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Reading the Signs
Listening length: 8 hours and 29 minutes
This hot-headed rookie needs discipline—on and off the field.
As a teenager crushing on Jake Fitzgerald, his big brother’s teammate, pitcher Nico Agresta decided he can never act on his desire for men. Nico is desperate to live up to his Italian-American family’s baseball legacy, and if he can win Rookie of the Year in the big leagues like his dad and brother did, maybe he can prove he’s worthy.
At 34, veteran catcher Jake just wants to finish out his contract and retire. His team doesn't have a prayer of making the playoffs, but who needs the stress anyway? Jake lost his passion for the game—and life—after driving away the man he loved. He swore he’ll never risk his heart again.
Then he’s traded to a team that wants a vet behind the plate to tame their new star pitcher. Jake is shocked to find the gangly kid he once knew has grown into a gorgeous young man. Tightly wound Nico’s having trouble controlling his temper in his quest for perfection and needs a firm hand. Jake fights to teach him patience and restraint on the mound—but when the push and pull explodes into the bedroom, can they control their hearts?
Reading the Signs is a gay sports romance from Keira Andrews featuring sexy men who have been repressing their feelings far too long, light D/s, an age difference, and of course a happy ending.
This hot-headed rookie needs discipline—on and off the field.
As a teenager crushing on Jake Fitzgerald, his big brother’s teammate, pitcher Nico Agresta decided he can never act on his desire for men. Nico is desperate to live up to his Italian-American family’s baseball legacy, and if he can win Rookie of the Year in the big leagues like his dad and brother did, maybe he can prove he’s worthy.
At 34, veteran catcher Jake just wants to finish out his contract and retire. His team doesn't have a prayer of making the playoffs, but who needs the stress anyway? Jake lost his passion for the game—and life—after driving away the man he loved. He swore he’ll never risk his heart again.
Then he’s traded to a team that wants a vet behind the plate to tame their new star pitcher. Jake is shocked to find the gangly kid he once knew has grown into a gorgeous young man. Tightly wound Nico’s having trouble controlling his temper in his quest for perfection and needs a firm hand. Jake fights to teach him patience and restraint on the mound—but when the push and pull explodes into the bedroom, can they control their hearts?
Reading the Signs is a gay sports romance from Keira Andrews featuring sexy men who have been repressing their feelings far too long, light D/s, an age difference, and of course a happy ending.
9 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 22, 2016
400 people are currently reading
2505 people want to read
About the author
Keira Andrews
65 books3,050 followersKeira aims for the perfect mix of character, plot, and heat in her M/M romances. She writes everything from swashbuckling pirates to heartwarming holiday escapism. Her fave tropes are enemies to lovers, age gaps, forced proximity, and passionate virgins. Although she loves delicious angst along the way, Keira guarantees happy endings!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 677 reviews
July 30, 2019
Baseball: the all-American sport. My brother and I spent a couple summers obsessively following the Chicago Cubs and drooling over the players' very fine assets.
There are no finer butts in professional sports.
This book pretty much rocks: age gap, BDSM lite (the at-home version), gay virgin (Nico gives it up so good), dirty (in all the right ways) sex, awesome HEA (one word: armadillo), and about a million FEELS (you're gonna root for these boys and their team).
Jake has been a closeted gay man in professional baseball for years; he has an easy, regular hook-up going with a friend, plays on a losing team, and is completely stuck in his stale, lonely existence. Baseball has become just another game.
Nico is ALL passion, awkwardness, and nerves. He's wound so tight, he makes himself puke before every game. Baseball is in Nico's blood. His demanding father, a former pro player himself, is hard on Nico. Nico's goal is perfection, no less, no more.
Jake was Nico's first crush and a decade later, Nico still craves the man, even as he sleeps with countless women to prove that he doesn't have to be queer.
The slow burn between Jake and Nico is scorching. Don't be put off by the BDSM tag; it's all light bondage, spanking, and aggressive sex. It's wanton and passionate and absolutely perfect. The scene where Jake takes Nico against a desk . . . yeah, I may have needed a cold shower. Or three.
I absolutely loved the theme of friendship in this book. Jake reconciles with not one but two close friends. His longing for Brandon broke my heart. That kind of unrequited love is self-destructive and raw. Jake was in the wrong, but I GOT HIM.
