Grizz is about to break all of the rules for something he never imagined he would be risking . . . His heart.
Rachel Bennett has spent her entire life reaching for her dreams to dance professionally, and has come close enough that she’s content with where she is. Enter Grizz McCarthy, one of her brother’s best friends and a member of the beloved Belltown Six Pack. Ranked as one of the hottest pro athletes of the year, Rachel finds there is so much more to Grizz than that, and soon he has her reaching for more.
Rachel should be off limits for David “Grizz” McCarthy. That’s a universally accepted fact, courtesy of his bond with his brothers in the Six Pack. But the more time he spends with Rachel, the less he cares about that fact, and what it could do to his friendships.
Welcome to Belltown!
Six baseball players meet in the college town of Belltown, Massachusetts, becoming best friends, their lives intertwining as they each get called up to the Major Leagues. Follow Sawyer, Cole, Axel, David, Ryker, and Levi in these six swoony sports romances.
More Belltown Six Pack Romances: Hitching the Pitcher Falling for Centerfield Charming the Shortshop Snatching the Catcher Flirting with First Kissing on Third
I was born once upon a time, and I started making up stories right away. Eventually, I started writing them down, and never stopped! I have a day job, which gets in the way of my writing, but it pays the bills so I CAN write, so I guess that's okay! I am a bookworm, which I think is key to being a writer, and I am always looking for inspiration! I live in Indiana, am obsessed with hot chocolate, and I am on track to be the best aunt in the world.
What's a guy to do when he suddenly realizes that one of his former teammates, and still good friend's, younger sister is all grown up? It's part of the "bro code", "team code", "pack code", and any other code that she's off limits. This is the situation David "Grizz" McCarthy finds himself in. Maybe it had something to do with the red dress she wore to her mother's rehearsal dinner that opened his eyes that "Sis" isn't just Sawyer's (aka Skeeter) little sister anymore, but a beautiful woman.
As for Rachel, she's known Grizz and the rest of the guys in the Six Pack for years. They're like her big brothers, but when she sees the photo spread of Grizz in a sports magazine, clean-shaven (which is rare) in all his shirtless glory showing off his "twelve-pack abs" it's a sight she can't unsee. Who in their right mind would want to unsee that? Not me! 😍🔥
I loved this story--their journey from long-time friends to girlfriend/boyfriend flowed naturally. Their run in with each other in the restaurant during Rachel's date from Hades was happenstance, and hilarious (it's one of my favorite scenes in the book), but to me it was a turning point in the brother/sister feel of their relationship. Finding out they live in walking distance from each other seemed to be the catalyst for the next step in their relationship, and it's a great ride from there.
Grizz and Rachel's relationship is an honest one, with lots of flirting, teasing, and laughter, but without drama and games. Grizz cares about his family, the guys in the Six Pack, and doing his job as a catcher to the best of his ability. The team he's on doesn't seem to be doing well at the moment, but he doesn't let that get him down and he still plays his best. As I've said in reviews of previous books in the series, I don't know anything about baseball, BUT I do know dance and I LOVED that Rachel is a dancer. The author does a fantastic job of describing the dances so I could imagine them in my head as I read.
This book made me laugh out loud at times, and swoon a lot. Have you seen the cover?! 😍🔥🔥 It's the fourth book in the Belltown Six Pack although they are standalones and can be read in any order. This is a clean read with super swoony kisses and mild biblical swearing.
I received a complimentary copy to review, and all thoughts expressed in my review are my own.
Ooh, yumma yumma. Yummy yumma yum yum. That's what this book is. It fell right in my sweet spot and I sure must have been craving some Grizz and Rachel because I couldn't put this book down. I wanted to eat it up.
One of the things I loved about this book was it was all Grizz and Rachel. They met up, they hung out a few times, and from there things just took off. They were both all in and nothing else. I LOVED that. There was no big separation, no dramatic event causing hurt feelings and distance- just the two of them figuring things out together. It felt super refreshing to just get a growing love story full of flirting, smiles and fun. All the kissing was bonus yummy!
This is part of the Belltown Six Pack series but can be read as a stand alone. It's on KU if you have that! I can't wait for the next book!!
