I’m the crazy fun one. Pedal to the floor, balls to the wall, party all weekend guy. The guy everybody calls for laughs and a good time. And I always deliver.
So, when Ainsley Winslow and I made a pact for a summer fling, I was all in. What hot-blooded college male doesn’t jump at the chance for a no strings attached relationship? Not this one.
Then summer drew to a close, and I found myself wanting time to move slower. Ainsley Winslow is a girl of her word. When fall inevitably came, she vanished.
She no longer answered my calls, my texts or my knocks on her door. After the silence continued, I questioned what I was doing and who had I become. I am Braxton Brentwood…this isn’t me. Time to move on and get the party started again. And I did.
Until our paths crossed again, and I remembered what we had. She wasn’t getting away a second time because our game just went into Extra Innings.
Michelle moved around the Midwest most of her life, transferring from school to school before settling down in the outskirts of Chicago ten years ago, where she now resides with her husband and two kids.
She loves all thing romance and cries at happy endings!
I just wasn't interested enough to continue. They seem to already have had their summer fling and this story starts when they are reunited in the fall. They already have developed their feelings, and I can never fully feel the connection between characters when we don't experience that development happening.
Brax and Ainsley’s story had me hooked from beginning to end! Extra Innings is the second book in the Infield Series by Michelle Lynn but can definitely be read as a stand-alone.
After a hot and sexy summer fling, Ainsley has left Brax high and dry, and now that their paths have crossed again he will do anything to find out why she broke everything off, even though they agreed to just the summer. Brax is relentless with his pursuit of Ainsley and I thought it was cute. He could have ANY girl on campus, but the one he had, and lost is the only one he wants. Ainsley on the other hand can’t seem to shake Brax even though she knows she should, when she finally gives in she is still holding back and I wanted to strangle her for it.
These two have chemistry that is off the charts, but both of them have secrets. Brax with the help of his friends opens up to Ainsley, but Ainsley still has her secrets. She tries to talk to Brax, but he shuts her down, which may have been a bad move on his end all things considered. As the reader you start to put things together and know this is going to end badly, but you just can’t stop reading and wanting these two together. They both have some big decisions to make in this book as well. Should Brax enter the draft now or wait and finish college first? Where should Ainsley apply to medical school, how should she handle raising her younger brother, etc.
These two really do balance one another out, and with the help of Ella and Crosby being the voice of reason for both of them, they really seem to get things together. I adored their story, and the epilogue was beautifully written and perfect for this story. Since I did read Rounding Third I loved seeing more of Crosby and Ella and seeing how they were doing as well, but I really enjoyed getting to see Brax and Ainsley and their crazy and chaotic love story play out. It was frustrating at times, but in the end it was perfect.
I recommend this book for lovers of sports romance, or anyone who loves an opposites attract type of new adult read. This is one you should definitely add to your TBR list today!
When we met Brax in Rounding Third, I fell in love with him! I was so happy he had a story coming. He's the fun one who doesn't have a care in the world, but as we get more into his story, we see that is not the case. He had a summer fling with Ainsley and she broke it off with no explanation or anything. Brax is one determined individual. Months later their paths cross and he is determined to have another chance with her.
What I loved about her is she was very focused on school and caring for her younger brother Cade, trying the do the best she can, but can she resist Brax and his advances? Brax has such a sweet side to him and that made me love him even more and rooting for him and Ains. Loved seeing Crosby and Ella too. I found myself laughing at times, loving the dynamic between all of them, especially during the not so happy moments.
Through it all, this book was a awesome read!! Love, laughter, sad times, second chances.. Even thought this can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading Rounding Third, where we met Brax in Cros and Ella's story..just because its an awesome read too :) Here's hoping we get stories for Cade, Ollie, and Saucedo :)
Talk about a hit out of the park! I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. Braxton, a hot baseball player who isn't looking for love, just someone to keep his bed warm. Ainsley is a strong, beautiful, independent woman who is raising her teenage brother. She doesn't have time for a relationship, but does agree to a Sumer fling with Brax. The chemistry between the two is HOT! Will their relationship go beyond summer? Will life lead them in different directions? This is is a great read and I definitely recommend it. This is the second book in a series, but can be read as a standalone.