Both MCs are incredibly well developed. I could feel Nico's pain, his anxiety and fear. Jake is a steady rock; he's long ago learned to bury all emotion. But when he gets all bad-ass and in charge, oh, good lord, no wonder Nico just melts into the sheets.
Nico grows stronger under Jake's steady guidance, on and OFF the field. He stands up to his father and takes care of his man. He's still young and impetuous, prone to bouts of jealousy, but I had no doubt he was the one for Jake.
I also really liked how Nico's family situation was handled. Nico's father spews homophobic slurs like he orders pizza; he's careless and casual in his bigotry. But when it hits home that his son is gay, Nico's dad has some serious thinking to do. Because now the queer is not OUT THERE but IN HERE. And he realizes the prejudice he has toward homosexuals is the same one he witnessed as a kid when the white neighbors called him a "wop."
This book is another example of why Keira Andrews is one of my favorite authors in the genre. Reading the Signs is well-written, sexy, and romantic. I loved the hell out of this story.
There are no finer butts in professional sports.
This book pretty much rocks: age gap, BDSM lite (the at-home version), gay virgin (Nico gives it up so good), dirty (in all the right ways) sex, awesome HEA (one word: armadillo), and about a million FEELS (you're gonna root for these boys and their team).
Jake has been a closeted gay man in professional baseball for years; he has an easy, regular hook-up going with a friend, plays on a losing team, and is completely stuck in his stale, lonely existence. Baseball has become just another game.
Nico is ALL passion, awkwardness, and nerves. He's wound so tight, he makes himself puke before every game. Baseball is in Nico's blood. His demanding father, a former pro player himself, is hard on Nico. Nico's goal is perfection, no less, no more.
Jake was Nico's first crush and a decade later, Nico still craves the man, even as he sleeps with countless women to prove that he doesn't have to be queer.
The slow burn between Jake and Nico is scorching. Don't be put off by the BDSM tag; it's all light bondage, spanking, and aggressive sex. It's wanton and passionate and absolutely perfect. The scene where Jake takes Nico against a desk . . . yeah, I may have needed a cold shower. Or three.
I absolutely loved the theme of friendship in this book. Jake reconciles with not one but two close friends. His longing for Brandon broke my heart. That kind of unrequited love is self-destructive and raw. Jake was in the wrong, but I GOT HIM.
Both MCs are incredibly well developed. I could feel Nico's pain, his anxiety and fear. Jake is a steady rock; he's long ago learned to bury all emotion. But when he gets all bad-ass and in charge, oh, good lord, no wonder Nico just melts into the sheets.
Nico grows stronger under Jake's steady guidance, on and OFF the field. He stands up to his father and takes care of his man. He's still young and impetuous, prone to bouts of jealousy, but I had no doubt he was the one for Jake.
I also really liked how Nico's family situation was handled. Nico's father spews homophobic slurs like he orders pizza; he's careless and casual in his bigotry. But when it hits home that his son is gay, Nico's dad has some serious thinking to do. Because now the queer is not OUT THERE but IN HERE. And he realizes the prejudice he has toward homosexuals is the same one he witnessed as a kid when the white neighbors called him a "wop."
This book is another example of why Keira Andrews is one of my favorite authors in the genre. Reading the Signs is well-written, sexy, and romantic. I loved the hell out of this story.
October 9, 2016
*4.5 stars*
Keira Andrews, kicking butt and taking names!
I've been saying for years that I'm not a huge fan of sports player romance, but I think I have to change my tune! I've had an AMAZING run of sports romances recently, mostly hockey books, but with a couple of baseball ones thrown in. This one was exactly in my sweet spot (see what I did there??).
About midway through the book, I was so impressed that I thought this might actually make my all-time favorites list. I cooled down my opinion a bit since then, but this book was sooooo stellar all the way through.
I have a few particular kinks that really get me going. One, in fact, my top one in the BDSM spectrum, is spanking. There is something about spanking that really floats my boat, and if you thrown in a "daddy" or something, you have me SOLD. This one didn't go quite as far as I wanted, to be honest. When the first spanking scene happened, I was screeching in excitement because I was anticipating maybe a domestic discipline-esk relationship, or at least one with some punishment-type stuff. The BDSM ended up being really light here, which is fine, but I wanted to go a bit further.
I also have a not-so-secret thing for gay first timers! I just do! I simply love going through a person's first time with them. New experiences are everything to me, and Nico getting to experience every one of his naughty, naughty fantasies was DELICIOUS! I thought the sex scenes were smoking hot.
