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The Whitakers #3
Tuck
“You have to ask yourself, Tucker. Is it time to stop playing around?”
Everything has always come pretty easy for baseball’s Tucker “Tuck” Whitaker. A talented pitcher, he has it all: MVP career, big house in California, gorgeous girlfriend, party-a-minute. He has been living the good life, and why would he want that to change?
Meanwhile, Caroline Laurence has been struggling a bit. She has a job she doesn’t really like, she lives with her parents, and most importantly of all, she has a baby to raise by herself. She doesn’t have the time or inclination to mess around with a playboy ballplayer.
Circumstances bring them together. But are they so different that eventually they will strike out?
Everything has always come pretty easy for baseball’s Tucker “Tuck” Whitaker. A talented pitcher, he has it all: MVP career, big house in California, gorgeous girlfriend, party-a-minute. He has been living the good life, and why would he want that to change?
Meanwhile, Caroline Laurence has been struggling a bit. She has a job she doesn’t really like, she lives with her parents, and most importantly of all, she has a baby to raise by herself. She doesn’t have the time or inclination to mess around with a playboy ballplayer.
Circumstances bring them together. But are they so different that eventually they will strike out?
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2018
114 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
August 7, 2022
I’ll have to agree with some of the reviews I’ve seen for this book, I was disappointed with the male character in this one. Tuck took in the baby straightaway and I don’t think he was a bad father but his interactions with Caroline were not enough to build the relationship with her, she honestly deserved better 🥺
Still enjoyed the book, the slowburn and the writing style were brilliant. Sadly I didn’t enjoy them as a couple. 🫣
Still enjoyed the book, the slowburn and the writing style were brilliant. Sadly I didn’t enjoy them as a couple. 🫣
April 10, 2019
DNF 70%
If you are looking for a stupid heroine and a lukewarm father look no further.
Heroine is stupid. She is looking after her best friend’s baby/ hero’s baby. The heroine doesn’t really have anything going for her. Her mom hates her so she moves in with a stranger (hero) so he could be close to his daughter. FYI the hero barely spends time with his daughter he just found out he had. All he does is focus on baseball and demands of his girlfriend (not heroine).
Things that bothered me the most:
Moves in with man she doesn’t even know except that he created a baby with her best friend *gags*
Gets fired from two jobs because of hero and baby situation
Moves to a different state with hero
Pretends like she is some sort of family with him even though he has a girlfriend
Hero has no back bone at all
Hero doesn’t have control of anything in his life
Hero is okay with using baby as a PR scheme (completely disgusting considering he spends about 2 minutes with the baby a day)
Etc etc. everything is wrong with this book. Pathetic characters with zero chemistry.
Also, the heroine mother was a poor excuse of a mother. She was completely horrible to her daughter.
If you are looking for a stupid heroine and a lukewarm father look no further.
Heroine is stupid. She is looking after her best friend’s baby/ hero’s baby. The heroine doesn’t really have anything going for her. Her mom hates her so she moves in with a stranger (hero) so he could be close to his daughter. FYI the hero barely spends time with his daughter he just found out he had. All he does is focus on baseball and demands of his girlfriend (not heroine).
Things that bothered me the most:
Moves in with man she doesn’t even know except that he created a baby with her best friend *gags*
Gets fired from two jobs because of hero and baby situation
Moves to a different state with hero
Pretends like she is some sort of family with him even though he has a girlfriend
Hero has no back bone at all
Hero doesn’t have control of anything in his life
Hero is okay with using baby as a PR scheme (completely disgusting considering he spends about 2 minutes with the baby a day)
Etc etc. everything is wrong with this book. Pathetic characters with zero chemistry.
Also, the heroine mother was a poor excuse of a mother. She was completely horrible to her daughter.
August 8, 2022
Meh skimmed and and skipped a lot
H is cold as a fridge
Heroine is super naive and sweet neatly un realistic
H is cold as a fridge
Heroine is super naive and sweet neatly un realistic
February 17, 2019
I really like the authors writing ie the slow pace, but this book really didn't do it for me.
I found zero chemistry between the 2 main characters. Absolutely no interest from the male main character to the female until about 80% then out the blue BAM he finds her unresistable.
He has a girlfriend for the majority of the book which isn't the female lead, this doesn't create a nice impression of the guy.
The female lead was too much of a martyr with concern to the baby.