Michelle Lynn's Extra Innings tells a truly moving story featuring two college students on two different paths who come together and forge a remarkably strong, heart-stopping connection over the course of a summer that burned hotly, fizzled out and then reignited when a second chance presented itself!
This sports romance about an up and coming baseball player and an aspiring medical school student hit me hard, fast and deep with the fury of a fast ball straight to the gut!!! Brax and Ainsley's odyssey inspired me to reach for the stars and deeply affected my viewpoint on working hard to achieve dreams, earning trust and opening oneself up to love in spite of life's hardships.
I LOVED Brax and Ainsley's focus as they strove to meet their goals, especially when Brax decided to fight for Ainsley in spite of her initial efforts to thwart his efforts to reconcile each and every step of the way. Michelle Lynn tells a powerful tale about discovering passion, finding love and experiencing heart-breaking loss!! This is also a story about stepping up to the plate when it comes to taking on responsibility and discovering a level of personal strength and individual resilience that left me breathless!
YES, I thoroughly enjoyed Extra Innings, and not just because of the blazing-hot, searing heat that Brax and Ainsley exude in their physical relationship (although I admit that this was a HUGE bonus that earned this book extra credit points)!
Extra Innings is one of those books that has all of the deep-seated, profound FEELS that will leave you smiling and content once you are done reading it!! You will root for both of these characters as they pave a path towards love at the same time that they work hard on the field and in the classroom.
If you want to read a lovely, feel-good sports romance that will warm your heart and make your soul do a little happy dance then Extra Innings is definitely one to keep on your radar!
So read it!
That is this Naughty Girl's final word.
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars! Michelle Lynn hit a major home run with this one!
Heat: 5/5 flames for Brax and Ainsley's bedroom contact plays!!!! *wink*
“I’ll prove my worth to you. No matter how long it takes.”
If you were to ask me what some my favorite books were—brave soul—I can guarantee you that one of Michelle Lynn’s books would be on that list.
But which one? I love her words, I love the way she makes me feel, I love that she can break me down and put me back together within the space of a couple of hundred pages. It could be my first from her, Collaboration, or one of the beautiful Love Surfaced books. Perhaps Rounding Third, the first book in the Infield series, or the wonderful Detoured by Love.
Or it could even be Extra Innings—the follow-up to Rounding Third, and the book to read if you want to fall head-over-swoony-heels for Braxton Brentwood.
Which, let's be clear, you do. You will. How can you not? He's caring, sexy, just the right amount of cocky, and pretty much the perfect book boyfriend. He's broken from his past—and yeah, if you've read book one (which isn’t necessary to enjoy this one), it still hurts to see this group of friends share their pain—but not irreparably.
At least, not once he encounters Ainsley. I loved the prologue, their meet-cute, her sass and his persistence. I loved, too, the way Ms. Lynn doesn't bog us down in the details. Sliding into the story, seeing Brax and Ainsley get their second chance, watching Brax make his decision to move forward and take Ains with him… all of it worked for me. Plus, both of these characters had a past that interfered with—but didn't overtake—their choices, which easily kept the tension alive, all while making it nearly impossible not to want to see them hit a home run together. (Baseball puns, FTW.)
While I do wish that there was a little something between the end and the epilogue—perhaps a symptom of me being greedy for Ms. Lynn’s words?—I closed this book feeling good. Happy. Light. Extra Innings may not be as punch-you-in-the-chest emotional as some of Ms. Lynn’s previous books, but what it is, is FUN, sexy and heartfelt. And actually, kind of adorable, especially when you factor in Ainsley’s family, and Brax’s friends—Crosby and Ella of course, Ollie and even Saucey.
Oh, and it’s also another new favorite to add to my list.
“You’re a lost cause.” “When it comes to you.” “Look at your sweet side coming out.”