Some people thought that the book was a little heavy on the sports facts, but I enjoyed that part of the story (see, closet sports-lover over here!). The whole book reminded me a little bit of Out in the Field, which is a very good thing. I thought it was interesting, and though it isn't a fast-paced book, I never thought it was boring.
My only major complaint is that I thought that the relationship moved a little quickly for my tastes. I could have used a smudge more time before the guys were thinking about the L-word. Other than that, this book was soooooo satisfying!
Keira Andrews does it again!
*Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
Keira Andrews, kicking butt and taking names!
I've been saying for years that I'm not a huge fan of sports player romance, but I think I have to change my tune! I've had an AMAZING run of sports romances recently, mostly hockey books, but with a couple of baseball ones thrown in. This one was exactly in my sweet spot (see what I did there??).
About midway through the book, I was so impressed that I thought this might actually make my all-time favorites list. I cooled down my opinion a bit since then, but this book was sooooo stellar all the way through.
I have a few particular kinks that really get me going. One, in fact, my top one in the BDSM spectrum, is spanking. There is something about spanking that really floats my boat, and if you thrown in a "daddy" or something, you have me SOLD. This one didn't go quite as far as I wanted, to be honest. When the first spanking scene happened, I was screeching in excitement because I was anticipating maybe a domestic discipline-esk relationship, or at least one with some punishment-type stuff. The BDSM ended up being really light here, which is fine, but I wanted to go a bit further.
I also have a not-so-secret thing for gay first timers! I just do! I simply love going through a person's first time with them. New experiences are everything to me, and Nico getting to experience every one of his naughty, naughty fantasies was DELICIOUS! I thought the sex scenes were smoking hot.
Some people thought that the book was a little heavy on the sports facts, but I enjoyed that part of the story (see, closet sports-lover over here!). The whole book reminded me a little bit of Out in the Field, which is a very good thing. I thought it was interesting, and though it isn't a fast-paced book, I never thought it was boring.
My only major complaint is that I thought that the relationship moved a little quickly for my tastes. I could have used a smudge more time before the guys were thinking about the L-word. Other than that, this book was soooooo satisfying!
Keira Andrews does it again!
*Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
September 23, 2016
*4.25 stars*
Surprise, surprise! Did you hear? Keira Andrews does baseball+BDSM+"my friend's little brother trope"+age gap!
I won't lie, as far as baseball is concerned I'm like...
It's a relatively new sport in my country (started in 1997 if I remember correctly), and every time I happen to take a glimpse of a game, I have no clue what the hell is going on.
There is A LOT of baseball in this book, especially in the first half. If you 're a fan of the sport, you 're going to love that aspect of the story. My cluelessness didn't stop me from enjoying it, especially after the 50% mark where the romance really picks up.
That's what Nico's father said, and since baseball is always more important, Nico was willing to live in denial, and hide this part of himself. Until Jake (his brother's old friend, and Nico's teenage crush) joins the team.
The only time Nico speaks up is when he gets mad during a game. Otherwise, he's shy, closed off and lives A LOT inside his head. He makes things ten times worse than they really are.
He does have a filthy mouth, though.
You can guess what happened afterwards. Jake is the only one who can calm Nico down during and after a game. The sex, albeit hot, is not gratuitous at all. I found that every sex scene was poignant; Liberating for Nico, and a fantasy coming true. And for Jake, a chance at something he thought he'd never find.
As far as the BDSM part is concerned, it is very light and it's more about the mentality behind BDSM. Nico needs to feel grounded, and for someone else to be in control, and make the rules in the bedroom. Jake gladly accepts that role. So no, there are no whips or chains here. Some bondage and spanking is as far as it goes, and I for one am grateful for it.
I won't lie...there is angst and pain. There is self-loathing and guilt. But it's not overwhelming or OTT. There's also a hissy fit from Nico (because young). In a way, this story is Nico's journey to self-acceptance. But it's Jake's story too, and his second chance at love and friendship. I'm very happy I was there to read their stories.
Recommended!
*Review cross-posted on Gay Book Reviews.*
Surprise, surprise! Did you hear? Keira Andrews does baseball+BDSM+"my friend's little brother trope"+age gap!
I won't lie, as far as baseball is concerned I'm like...