A: Has the baby no grandmother or aunts?
B: legally can someone just look after someone's baby forever?
C: She literally gave up her life, money, job etc for this baby.....
D: When the dad was reintroduced she still was the main caretaker??
E: Its not her baby
The character of Ivy mother was way over the top, she was vile, annoying and a bit unbelievable. To me she just highlighted that Ivy was a drip.
Ivy never rebelled against the crap people gave her. Tucker used her as a nanny. Picked her up and used her when he felt the need. Her mum was rancid to her, her best friend just left her with her baby!!! What life did Ivy have for herself?
I didn't understand why with an English degree she has such a shit job for years when the baby was only a few months old? In my mind I though the baby was older but she was with Tucker and said she was like 4 or 5 months old?
She loved her best friend so much she took her baby daughter on but she also slept with her best friends boyfriend?? bit rank? I wouldn't want to sleep with anyone my best friend had a baby with.
The whole dinamic between the girlfriend and Tucker was bizarre. If you were a guys partner and a woman rocked up with a baby and moved into their home you'd be bloody raging about it! Ivy had no rights over the baby, why wouldn't Tucker hire a nanny for the few days he had the baby? You wouldn't move Ivy in. Was all abit too unrealistic.
Don't get me started in the bizarre "stories" ivy told, I read he first one and was WTF was that! I skipped all the other ones after that, it was weird, didn't go with the flow of the book and totally over the top.
Its such a shame as I think this author has real potential (not meant to sound patronizing) the writing is good but the whole plot and characterization was off.
p.s I feel like a compete bitch leaving this review, i REALLY want to like this authors books. They have a great vibe about them but just don't deliver. For me there needs to be more of a subtle push pull with a slow burn, i need to see some little indication the two people fancy each other not just one sided. I think with a little more time this author will be awesome, i really want her to get there (again not meant patronising).
I found zero chemistry between the 2 main characters. Absolutely no interest from the male main character to the female until about 80% then out the blue BAM he finds her unresistable.
He has a girlfriend for the majority of the book which isn't the female lead, this doesn't create a nice impression of the guy.
The female lead was too much of a martyr with concern to the baby.
A: Has the baby no grandmother or aunts?
B: legally can someone just look after someone's baby forever?
C: She literally gave up her life, money, job etc for this baby.....
D: When the dad was reintroduced she still was the main caretaker??
E: Its not her baby
The character of Ivy mother was way over the top, she was vile, annoying and a bit unbelievable. To me she just highlighted that Ivy was a drip.
Ivy never rebelled against the crap people gave her. Tucker used her as a nanny. Picked her up and used her when he felt the need. Her mum was rancid to her, her best friend just left her with her baby!!! What life did Ivy have for herself?
I didn't understand why with an English degree she has such a shit job for years when the baby was only a few months old? In my mind I though the baby was older but she was with Tucker and said she was like 4 or 5 months old?
She loved her best friend so much she took her baby daughter on but she also slept with her best friends boyfriend?? bit rank? I wouldn't want to sleep with anyone my best friend had a baby with.
The whole dinamic between the girlfriend and Tucker was bizarre. If you were a guys partner and a woman rocked up with a baby and moved into their home you'd be bloody raging about it! Ivy had no rights over the baby, why wouldn't Tucker hire a nanny for the few days he had the baby? You wouldn't move Ivy in. Was all abit too unrealistic.
Don't get me started in the bizarre "stories" ivy told, I read he first one and was WTF was that! I skipped all the other ones after that, it was weird, didn't go with the flow of the book and totally over the top.
Its such a shame as I think this author has real potential (not meant to sound patronizing) the writing is good but the whole plot and characterization was off.
p.s I feel like a compete bitch leaving this review, i REALLY want to like this authors books. They have a great vibe about them but just don't deliver. For me there needs to be more of a subtle push pull with a slow burn, i need to see some little indication the two people fancy each other not just one sided. I think with a little more time this author will be awesome, i really want her to get there (again not meant patronising).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2021
I enjoyed this book and I loved the slow burn aspect of it because it's my favorite trope. I adored the heroine, Caroline and how strong and resilient she was in raising Janie, when she was criticized by her whole family. I loved that she was such a good mother, and that she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself.