Content: kissing, a couple instances of mild swearing
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
It's been so much fun to get to know this group of baseball boys better and to read each man's love story. It's kind of an unwritten rule, or guy code, to stay away from your friend's little sister, but when Grizz runs into Rachel again at her mom's wedding, he's smitten. And after a few cute run-ins with this catcher, Rachel realizes that there's more to him than meets the eye and her eyes will never be the same after seeing his Sports Illustrated picture.
Grizz and Rachel have such a cute story, especially since they both share a massive love for baseball and have a sizzling chemistry that can't be ignored. They fall hard and fast, but they share a past, which makes it that much easier for them to take the shortcut to love.
This story wrapped my heart up into one big, comfy hug, with its familiar characters and swoony romance, and I'm looking forward to intimately knowing the last few members of the Belltown Six Pack.
Content: mild+ romance (kissing, making out, swoony); mild language
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
I've been excited to read Grizz's story! As the level-headed catcher he is a leader of the faltering baseball team, and it was interesting to see how he dealt with the struggles while his other Belltown teammates found success. Rachel knows athletes and this group of players specifically since her brother is one of them, and when she connects with Grizz in Pittsburgh (he rescues her from a horrible date) their friendship naturally develops and deepens into something more. There is a great balance of humor, flirting, chemistry, and emotion as they support each other and see where the future leads. Rachel's love of dance and devotion to ballet was neat to read about since I'm currently taking beginner ballet classes for fun (and exercise) and felt like I could relate in the tiniest way ;) No excess drama or conflict here, which made the plot avoid the extreme highs and lows, but rather gave a pleasant experience with extremely likeable characters you can't help but root for. Another great addition to the fun Belltown Sixpack series! (These books can be read in any order- pick one... or all... of them up ASAP!)
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
Never did I think I would read sports romances, but hey when your favorite author writes a book you read it no matter what. My only problem with this one was the sports talk. There was a bit and it just was not fun to read. There romance was sweet and I liked there love story. I enjoy the way Rebecca creates tension and gives you a very realistic story that pulls you in. Liked this even tho it's not my cup of tea:} PG
Oh my heavens! Grizz and Rachel!!! If you have been following this series, stop everything that you are doing and grab this one right now! It's that good!
After reading the previous books in this series and having a couple little snippets teasing us about Grizz and Rachel, I kinda squealed when I was finally able to read their story.
Their biggest struggle? Rachel being the sister to one of Grizz's fellow six pack member. And she is off limits. But Grizz has resisted for so long and when they end up living in the same city and start to catch up with each other...well I'm sure you can guess that Rachel staying off limits is going to be extremely hard.
The chemistry between these two was very well written. Their friendship was already established and watching it continue to develop was great. Especially when they realized that they felt more than just friendship for each other.
The dance scenes...oh my! Very beautifully written. And the ending. Perfection! If you haven't been following this series you can pick this one up no problem and enjoy it. But I will say that getting to know all the characters has really made this series very fun and worth reading all the books. Only two more to go, and I think that I'll miss these characters once the series is over. I know, they're fictional, but hey, they're great!
Content: Clean. Some kissing but nothing further.
I received a copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Oh, my! I was laughing from the get go with this one. Such fun ways to be reintroduced to Rachel and Grizz! There’s not a lot of drama in the book, which was really nice. It’s just a sweet, swoony romance to curl up with and enjoy. I love Rachel and David, the natural development of their relationship, and the honesty between them - and their flirting, bantering and sizzling chemistry, of course! I loved the reactions of the Six Pack to David’s interest in Rachel. I’m just falling more and more in love with these guys as a group. I love the way they tease and joke and care for each other. Ryker’s story is up next and I can’t wait!
I received a complimentary copy of the book, which I voluntarily reviewed. I have given my honest opinion.
I don't know if I can express how much I loved this story! Rachel Bennett has always been "Sis" to the members of the Belltown Six. As Sawyer's little sister, she's just been a sister to all of them. When Grizz goes to Rachel and Sawyer's mom's wedding, he starts to see Rachel in a whole new light, and she's seeing him too.