It's a relatively new sport in my country (started in 1997 if I remember correctly), and every time I happen to take a glimpse of a game, I have no clue what the hell is going on.
There is A LOT of baseball in this book, especially in the first half. If you 're a fan of the sport, you 're going to love that aspect of the story. My cluelessness didn't stop me from enjoying it, especially after the 50% mark where the romance really picks up.
“No queers in baseball. Not allowed.”
That's what Nico's father said, and since baseball is always more important, Nico was willing to live in denial, and hide this part of himself. Until Jake (his brother's old friend, and Nico's teenage crush) joins the team.
The only time Nico speaks up is when he gets mad during a game. Otherwise, he's shy, closed off and lives A LOT inside his head. He makes things ten times worse than they really are.
He does have a filthy mouth, though.
"I used to dream about you here.”[...]
“Did you touch yourself?”
“Fuck, yes. All the time. Imagined how big your cock was, and if you were cut or not. What it would taste like. Wanted to swallow your cum. Used to taste mine and pretend it was yours.”
“Jesus. We can’t.”
“When I found out you were traded and I’d see you again, I got so hard I had to jerk off. Shoved my finger in my ass and imagined it was your cock, and—”
You can guess what happened afterwards. Jake is the only one who can calm Nico down during and after a game. The sex, albeit hot, is not gratuitous at all. I found that every sex scene was poignant; Liberating for Nico, and a fantasy coming true. And for Jake, a chance at something he thought he'd never find.
As far as the BDSM part is concerned, it is very light and it's more about the mentality behind BDSM. Nico needs to feel grounded, and for someone else to be in control, and make the rules in the bedroom. Jake gladly accepts that role. So no, there are no whips or chains here. Some bondage and spanking is as far as it goes, and I for one am grateful for it.
I won't lie...there is angst and pain. There is self-loathing and guilt. But it's not overwhelming or OTT. There's also a hissy fit from Nico (because young). In a way, this story is Nico's journey to self-acceptance. But it's Jake's story too, and his second chance at love and friendship. I'm very happy I was there to read their stories.
Recommended!
*Review cross-posted on Gay Book Reviews.*
October 12, 2016
10/11/16-ICYMI this is on sale TODAY only for 99¢ on Amazon to celebrate the Jays sweep of the Rangers: https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Signs-...
Don't miss it. It's amazeballs!
Finally! A quality sports romance that involves a sport that I'm passionate about! And just in time for the MLB Playoffs!
Not to get too Annie Savoy (Bull Durham reference) but I love baseball. I love going to the ballpark, the chants, Sweet Caroline, the wave, the vendors hawking all sorts of things, the superstitions, the rituals, the uniforms, how long the season is, sabermetrics and most especially the Boston Red Sox. I've been known to get a little exuberant and get a little glassy eyed at certain significant moments-the WS win in 2004, the first time Strasburg pitched, Varitek's last game and undoubtedly will during Papi's last game. There are some great baseball movies but great baseball MM romances are few and far between, at least in my experience.
I don't even have words for how thrilled I was to discover that not only was there superb baseball knowledge in this book, but a moving romance that will go down as one of my favorites.
I actually told SRAL that I felt like this book was written for me which is delusional I know, but when I find a book that works on so many different levels I feel like I've won the lottery. Reading the Signs made me feel like I had hit the jackpot, won the lottery and saved some kids from a burning building. Too much? *shrugs*
Jake Fitzgerald is a veteran catcher who's lost his passion for the game. He seems a little depressed to me and he's definitely lonely in denial about it and isolated. He gets traded from San Francisco to an up and coming team chock-a-block with young players. He's brought on to help rookie pitcher Nico Agresta mature. Nico's a hothead and has a tendency to psych himself out at the first sign of trouble. He's also waaaaayyyy too hard on himself with some bad habits and puts WAY too much pressure on himself to live up to his father and brother, both of whom sound like Hall of Famers. And you know what? There's nothing I like better than couples that affect each other in positive ways and Jake and Nico do. Both on and off the diamond!
Both men are closeted to varying degrees. Nico more so than Jake. Plus, he's dealing with more than his fair share of self-loathing for being gay in a family headed by an outspoken bigot. He's also been smitten with Jake since he was a pimply faced teen playing catch in the backyard. As their connection grows it becomes increasingly difficult to hide their attraction. Both have baggage which added depth to them as well as the story. The scenes with Nico's family were meaningful and poignant. They don't get it right and they're certainly not perfect but they make an effort, they try and that's what's most important to Nico.