However, what I didn't like was her other half, the man himself, Mr. Tucker Whitaker. In my opinion, he didn't really step up as much as he should have in raising Janie. Yeah, he threw money at Janie and Caroline and made sure they were taken care of, but it was the least he could do! It probably meant nothing to him since he made good money. He was also purposely being oblivious towards everything because he wanted to live his life.
Like shut the fuck up, dude. I don't care about your sob stories. Caroline didn't give up her life for your child only for you to be a dad when it suited you. I guess, in the end he did step up a little more but I got so annoyed with him that I couldn't even be happy about that. I feel like Caroline deserved better. I'm sorry.
However, what I didn't like was her other half, the man himself, Mr. Tucker Whitaker. In my opinion, he didn't really step up as much as he should have in raising Janie. Yeah, he threw money at Janie and Caroline and made sure they were taken care of, but it was the least he could do! It probably meant nothing to him since he made good money. He was also purposely being oblivious towards everything because he wanted to live his life.
Like shut the fuck up, dude. I don't care about your sob stories. Caroline didn't give up her life for your child only for you to be a dad when it suited you. I guess, in the end he did step up a little more but I got so annoyed with him that I couldn't even be happy about that. I feel like Caroline deserved better. I'm sorry.
December 13, 2018
Another good one!
I’m reading through everything by this author and have loved them all. I love how the characters are deep and not typical romance novel fluff. Highly recommend!
I’m reading through everything by this author and have loved them all. I love how the characters are deep and not typical romance novel fluff. Highly recommend!
December 4, 2025
Read October 2025
3.5 stars
📚 #️⃣4️⃣ in the recommended reading order.
While some books can be standalones, previous characters are often linked, so I prefer to read them in order.
The best thing I can say about J.B.'s books is that they're simple stories that are easy to read, with likable characters and decent romances. The only one so far that I had to skim & skip to finish, was Equinox.
Unlike the others I’ve read, this one I consider a true slow burn. The MCs don’t become a committed couple until of the way through. There’s a lot of push and pull, and some good angst, which kept me hooked. The tension comes primarily from the hero, who has a girlfriend for much of the book (she’s mostly off-page) and doesn’t want anything serious.
This is low-steam, which aside from a few exceptions, is typical for the author.
▪️Told from the h's POV.
▪️The h is from AZ, but CA is the primary setting.
Plot in a Nutshell: The H, a famous baseball player who enjoys a carefree, single life, is surprised to learn he has a baby daughter. The woman caring for her, struggling and in need of help, moves in with him. Together, they care for the baby, and the H begins to enjoy his new family while still valuing his freedom. Near the end, he realizes his feelings are deep, gives up his partying girlfriend, and commits to love and family. He finally takes control of his life, becoming a man rather than a spoiled boy dependent on others.
What I Liked:
✅ All the characters are flawed, making them feel like real people.
✅ A cute baby! 🤗
✅ Quirky characters and some humor.
✅ A sweet romance with pining, that ends well.
What I Didn't Care For:
🔻 Much is told, and a lot happens off-page.
🔻 Few descriptions or details.
🔻 The H is more like a beta boy than an alpha. He does mature in time, but his growth is barely shown.
🔻 The MCs' ages aren't told.
📕 ᗰOᖇE ᗩᗷOᑌT TᕼE ᗷOOK 📕
(Some Spoilers!)
ᗰᑕs & ᗰIᑎOᖇ ᑕᕼᗩᖇᗩᑕTEᖇS:
Caroline is raising Janie, the baby of her friend who's gone missing. She tries to contact the father while struggling to care for them both. With a useless English degree, she works a low-paying job and lives at home. Her strict mother has her pay rent and utilities, not happy with her decision to raise the baby.
(At first, I didn't like Caroline's shrewish mom or her passive father, but they grew on me and turned out to be decent.)
Caroline's Quirks:
🔸She uses initials instead of swear words, to not swear in front of the baby. For example, "F you again, Bettina, you big B." (That's why there's less swearing.)
🔸She likes to fantasize about the H. Things like: him as a gladiator, a Scot in a kilt, or a brooding highwayman who’s secretly a duke.
Jenna, Janie's mother, is only mentioned in the story. Caroline, friends with her for a few years starting in HS, refuses to give up on her. In truth, Jenna is .
Tucker is a wealthy Whitaker and a top baseball pitcher. He’s immature, relying on his agent, assistant, and lawyer to take care of him. He’s not interested in settling down because his father died young at age 30 and never really got to live.