I loved this friends to lovers romance! There was a little bit of the forbidden in there with worrying about how Sawyer would react to Grizz dating his little sister. I liked how the rest of the Belltown Six weighed in on the issue, and their resulting heckling. The Belltown Six are a fun group. Close like brothers. They'll give each other a hard time, but they will also move mountains to help one another. I love every glimpse I get into their friendship. With Rachel added to the mix, I felt like one of their inner circle.
I loved the romance in this one. The chemistry between Rachel and David (Grizz) was off the charts, and yet still keeping it clean. I loved the flirting and the playful banter. I also loved that they could be David and Rachel, not Grizz and Sis. Their relationship with each other was more special than the one they'd previously shared, or the one that they had within their circle of friends.
I laughed, I swooned, thankfully I didn't cry, but I did smile a lot reading this book! It's my new favorite in the series, and one that I will be reading again.
Note: each book can be read independently.
Content: clean (a few minor curse words-d and h, making out)
Romance, clean; Series but stand alone read. Grizz/David and Rachel's story was a gorgeous, fun read! Each one of these novels by different authors is a part of a series about a group of college athletes from a title winning baseball team. Their continued friendship even as they play on different major league baseball teams and go on with their lives and continue to play their hearts out on the baseball field. Grizz, worried about the promise he made to not toy with Skeeter's sister, is attracted to her and finding themselves in the same town, the moments happen. As they realize their attraction, and build a relationship with each other, the problems they face will either pull them apart or bring them together. Loved their genuine honest characters, their sweet, and beautifully strong friendship and chemistry. Great characters, fun backstory, and twists and drama, plus the ever present six making a great side story that unifies and ups the fun factor and drama in this novel and series. Their attraction, built on their foundation of friendships and 'family' was a perfect combination to make a gorgeous love story. Fun, flirty, hardships, family, worries, blessings, magical moments, this novel has them all. Grizz and Rachel are the best mix and match! Perfect read for me. Plus total cover love! SWOON! I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. My opinions are my own, and in no way influenced by this gift, other than the pleasure of reading.
Okay…I know I keep saying this, but Grizz is probably my favorite Bell Town Six Pack member. I loved everything about him. And really everything about this whole book. Rebecca Connolly did an amazing job.
This one features Rachel, Sawyer’s sister. We met Sawyer in Hitching the Pitcher. I loved Rachel just as much as I loved Grizz. She’s a dancer trying to make it in Pittsburgh. One thing about Rachel is that she doesn’t think she’s anything special. Even when everyone around her, including her boy crazy best friend, thinks she amazing. She knows all of the Six Pack, they are almost like older brothers to her. And they, especially Grizz, are really protective of her.
I loved how one of the first things you read in the book is Grizz saving Rachel from a date that she isn’t thrilled with. He wants more than she’s willing to give and that’s when Grizz steps in. I loved the way he looks after Rachel throughout the book. He’s a bit conflicted. Grizz wants to be happy with falling for Rachel. But he knows that Sawyer isn’t necessarily going to be thrilled about it.
I loved the way these two fell in love. Their love story is one of those swoon-worthy, sigh worthy ones. With plenty of humor and just plain fun! I loved this one so much! And I can’t wait for the next one of these Bell Town Six Pack books!
What a wonderfully delightful story. I loved the characters. I love the overlap of characters from the other books in the series. Each book stands alone but they all have the Belltown Six Pack in common. I love all the baseball hype and I loved the dancing terminology in this one. Simply delightful!
I never thought Grizz would trump some of our Six Pack boys, but no doubt he is right at the top. And Rachel is awesome. Loved reading their love story. Totally was not expecting Skeeter's reaction. Definitely 5 stars all the way!
I really enjoyed this continuation of the Belltown Six Pack. It has a fun and tender way about it.
I loved how David "Grizz" was a strong on the outside, but tender on the inside. I liked how his family was so important to him, yet he kept it close to his heart and private... especially hard for someone in the spot light. I also liked how he didn't let his team situation bog him down. He continued to enjoy what he loved... being a catcher and playing baseball. It was a great way to look at life in general.
I also enjoyed Rachel, also a strong athlete as a dancer. Family important for her, but she was used to seeing the spot light on her brother and friends. And the beauty is that, that was ok with her. She could be happy doing what she loved, dancing, and still be happy for other's success.
