.
Duncan is good with numbers he works with statistics. He sees the answer Kyles career needs and wants to help. Sparks fly, and both get more than they bargained for.
This book is mainly about the sport with a little romance. 4 stars out of 5. Worth the read just keep in mind it is based on his career.
Duncan is good with numbers he works with statistics. He sees the answer Kyles career needs and wants to help. Sparks fly, and both get more than they bargained for.
This book is mainly about the sport with a little romance. 4 stars out of 5. Worth the read just keep in mind it is based on his career.
January 11, 2017
What a terrific book! Kudos to Declan Rhodes for giving us such a delightful story with such love and tenderness-- while amping us all up with a kickass baseball story. Thanks so much for sharing it with us!
(I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and can't say enough about how great it is!) ❤
(I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and can't say enough about how great it is!) ❤
January 11, 2017
I recieved an ARC that I voluntarily reviewed. It was a short cute read. I felt like everything was a little rushed, their contection, the sex, everything that makes up a relationship was just there without any work. There was a lot of baseball talk that was a little hard to follow. Regardless it was still a pretty good read.
January 12, 2017
The theme is a bit overdone but still the characters were personable, the writing was well done, and the situations faced were a bit different than most sport M/M romance. I liked that the story tied into other books written by Mr. Rhodes that I enjoyed very much. I definitely recommend it!
**I voluntarily chose to review a copy of this book and I have not been compensated in any way**
**I voluntarily chose to review a copy of this book and I have not been compensated in any way**
August 22, 2017
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book. This book started out a bit slow, but you really got to know the characters. And, I really enjoyed the second half. I've read other books that claim to be sports romances, but the only "sports" related thing is that a main character is an athlete. Not the case here....This is definitely a baseball story. I really liked it.
January 11, 2017
I'm rather stingy with five-star ratings, but if any book deserves it, it's this one! Rhodes weaves a great tale of love and standing up in the face of public perception. The characters are well developed, the story pulled me in from the start and I couldn't put it down.
January 11, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Such a beautiful story about Kyle and Duncan finding love between an athlete and a geek. As always Declan Rhodes hits another one out of the park!
February 7, 2017
I loved this book. While I enjoyed reading about Kyle, Duncan was even more of a joy. Smart, great with numbers, and cute. Plus he is socially uncomfortable. Yet he gets this hot pitcher. These baseball based books have really made me like the game.
January 14, 2017
Awesome book I loved this and how they came to be.
January 15, 2017
Home run!
It's never a good idea to force someone to do something or give them an ultimatum. If the relationship is true, then the right decision will prevail in the end.
It's never a good idea to force someone to do something or give them an ultimatum. If the relationship is true, then the right decision will prevail in the end.
February 4, 2017
Kyle Chambers is in his fifteenth season as a baseball player and is his teams top pitcher. He is also gay but so far in the closet he can't be seen for coats. A crass homophobic comment from one of his team mates sees Kyle decking the guy with a hit to the chin but it results in a serious injury to his shoulder putting him out of the game for a couple of months. During his recovery he changes his throwing style and it is this that leads to his meeting Duncan. Duncan is out and proud to be so and his biggest wish is for Kyle to come out before he retires.
Will Duncan get his wish?
This is a good story as we have come to expect from Declan Rhodes and it does not disappoint. His characters are well balanced and you can feel their emotions all the way through.
I received an ARC and this is my voluntary review
Will Duncan get his wish?
This is a good story as we have come to expect from Declan Rhodes and it does not disappoint. His characters are well balanced and you can feel their emotions all the way through.
I received an ARC and this is my voluntary review
January 26, 2017
Another great read from Declan Rhodes. A definite grand slam. I was given an ARC which I proudly give a review. Storyline was strong and the characters were well developed and amazing. Kyle was a veteran baseball player who hurt his shoulder. After his rehabilitation he comes back even stronger. A man from the team's office, Duncan, who provides statistics has the innate ability to provide the statistics into probabilities. He wants to help Kyle by suggesting him to change his pitching style because of his hurt shoulder. But it does more than change Kyle's pitching, he changes Kyle's life. The two have an immediate attraction. Kyle has not outed himself to the team or in public. That poses a problem since Duncan is out and proud. Can Kyle's love for Duncan overcome his fear of ruining his career? A great story of love and coming out... Don't miss it❤️
May 25, 2017
Better Than Most Baseball Books
This one had several things going for it.
** The author knows baseball inside and out.
** Kyle, the pitcher, is a well developed, closely drawn human being with fears and hopes reflective of his age and occupation.
** Duncan, the geek and Kyle's eventual lover, is capably drawn and very well portrayed with fears and hopes reflective of his age and occupation.
** The romance is well handled and deliciously portrayed.
** The cover is perfect. Neither is gorgeous but each is beautiful to the other.
Nice book, will read more from the author.
This one had several things going for it.
** The author knows baseball inside and out.
** Kyle, the pitcher, is a well developed, closely drawn human being with fears and hopes reflective of his age and occupation.
** Duncan, the geek and Kyle's eventual lover, is capably drawn and very well portrayed with fears and hopes reflective of his age and occupation.
** The romance is well handled and deliciously portrayed.
** The cover is perfect. Neither is gorgeous but each is beautiful to the other.
Nice book, will read more from the author.