Teila is Tucker's model/actress girlfriend. Turns out, they have . Tucker finally breaks up with her at the 78% mark.
Amy is Caroline's BFF. A humorous subplot involves her relationship with her deadbeat boyfriend, Josef, who claims to be a writer. His frequent lies include things like Chewbacca, a Chupacabra, or sleeping sickness, to avoid responsibilities. Amy naively believes him.
Steve Whitaker, from Equinox, helps his cousin Tucker when it's learned millions were stolen from him. Amy and Steven team up to uncover the truth and fall in love. Later, Amy moves to Michigan, they get married and start a family.
☹️ The embezzling subplot is resolved off-page. We learn Tucker got a new agent, lawyer, and accountant, and handled the situation well. It would've been better to see Tucker take responsibility and grow as a man.
Barbara, Tucker's P.A. goes from a grumpy woman to a good friend of Caroline's. I enjoyed seeing her become part of the family, even helping care for Janie.
In the end, Caroline realizes she doesn’t like being Tucker’s casual sex partner. She also can’t handle the spotlight or the fallout from problems with his ex. This time, she’s distant while Tucker is unhappy.
He says at 98%: “I’m sorry for everything I did to hurt you, Caro. The worst thing I could do. Because I love you. I love you so much. I need you in my life—in every way. I can’t live like strangers anymore. I love you.”
Tucker is willing to commit and end his carefree ways, asking for six months to prove he’s changed. Caroline says she loves him too, and they share a kiss under the lights on the baseball diamond.
In the epilogue, .
7 F's
4 J's
3.5 stars
📚 #️⃣4️⃣ in the recommended reading order.
While some books can be standalones, previous characters are often linked, so I prefer to read them in order.
The best thing I can say about J.B.'s books is that they're simple stories that are easy to read, with likable characters and decent romances. The only one so far that I had to skim & skip to finish, was Equinox.
Unlike the others I’ve read, this one I consider a true slow burn. The MCs don’t become a committed couple until of the way through. There’s a lot of push and pull, and some good angst, which kept me hooked. The tension comes primarily from the hero, who has a girlfriend for much of the book (she’s mostly off-page) and doesn’t want anything serious.
This is low-steam, which aside from a few exceptions, is typical for the author.
▪️Told from the h's POV.
▪️The h is from AZ, but CA is the primary setting.
Plot in a Nutshell: The H, a famous baseball player who enjoys a carefree, single life, is surprised to learn he has a baby daughter. The woman caring for her, struggling and in need of help, moves in with him. Together, they care for the baby, and the H begins to enjoy his new family while still valuing his freedom. Near the end, he realizes his feelings are deep, gives up his partying girlfriend, and commits to love and family. He finally takes control of his life, becoming a man rather than a spoiled boy dependent on others.
What I Liked:
✅ All the characters are flawed, making them feel like real people.
✅ A cute baby! 🤗
✅ Quirky characters and some humor.
✅ A sweet romance with pining, that ends well.
What I Didn't Care For:
🔻 Much is told, and a lot happens off-page.
🔻 Few descriptions or details.
🔻 The H is more like a beta boy than an alpha. He does mature in time, but his growth is barely shown.
🔻 The MCs' ages aren't told.
📕 ᗰOᖇE ᗩᗷOᑌT TᕼE ᗷOOK 📕
(Some Spoilers!)
ᗰᑕs & ᗰIᑎOᖇ ᑕᕼᗩᖇᗩᑕTEᖇS:
Caroline is raising Janie, the baby of her friend who's gone missing. She tries to contact the father while struggling to care for them both. With a useless English degree, she works a low-paying job and lives at home. Her strict mother has her pay rent and utilities, not happy with her decision to raise the baby.
(At first, I didn't like Caroline's shrewish mom or her passive father, but they grew on me and turned out to be decent.)
Caroline's Quirks:
🔸She uses initials instead of swear words, to not swear in front of the baby. For example, "F you again, Bettina, you big B." (That's why there's less swearing.)
🔸She likes to fantasize about the H. Things like: him as a gladiator, a Scot in a kilt, or a brooding highwayman who’s secretly a duke.
Jenna, Janie's mother, is only mentioned in the story. Caroline, friends with her for a few years starting in HS, refuses to give up on her. In truth, Jenna is .