Ainsley Winslow has had a ton of responsibility thrown on her after her underage brother only has her She works her behind off paying bills, feeding them, and trying to get the best grades in college she can, in order to get into the best medical school. That doesn't leave a whole lot of time for boys, especially boys who play baseball, as her heart was ripped out by one. So when she meets the hot, and talented, Braxton Brentwood, she decides to spend one hot summer with him, and they would go their separate ways. However, she didn't count on the quickly growing feelings on either of their part, nor the in it to win attitude of Braxton, when he decided she won't get away again, when he sees her again after her 7 month disappearing act. I LOVED LOVED LOVED every minute of this push and pull story that had me frustrated as all hell. I'm not saying that I didn't love Ainsley, but boy, there were times that I wanted to shake her. And Braxton, he was hiding all kinds of dark and twisty emotions to come off like he was the party boy. He redeemed himself when he wouldn't take no from Ainsley, and tore her walls down brick by brick, however, he's a man so he made some stupid decisions. Together they steamed up my kindle with their HOT sexy scene goodness. Plus, the well placed humor of the colorful secondaries had me rolling more than once. Michelle Lynn is one of my favorites with her talented writing style, and she never fails to pull me into her world completely. Her original, and realistic characters, especially these two, make me forget that they are a story, because they feel like my friends. Add in an f-bomb dropping worthy twist out of left field, and it's the perfect story to me. With all of that being said, I will end with HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDING this great story to all!
Michelle Lynn is one of my go to authors but add in hot baseball guy, hello hook me up.
We met Brax in Rounding Third and learned the back story but I still feel you could read Extra Innings without being totally lost. Brax is struggling between signing up for the draft now or finishing his last year of school first. His heart tells him life it too short and this is his dream, his dad is telling him to finish school first so he has something to fall back on.
Brax has always been a bit of a ladies man. It does kind of come with the athlete groove he has going on. Never settling in to relationship. Some would say it is his way of keeping people at arms length. When Ainsley steps in his path he just might be in for trouble.
Ainsley is focused and wants into med school but she already has life slowing her down so she needs to stay focused. No time in her schedule for boyfriends and especially not baseball players. Been there done that, had the heartache to prove it. But after some fun summer times with Brax while most students are off at home she finds her damn heart might already be a little invested.
Can she keep Brax at arms length and stay focused? Will Brax convince her they can do both be together and focus on school & baseball? Will Brax get past his issues and be willing to let himself find his "one".
This has been a fun and emotional series so far. Not sure what is coming next but can't wait to find out.
*** Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ***
From what I gather this is the second book of the series but can be read as a standalone which is the way I've read it as it's my first book by this particular author, I do love a good sports romance normally it's hockey for me so with the hero being a baseball player this was a nice change.
I really enjoyed this it had a great storyline with great characters based around true friendships and that once in a lifetime connection that you have with that certain someone, there were many laugh out loud moments it was hot and sexy but also very sweet and there was of course baseball. This was a beautifully written story of how your stereotypical party loving jock and a responsible young woman who keeps herself guarded after being hurt in the past end up crossing paths. I loved this book there were points I was reading it with a big goofy smile on my face and towards the end I actually felt like clapping and cheering well in my head I was anyway.
If you're after a feel good sports romance then I totally recommend this you won't be disappointed.
A bit of a disappointment -- too much like so many others with nothing new to offer. I do like a good sports-related romance though. Lynn writes well and her characters are perfectly constructed, so no complaints in that category.
Brax is the life of the party—loud, fun, and the guy everyone calls when they want a good time. A summer fling with Ainsley was supposed to be exactly that: short, hot, and no strings attached. But somewhere between laughter and late nights, Brax found himself wanting more.
When Ainsley sticks to their agreement and walks away without a backward glance, Brax’s world tilts. He tries to go back to his old ways, but nothing feels the same. Fast-forward to their unexpected reunion, and Brax isn’t about to let her slip away again.
This book had so much charm—Brax’s humor and larger-than-life personality balanced perfectly with the softer, heartfelt moments. Ainsley brought depth and vulnerability to the story, and their chemistry was magnetic from start to finish. I loved the “second-chance summer romance” vibe mixed with the playful sports backdrop.
If you like flirty banter, swoon-worthy baseball boys, and love stories that give you a big, happy sigh at the end, Extra Innings is a home run.