The fact that they had known each other as friends was a special part to the story. It made the "love" all the more appealing as they grew to discover it together. How they "knew" each other but didn't and as the book said "seeing but not seeing"... and the discovery that it gives to them.
How they support each other in their individual successes and didn't take away from it.
Another great book in this series. This is a story of Grizz and Rachel finding love and happiness. They were friends and then it moved to something more. I love these kind of stories! My love story is very similar. It was great feeling their emotion and nervousness as the relationship moved along. They were a great pair. The reason I gave this 4 stars, is because if felt unfinished. Usually the epilogue has a proposal or wedding and this one felt like it was just the next chapter in the book. I would have liked to see a little more conclusion. But I did enjoy this book very much. I was given a free copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I have to admit to being way excited when the link for an ARC for this popped up in my email! Nothing grabs my attention like great dialogue. Make it snarky, and I'm gone. So if you know anything about Belltown (and you really SHOULD), you know about the Belltown bets. Throw in some yoga — "How did you manage to put yourself in a half-nelson?" — and you know what happens next. We also learn that "Stabbing one's date would be frowned upon."
But my favorite part about this book was the way Grizz and Rachel were able to HONESTLY interact with each other — with humor, banter, attraction, and communication, rather than contrived misunderstandings and drama. I found myself smiling and laughing and genuinely enjoying them as a couple.
Clean, well written (I don't remember catching any typos), and can be read as a stand-alone, along with the rest of the Belltown books. This was a free copy, but an honest review.
I loved this! I think this is my favorite in the series so far, followed by the first one. I loved Grizz and Rachel and I appreciated that there were no misunderstandings or miscommunications that they had to overcome, unlike most couples in romantic plots.
Grizz knows that his friend's sister is off-limits, but he can't help falling for her--and when it seems Rachel returns his feelings, Grizz can't pass up the chance to see if she's the one, even if it means angering his friend. But with his baseball career and her dancing dreams, will they be able to make things work?
This book was just tons of fun to read. I really, really enjoyed it. There were funny situations and dialogue with Grizz and Rachel (I love good bantering between romantic interests) as well as with Grizz's current teammates and former teammates (the Six Pack), the baseball details seemed spot-on, and the chemistry was terrific--it's a clean read but it's not bland. I liked that Grizz and Rachel were both strong characters with goals and plans, and I really liked how things played out in the end. Again, just tons of fun to read. I'm looking forward to more books in the series! (Although this is a series, the books can be read in any order.)
I received a copy of the ARC from the publisher; all opinions are my own.
Snatching the Catcher is the fourth installment from the Belltown Six Pack series. This is a delightful and entertaining series and this one is no exception. Grizz and Rachel were so fun together and love that they have been friends forever. I give Snatching the Catcher five stars. I am looking forward to the fifth installment from the Belltown Six Pack series. I recommend this one for readers who enjoy a good, quick and clean romance. I received this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
Grizz or David has been one of my favorite Belltown six so far. I like that he is so calm but also very intuitive. Rachel is a great match for Grizz. I enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait for the last two.
Sometimes you just need something a little different, you know?
I don't read a whole lot of contemporary or sports romances, but I really enjoyed Snatching the Catcher! This was such a fun story. I have officially decided that I need more baseball romances in my life.
David and Rachel were seriously the cutest. I loved that they were both supportive of each other and encouraged each other to fulfill their dreams. I also appreciated that while this does have the brother's best friend trope going on, it did not have the high levels of drama that I feel like often accompany it.
It was also fun to get glimpses of the other friends who make up the Belltown Six Pack in this story. I am very eager to read their stories as well. So basically, don't mind me while I go get the rest of the books in this series asap so I can read all of their stories too!
I'd been waiting for this one for what felt like forever but was in reality only a couple of weeks. I was so excited to get this one and read Grizz's story (admittedly a character I was immensely curious about from the other books in the series) and let me tell you - this did NOT disappoint! I loved it. In fact, I read it twice in one week. True story. The first time I inhaled it - read it fast because I was excited to finally have it and was swept up in the fun. The second time I took my time and read it leisurely and oh my goodness it was even better the second time through.