Tucker is a wealthy Whitaker and a top baseball pitcher. He’s immature, relying on his agent, assistant, and lawyer to take care of him. He’s not interested in settling down because his father died young at age 30 and never really got to live.
Teila is Tucker's model/actress girlfriend. Turns out, they have . Tucker finally breaks up with her at the 78% mark.
Amy is Caroline's BFF. A humorous subplot involves her relationship with her deadbeat boyfriend, Josef, who claims to be a writer. His frequent lies include things like Chewbacca, a Chupacabra, or sleeping sickness, to avoid responsibilities. Amy naively believes him.
Steve Whitaker, from Equinox, helps his cousin Tucker when it's learned millions were stolen from him. Amy and Steven team up to uncover the truth and fall in love. Later, Amy moves to Michigan, they get married and start a family.
☹️ The embezzling subplot is resolved off-page. We learn Tucker got a new agent, lawyer, and accountant, and handled the situation well. It would've been better to see Tucker take responsibility and grow as a man.
Barbara, Tucker's P.A. goes from a grumpy woman to a good friend of Caroline's. I enjoyed seeing her become part of the family, even helping care for Janie.
In the end, Caroline realizes she doesn’t like being Tucker’s casual sex partner. She also can’t handle the spotlight or the fallout from problems with his ex. This time, she’s distant while Tucker is unhappy.
He says at 98%: “I’m sorry for everything I did to hurt you, Caro. The worst thing I could do. Because I love you. I love you so much. I need you in my life—in every way. I can’t live like strangers anymore. I love you.”
Tucker is willing to commit and end his carefree ways, asking for six months to prove he’s changed. Caroline says she loves him too, and they share a kiss under the lights on the baseball diamond.
In the epilogue, .
7 F's
4 J's
February 17, 2020
Hm where to start?
The main guy is probably more than 25 (I don't remember they mentioning his age) but he acts like in his late teens. He doesn't know anything that is going around him, but he'll always say that he'll fix it... he is only a "good dad" to Janie when she isn't sick, because when she was he was nowhere in sight. Also he's so passive, like he finds out about his daughter that way and didn't get even mad at anyone for not telling him about her? The whole "brand" thing was laughable, like really. I could understand if he was in need of the money, but they said a lot of times he had money prior to that so what was the point of doing things to save the brand.
And the main girl... she was ok in the beginning but later *sigh* she was all proud about not wanting his money, just to be ok with him paying her college debt 1 week later. She then was like "oh I need to get a job and go back to study" but that totally disappeared soon after. She was all crazy about they uploading a pic of Janie just to let them set up a whole zoo photoshoot with her in the next scene... she contradicted herself everytime.
And sometimes I got really confused with the time frame that I didn't even know if things were going fast or not, probably felt that way because some things that never happened in the book where later mentioned like it had, it felt weird (but that could also be because English is not my 1st language, maybe?)
Anyway, I felt disappointed.
The main guy is probably more than 25 (I don't remember they mentioning his age) but he acts like in his late teens. He doesn't know anything that is going around him, but he'll always say that he'll fix it... he is only a "good dad" to Janie when she isn't sick, because when she was he was nowhere in sight. Also he's so passive, like he finds out about his daughter that way and didn't get even mad at anyone for not telling him about her? The whole "brand" thing was laughable, like really. I could understand if he was in need of the money, but they said a lot of times he had money prior to that so what was the point of doing things to save the brand.
And the main girl... she was ok in the beginning but later *sigh* she was all proud about not wanting his money, just to be ok with him paying her college debt 1 week later. She then was like "oh I need to get a job and go back to study" but that totally disappeared soon after. She was all crazy about they uploading a pic of Janie just to let them set up a whole zoo photoshoot with her in the next scene... she contradicted herself everytime.
And sometimes I got really confused with the time frame that I didn't even know if things were going fast or not, probably felt that way because some things that never happened in the book where later mentioned like it had, it felt weird (but that could also be because English is not my 1st language, maybe?)
Anyway, I felt disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2021
“I guess you never know where you’ll end up.”
“Or who you’ll end up there with.”