February 24, 2017
Kyle Chambers is a veteran baseball pitcher in the major leagues. He is also deeply closeted. When he sustains an injury to his pitching arm because of disagreement he knows he’s made an error. At the same time he thinks it might be time to start thinking about retirement. With the help of the team doctor and PT he manages to get back out there but his pitching arm just isn’t the same.
Duncan Poole has a head for numbers and loves baseball for its statistical data. When he gets fired for writing an article about how statistical data could be used to help better the game, he’s not sure what to do with himself. Unsurprisingly he gets contacted by a major league baseball team to come work for their management analyst team. When he catches sight of Kyle he can’t helped but to be intrigued by how his injury has affected his game. But being a guy low in the totem pole getting in contact with Kyle seems almost impossible. Duncan is tenacious though and always follows throw with getting what he wants.
It was an interesting read. I actually haven’t read many m/m fiction novels that have a baseball theme. The beginning really pulled me in and I liked that Kyle made a stand to shut the rookie up even if it wasn’t the smartest decision. He really won me over at that point.
One small issue I had with the story was that Duncan had received a threatening phone call that was never really brought up again. I felt if the author deemed it important enough to be something to bring up and incorporate into the story she/he should have followed up on it and explored that danger.
An ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
Duncan Poole has a head for numbers and loves baseball for its statistical data. When he gets fired for writing an article about how statistical data could be used to help better the game, he’s not sure what to do with himself. Unsurprisingly he gets contacted by a major league baseball team to come work for their management analyst team. When he catches sight of Kyle he can’t helped but to be intrigued by how his injury has affected his game. But being a guy low in the totem pole getting in contact with Kyle seems almost impossible. Duncan is tenacious though and always follows throw with getting what he wants.
It was an interesting read. I actually haven’t read many m/m fiction novels that have a baseball theme. The beginning really pulled me in and I liked that Kyle made a stand to shut the rookie up even if it wasn’t the smartest decision. He really won me over at that point.
One small issue I had with the story was that Duncan had received a threatening phone call that was never really brought up again. I felt if the author deemed it important enough to be something to bring up and incorporate into the story she/he should have followed up on it and explored that danger.
An ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
May 8, 2017
I'm voluntarily reviewing a free advance reader copy I received from the author.
So I really enjoyed the concept of this, and the book started out pretty strong. Kyle is a closeted baseball player plagued with an injury (from punching someone after homophobic comments), and Duncan is an out statistician who uses numbers to make the baseball players and team better. They had a great connection, and Duncan was very understanding about him being in the closet until he retired, which wasn't likely to be too far off. Unfortunately, Duncan started to get a little annoying as he started pressuring a bit for him to come out of the closet. I didn't like the change in character for Duncan, and I didn't like his come out or else type attitude. Luckily, the guys were able to work it all out and get their HEA.
So I really enjoyed the concept of this, and the book started out pretty strong. Kyle is a closeted baseball player plagued with an injury (from punching someone after homophobic comments), and Duncan is an out statistician who uses numbers to make the baseball players and team better. They had a great connection, and Duncan was very understanding about him being in the closet until he retired, which wasn't likely to be too far off. Unfortunately, Duncan started to get a little annoying as he started pressuring a bit for him to come out of the closet. I didn't like the change in character for Duncan, and I didn't like his come out or else type attitude. Luckily, the guys were able to work it all out and get their HEA.
February 28, 2017
I wanted to love it more
I loved the concept of this book. I didn't even mind the writing style. I did NOT like Duncan's ultimatum to Kyle. I let it go the first couple of time but I reach the point where it became too much.
I loved the concept of this book. I didn't even mind the writing style. I did NOT like Duncan's ultimatum to Kyle. I let it go the first couple of time but I reach the point where it became too much.
January 26, 2017
This is a interesting, intriguing and a heart-warming book to read, (and although I am not crazy about any kind of sport) I really enjoyed reading it. What you will find in this book is: a baseball player keeping a secret from the public (Kyle Chambers), a male front office geek (Duncan Poole), drama, intrigue, secrets, threatening phone-calls, a small amount of homophobia, confrontation, some aggression, frustration, lust, emotional feelings, love and erotic scenes. The story-line and plot is well thought out and written, the pace is steady and not rushed. The characters have needs and desires according to their personality. I would recommend this book to people who like to read M/M romance with a HEA.
April 14, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Kyle is still in the closet. He would like to go out but he thinks he will do it once he retires from his career as a baseball player.
Duncan is the number geek helping in the team. He knows how Kyle could benefit from his advice and he tried to tell him.
Another sweet gay romance by Declan Rhodes. He is really good with feelings, the happiness, the sadness, the loneliness, the rejection, love…
I loved how Duncan and Kyle need the mountain and the ocean respectively to think and relax. I can understand that feeling perfectly well.
For me, this book was a bit more difficult to read than the others because of the baseball vocabulary. In spite of that, I enjoyed it a lot.
Kyle is still in the closet. He would like to go out but he thinks he will do it once he retires from his career as a baseball player.
Duncan is the number geek helping in the team. He knows how Kyle could benefit from his advice and he tried to tell him.
Another sweet gay romance by Declan Rhodes. He is really good with feelings, the happiness, the sadness, the loneliness, the rejection, love…
I loved how Duncan and Kyle need the mountain and the ocean respectively to think and relax. I can understand that feeling perfectly well.
For me, this book was a bit more difficult to read than the others because of the baseball vocabulary. In spite of that, I enjoyed it a lot.
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