OK. This story has it all - romantical romance, fun, beautiful detailing of Rachel and her dancing, so many exciting baseball happenings, realism, adventures, heartache, happiness, witty dialogue, and incredible characters! I may have found a new favorite in the Six Pack.
But seriously. If you want a fun read, this is perfect for summer time enjoyment. Or any time enjoyment. Multiple time enjoyment! I'll stop now. ;)
Wow! This one is soooo filled with romance. No arguments, no conflicts, lots of banter, playfulness and just plain good lovin fun and romance. Grizz and Rachel are one hot ticket item and they know exactly how to be there for each other. And Ms Connolly knows just how to write about those kisses and their romantic relationship. As well, she knows how to describe Rachael’s dance audition so you could have been there watching it in person, and have been just as affected by it as Grizz was. Furthermore , she excelled in describing baseball plays, arguments, and smack talk. I loved how supportive Rachel was for Grizz that she was willing to change jobs and living arrangements to be there for him. She made him happy and he felt fortunate to have her as his. It is a great, feel good kinda story that puts a smile on your face and evokes a big sigh worthy swoon through your brain.
David McCarthy, aka Grizz, is struggling with a lackluster team. He knows he can do better. But, when he reconnects with Sawyer's sister, Rachel, he's not sure if he can leave Pittsburgh because It would mean leaving her as well.
Rachel Bennet has always had a secret crush on her brother's best friend, David. So, when he starts showing an interest in her, she needs some convincing to believe that it's real.
When things start to turn serious, what will her brother say? Will they be able to navigate the challenges ahead? What if he gets transferred to another team? What about her own career as a dancer?
Although I smiled and laughed a few times, the storyline is rather simple and uncomplicated. It's great for light reading when you want a feel good story.
Romance - PG - LOTS of kissing Language - PG / nothing offensive Violence - On field brawl during game My rating - 4 stars
A little drama, almost no angst, fun teasing, and plenty of sweet moments. Grizz, the catcher among the Belltown Six, is afraid to date his friends sister, but does anyway after rescuing her from a horrific date. Their relationship and commitment depends, but both have career pressures that might force them apart. Grizz and Rachel were sweet characters who were committed to making it work, no matter what. Especially near the end, though, I wanted to see more of the thoughts and feelings that went into the major decisions. Grizz was torn on his decision, but we got preemptive advice from his mom followed by nothing. As readers, we especially missed out on Rachel's growth--something I was really looking forward to. She grew, but we didn't see it!
wasSnatching the Catcher by Rebecca Connolly (4.5 stars)
What a truly enjoyable book! Great dialogues where teasing, banter and flirtation are just a delight to read! Families are involved and the couple do what they need to to stay together instead of endlessly thinking/whining about it. Great chemistry, likable characters and clean!
Seriously, I loved it! I don’t know about baseball culture/vocabulary, but the dance culture and vocabulary was authentically written (minus the word soutinou, which is usually spelled soutenou 😬).
Can’t wait to read more by Ms. Connolly!
*poor, **ok, ***good, ****very good, *****something special
It was a cute story. I liked the whole idea of the forbidden love thing, though there was not so much drama involved. David and Rachel were great together. They have known each other their whole lives, David being best friends with her brother. And when they discovered there might be something between them, they were all in. So yeah, great chemistry and building of a romantic relationship. Narrative: 3rd person, following David and Rachel Religion: none Sensuality: clean, but some steamy kissing
I liked Rebecca and David in this book. Their relationship moved forward quickly. It seems these athletes feel as deeply about love as they do about their sport. And they don't waste any time. There is a lot of kissing. Too much for my tastes but others will love that aspect.
Probably don't have to love baseball to enjoy this story. It is definitely a part of the story but not essential to understand the sport to have the plot move forward.
Sex: lots of kissing Language: some mild Violence: brawls on the baseball field
What do you do when you are falling for your best mate's sister? I loved the relationship between Rachel and Grizz. They obviously liked each other, they obviously had things they wanted to do. It was just a matter of timing and communicating. While this isn't so unique everyone will be talking about it. I did enjoy it quite a bit and may even like it the most of this series so far.