I’m so annoyed that I didn’t like it more. There’s a four day gap between finishing it and writing this review, and I’m still so annoyed! I did my best not to nitpick, and stay focused on Tucker, Caroline, and Janie. Maybe I went into this too blind. But there are so many things I could start harping over. Like Caroline being treated like a child for starters. I’ve never wanted to deck someone’s mother before. Tuck definitely has golden retriever energy. He’s tough and protective, but affectionate and gentle. The way Tuck pointed out every inch (literally every inch) of Caroline that he loved about her. Everything was difficult and complicated for so long, and so many things were up in the air. And then the ending came, and everything was perfect. I would have liked to see more trying and getting better. No simple fixes. Caroline needed more of that.
My Favorite Quotes:
•”I’m glad you’re coming with me.”
•”Caroline, you’re better than anything I’ve ever seen.”
•”I want to touch you, hold your hand, put my arm around you. I have a hard time keeping my hands off you, actually.”
•”Sweetheart, there’s no comparison. You’re it.”
•”The only thing I have to do right now, is you.”
•”Let’s get naked, honey. I’ve been missing the sight of you.”
•”Ok kid. I’m calling you up.” “Skip, you’re not going to regret it.”
6/10 Dirty Birdy
8/10 Forced Proximity
“Or who you’ll end up there with.”
I’m so annoyed that I didn’t like it more. There’s a four day gap between finishing it and writing this review, and I’m still so annoyed! I did my best not to nitpick, and stay focused on Tucker, Caroline, and Janie. Maybe I went into this too blind. But there are so many things I could start harping over. Like Caroline being treated like a child for starters. I’ve never wanted to deck someone’s mother before. Tuck definitely has golden retriever energy. He’s tough and protective, but affectionate and gentle. The way Tuck pointed out every inch (literally every inch) of Caroline that he loved about her. Everything was difficult and complicated for so long, and so many things were up in the air. And then the ending came, and everything was perfect. I would have liked to see more trying and getting better. No simple fixes. Caroline needed more of that.
My Favorite Quotes:
•”I’m glad you’re coming with me.”
•”Caroline, you’re better than anything I’ve ever seen.”
•”I want to touch you, hold your hand, put my arm around you. I have a hard time keeping my hands off you, actually.”
•”Sweetheart, there’s no comparison. You’re it.”
•”The only thing I have to do right now, is you.”
•”Let’s get naked, honey. I’ve been missing the sight of you.”
•”Ok kid. I’m calling you up.” “Skip, you’re not going to regret it.”
6/10 Dirty Birdy
8/10 Forced Proximity
October 5, 2022
Alright concept, but the writing style isn’t for me
I really struggled to finish this. I can’t pinpoint one single aspect that made me not like this book, I think everything in this story fell flat for me. First of all, Caroline’s mother was awful. Full stop horrible to her, but it’s presented like that’s just how she is and we are supposed to just accept it and like her? Even when she was truly awful, Caroline would be the one to apologize and her mom was still mean. Honestly this book would have been 10X better if she had told her mom to shove it and cut her out. Everything with Tuck was strange and unbelievable. The romance was so contrived and awkward. And do not even get me started on the love scenes, I’m nervously laughing just writing this. They were so awkward!!!!! Like I kept having to skip them, then come back to try again, only to get such secondhand embarrassment if have to skip again lol.
This review makes it sound really bad but it wasn’t, it just read like a first draft to me. The pacing was off and there were editing errors, but I was invested in the story and wanted to find out what happened with Jenna and read to the end, even if that plot point was kind of anti-climatic too. I don’t know, it was alright.
I really struggled to finish this. I can’t pinpoint one single aspect that made me not like this book, I think everything in this story fell flat for me. First of all, Caroline’s mother was awful. Full stop horrible to her, but it’s presented like that’s just how she is and we are supposed to just accept it and like her? Even when she was truly awful, Caroline would be the one to apologize and her mom was still mean. Honestly this book would have been 10X better if she had told her mom to shove it and cut her out. Everything with Tuck was strange and unbelievable. The romance was so contrived and awkward. And do not even get me started on the love scenes, I’m nervously laughing just writing this. They were so awkward!!!!! Like I kept having to skip them, then come back to try again, only to get such secondhand embarrassment if have to skip again lol.
This review makes it sound really bad but it wasn’t, it just read like a first draft to me. The pacing was off and there were editing errors, but I was invested in the story and wanted to find out what happened with Jenna and read to the end, even if that plot point was kind of anti-climatic too. I don’t know, it was alright.
January 24, 2019
Wow. I had heard quite a bit about this book. Some were saying they thought it was her best. I heard her compared to Mariana Zapata. No. Just no.