I haven't read a Michelle Lynn title in quite some time. The cover and blurb for Extra Innings is what drew me in. Because I love me a hot cover and a sports romance too. However, it was Ainsley that kept me reading.
I adored her. She is so loyal and fiercely protective. Of her family. Her work. But a summer fling with the school's star ballplayer, Brax, left her more shook up than she card to admit. Oh that Brax! This athlete was complex, deep and oh so sexy. He is dedicated to his team, his family, his sport and his friends. Neither one expected the feelings that developed during their sexy summer of fun but now it's back to school and back to work. Ainsley just wants to move forward, but Brax won't let her.
I liked his relentless pursuit of Ainsley. And seeing a softer side of her, too. With each other they just were. It was refreshing seeing them be twenty two, and not have the weight of the world resting on every choice they made. But when the future comes calling and everything is put out in the open, it was Brax who was left reeling.
There were times I found it a bit hard to connect with the story but overall, I enjoyed it. While it's toted as a sports romance it isn't really. Yes, there is some focus on the baseball but most of it is about Ainsley and Brax and the baseball has very little to do with it. It's more focused on all the life that has happened to Brax and Ainsley and how it effected their approach to the everyday. And I can't leave out the rest of the cast of characters in Extra Innings. Brax's teammates and Ainsley's brother gave it some lightness. But that ending was so fun and sweet that it left me with a big smile on my face.
I first met Brax and Ainsley in Rounding Third and now they have their own book which I think they stole home from Crosby and Ella. It was a well paced book with enough backstory not to keep you confused but not so much that you are bored. Brax is the go-to guy, the life of the party. Ainsley is the responsible one, the person who her younger brother relies on. But when the two are together, it seems like the rest of the world fades away for them. They were perfect together. It was a fun read and I enjoyed every bit of it.
LOVED THIS BOOK! Fun and flirty and an easy read. Man, Brax is hot! Loved the flirty banter and his lines. Braxton Brentwood, ladies and gentleman. I just loved this series so it was fun to be around the Ridgepoint boys again. Curious to see if Ollie will get his own story at some point.
This author sure knows how to write a heart wrenching break up scene.
i’m pretty upset we didn’t have the summer that they were a fling and “fell in love” because during the after and then falling in love after the summer they barely know anything about each other and it felt all rushed since we didn’t have the background of it all. i was more invested on cade and olivia or crosby and ella.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Nope. Just nope. Brax is an obsessive ass who doesn't understand the word "no." Ainsley is a doormat who is perfectly willing to forgive slut shaming and stalking. Ella is nosey to the point of being obnoxious. Seriously. The bullsh*t that she pulled at the end should've been a clue for Ainsley to run like hell.
I wish this book had about 200 more pages. I would have liked to have read about their fling, their mutual heart breaks from one another, and then their senior year. I also would have appreciated more background on Ainsley and Mike. I must say, though, I was absolutely obsessed with both of these characters and read this book in less than 3 hours.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The last half of this book was a struggle to get through. Probably should have DNFed it, but that's not quite my style (sometimes to my detriment). Some elements of the story were annoying like the dad pulling Brax aside to discuss the draft vs. finishing school when Brax brings Ainsley home to meet the parents.
I'm in love with the series! As with the first book I could not get enough of this one. Brax and Ainsley were so stinking cute. I absolutely enjoyed their story. I hope we get to read Ollie's story next. You can bet ill be one clicking it.
I can truly say that this author captures my soul each time I read her stories. Brad & Ainsley are the perfect go getter couple who remind you of what true love and dedication is.
I enjoyed Brax and Ainsleys story, I thought they were adorable together! But I felt like I was missing some pieces at the end, what happened with Cade, Olivia, and Delaney? What about Saucedo and Jen?
I was skeptical that this one could live up to Crosby’s story. I really wanted to love Brax but like most girls with book boyfriend crushes, I was scared.
Okay, okay, but seriously.... it was incredible. I loved this. The plots and characters were on point. There were twists you won’t see coming which it my favorite way for books to go. When you can’t figure out what’s going to happen before it does, those are the good stories! Read this!!