This book was really hard for me to get through. The lead character was so passively bitter and whiny that having that in my head throughout the reading was a trial. The other lead was lukewarm, too. The only interesting characters were 2 side characters; Barbara and Mari. There was not a lot of humor, not a lot of angst, not a lot that went on. I thought with all the emails Jenna would be an important part of the book, but that didn’t happen either.
I’m not sure what would have made the book better for me. It was nice, but really plain.
This book was really hard for me to get through. The lead character was so passively bitter and whiny that having that in my head throughout the reading was a trial. The other lead was lukewarm, too. The only interesting characters were 2 side characters; Barbara and Mari. There was not a lot of humor, not a lot of angst, not a lot that went on. I thought with all the emails Jenna would be an important part of the book, but that didn’t happen either.
I’m not sure what would have made the book better for me. It was nice, but really plain.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2021
Great romance, the use of a fictional baseball league is a distraction
This was a really good romance that could have been made better if the author had just used real baseball teams, which is perfectly legal/permissable The use of the California Redwoods and other fictional team names names made it feel like these are minor league players, not superstars.
Otherwise I thought this was a wonderful story of two people who are struggling in different ways and discover that they're good for each other. I've definitely seen people who fail to see the way other people use them or are blinded by their love for someone and can't see their faults. There's a lot of reality in this story. I also appreciated the author's backgrounding of the sex, essentially fade to black.
This was a really good romance that could have been made better if the author had just used real baseball teams, which is perfectly legal/permissable The use of the California Redwoods and other fictional team names names made it feel like these are minor league players, not superstars.
Otherwise I thought this was a wonderful story of two people who are struggling in different ways and discover that they're good for each other. I've definitely seen people who fail to see the way other people use them or are blinded by their love for someone and can't see their faults. There's a lot of reality in this story. I also appreciated the author's backgrounding of the sex, essentially fade to black.
February 4, 2022
4.5 Stars
This sweet slow burn was hard for me to put down and I only did briefly for an appointment, then picked it back up until I finished it late into the night (on a work night!) Heroine Caroline is taking care of her best friend's baby and has been diligently trying to track down the father, a professional baseball player. Once she does, they deal with all the problems in his life and her frustrating mom/family and quietly fall in love throughout it all. There are minor things I might have wished for, or that I wouldn't have liked quite as much at other times, but this one really hit the spot for the mood I was in when I read it and I think it is my favorite book by this author yet.
This sweet slow burn was hard for me to put down and I only did briefly for an appointment, then picked it back up until I finished it late into the night (on a work night!) Heroine Caroline is taking care of her best friend's baby and has been diligently trying to track down the father, a professional baseball player. Once she does, they deal with all the problems in his life and her frustrating mom/family and quietly fall in love throughout it all. There are minor things I might have wished for, or that I wouldn't have liked quite as much at other times, but this one really hit the spot for the mood I was in when I read it and I think it is my favorite book by this author yet.
June 14, 2019
Liked it a lot
This was a really good single mother, secret baby, sports story. There is a bit of a twist in the story. I felt that Caroline‘s relationship with her mother and father rang true. The only off note in the whole story was a minor one. Caroline‘s friend, Amy’s relationship with her boyfriend Jorge was over-the-top. I don’t see how Amy could have been so blind about his craziness. . I will be I definitely will be checking out this author’s backlist. I recommend this book.
This was a really good single mother, secret baby, sports story. There is a bit of a twist in the story. I felt that Caroline‘s relationship with her mother and father rang true. The only off note in the whole story was a minor one. Caroline‘s friend, Amy’s relationship with her boyfriend Jorge was over-the-top. I don’t see how Amy could have been so blind about his craziness. . I will be I definitely will be checking out this author’s backlist. I recommend this book.
November 6, 2022
3.5 stars. I think for sure this is my favorite author. This storyline was a little odd twist to the surprise baby trope, where Caroline was not the mom. Lisa Kleypas wrote a story with this trope, I remember. The difference here is that the mom isn’t related to the baby at all. There was an element of Caroline being a bit of a doormat/wallflower. That was irksome but that was her character. It’s what I love about this author. I don’t always approve of her characters but they are very realistic and not flawless. Tucker was a lovable guy.
June 18, 2023
Rating: 3.25 Stars
POV(s): Single—First Person (FMC)
Relationship: M/F
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
❥
Review to come…
❥
Title: “Tuck (The Whitakers #3)” by Jamie Bennett
Interconnected Series: Yes
Standalone: Yes
Cliffhanger: No
HEA:
Triggers:
Tags/Tropes:
➢ Famous-Athlete-MMC (baseball)
➢ FMC-Guardian-of-Child
➢ OW-Drama
➢ Secret-Child
➢ Slow-Burn
➢ Sports-Romance
POV(s): Single—First Person (FMC)
Relationship: M/F
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
❥
Review to come…
❥
Title: “Tuck (The Whitakers #3)” by Jamie Bennett
Interconnected Series: Yes
Standalone: Yes
Cliffhanger: No
HEA:
Triggers:
Tags/Tropes:
➢ Famous-Athlete-MMC (baseball)
➢ FMC-Guardian-of-Child
➢ OW-Drama
➢ Secret-Child
➢ Slow-Burn
➢ Sports-Romance
April 27, 2019
Nice slow-burn surprise!
This was such a surprising book to find. I had not heard of this author and was recommended her books. This was my first. This is the type of book I really enjoy. Not instant love or even instant chemistry but attraction that grows and characters that grow. And chemistry that builds too, don’t worry. I will definitely be reading more or this author!
This was such a surprising book to find. I had not heard of this author and was recommended her books. This was my first. This is the type of book I really enjoy. Not instant love or even instant chemistry but attraction that grows and characters that grow. And chemistry that builds too, don’t worry. I will definitely be reading more or this author!
July 3, 2020
I enjoyed Tuck. I liked Caroline’s determination and responsibility, but I did worry about her daydreaming while doing certain tasks. I liked Tucker’s kindness. I liked the secondary romance between Amy and Steve. I’m curious if Jenna and Will (not together necessarily) will have books about them – I’m especially curious about Jenna.
January 19, 2019
There’s a believable quality in the way the author tells this story but I wished that the H was more of an alpha. I also wanted more snarky banter and was missing a lot of the push-and-pull that I love in my MC’s.
February 18, 2020
I’ve enjoyed about a handful of books by this author but simply did not connect with this one. It made me wonder if this was her first book. I didn’t feel the characters falling in love. I’ve actually re-read some of the author’s books again but kind of wish I skipped this one entirely.
October 25, 2021
I love me a good slow burn, but this one was just lukewarm. I know that people are not wholly good or wholly bad, but these characters were just meh. I say this having given another book by this author 5 stars. This one just didn’t measure up by comparison. DNF 86%
December 12, 2022
pretty good
overall i got engrossed in the story.
feel like my 4 star review could be based more on my reaction to the characters choices.
that said i better change it because the book was absorbing... just a bit unbelievable and frustrating.
overall i got engrossed in the story.
feel like my 4 star review could be based more on my reaction to the characters choices.
that said i better change it because the book was absorbing... just a bit unbelievable and frustrating.
July 3, 2023
Baseball read #9
Fairly good as a book and a baseball read
Haven’t read a singular perspective in a while so that threw me off a bit wanting more from Tucker. But some really great baseball sequences balanced with plot and character development.
Fairly good as a book and a baseball read
Haven’t read a singular perspective in a while so that threw me off a bit wanting more from Tucker. But some really great baseball sequences balanced with plot and character development.
October 29, 2023
Entertaining but seriously, why do all these fabulous FMC in these books somehow fall for guys that don’t deserve them? Tuck annoyed me and gave me strong ick feelings with his stupid GF that he kept around for way too long.
Single POV
Single POV
April 12, 2019
Cute short romance book.
June 14, 2019
Ok
I couldn't really get into this book. The daydreaming sequence were distracting. Plus the heroine was not particularly likeable or realistic.
I couldn't really get into this book. The daydreaming sequence were distracting. Plus the heroine was not particularly likeable or realistic.
July 18, 2019
I really enjoyed this book, but found lack of editing distracting.
January 26, 2020
Great characters and a great slow burn!
March 28, 2021
4.5 I would say.
A lot of creativity as in other books of Jamie Bennett. Lots of funny details about becoming a mother.
A lot of creativity as in other books of Jamie Bennett. Lots of funny details about becoming a mother.
February 17, 2022
This is my second or third time reading this book. I just love this story Tucker is one of my favourite Jamie Bennett heroes. This story is just perfect!!
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