The clubhouse dynamics were just fun to read about and I still contend that's the essential element to a great sports romance. Andrews clearly knows a lot about the game, but it's the players, coaches and sometimes owners relationships that make a great story and the Ottawa Caps made for a great story.
The kink is unfussy just like I like it with a little spanking and some rope bondage. Jake is also possessive and protective! I thought my head was going to spin off! The only thing that was missing were manties and I might've passed out if they were included. Really, who needs that? I was already woozy from all the dirty talk, fuckhot sex and how prettily Nico begs. DAMN! He begs like a champ.
The only thing that slightly disappointed me was how the season turned out. But... that's baseball.
This was my first but will most certainly not be my last Keira Andrews. I loved this so much I was sad when it was over, almost immediately wanted to start reading it again and even days later am still thinking about these characters and this story.
Highly recommended. Period.
A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Don't miss it. It's amazeballs!
Finally! A quality sports romance that involves a sport that I'm passionate about! And just in time for the MLB Playoffs!
Not to get too Annie Savoy (Bull Durham reference) but I love baseball. I love going to the ballpark, the chants, Sweet Caroline, the wave, the vendors hawking all sorts of things, the superstitions, the rituals, the uniforms, how long the season is, sabermetrics and most especially the Boston Red Sox. I've been known to get a little exuberant and get a little glassy eyed at certain significant moments-the WS win in 2004, the first time Strasburg pitched, Varitek's last game and undoubtedly will during Papi's last game. There are some great baseball movies but great baseball MM romances are few and far between, at least in my experience.
I don't even have words for how thrilled I was to discover that not only was there superb baseball knowledge in this book, but a moving romance that will go down as one of my favorites.
I actually told SRAL that I felt like this book was written for me which is delusional I know, but when I find a book that works on so many different levels I feel like I've won the lottery. Reading the Signs made me feel like I had hit the jackpot, won the lottery and saved some kids from a burning building. Too much? *shrugs*
Jake Fitzgerald is a veteran catcher who's lost his passion for the game. He seems a little depressed to me and he's definitely lonely in denial about it and isolated. He gets traded from San Francisco to an up and coming team chock-a-block with young players. He's brought on to help rookie pitcher Nico Agresta mature. Nico's a hothead and has a tendency to psych himself out at the first sign of trouble. He's also waaaaayyyy too hard on himself with some bad habits and puts WAY too much pressure on himself to live up to his father and brother, both of whom sound like Hall of Famers. And you know what? There's nothing I like better than couples that affect each other in positive ways and Jake and Nico do. Both on and off the diamond!
"Tell me how you feel," he whispered.
"Like there's no going back."
And as the words left Nico's kiss-swollen lips, Jake recognized that truth deep in his bones.
Both men are closeted to varying degrees. Nico more so than Jake. Plus, he's dealing with more than his fair share of self-loathing for being gay in a family headed by an outspoken bigot. He's also been smitten with Jake since he was a pimply faced teen playing catch in the backyard. As their connection grows it becomes increasingly difficult to hide their attraction. Both have baggage which added depth to them as well as the story. The scenes with Nico's family were meaningful and poignant. They don't get it right and they're certainly not perfect but they make an effort, they try and that's what's most important to Nico.
The clubhouse dynamics were just fun to read about and I still contend that's the essential element to a great sports romance. Andrews clearly knows a lot about the game, but it's the players, coaches and sometimes owners relationships that make a great story and the Ottawa Caps made for a great story.
The kink is unfussy just like I like it with a little spanking and some rope bondage. Jake is also possessive and protective! I thought my head was going to spin off! The only thing that was missing were manties and I might've passed out if they were included. Really, who needs that? I was already woozy from all the dirty talk, fuckhot sex and how prettily Nico begs. DAMN! He begs like a champ.
The only thing that slightly disappointed me was how the season turned out. But... that's baseball.
This was my first but will most certainly not be my last Keira Andrews. I loved this so much I was sad when it was over, almost immediately wanted to start reading it again and even days later am still thinking about these characters and this story.
Highly recommended. Period.
A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Read
October 20, 2022FREE Oct 19-23 2022!
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M16ZAY0/
Amazon Global: http://mybook.to/ReadingSigns_KA
ETA: Now available to borrow in KU!
This is my new sports romance, born a year ago during the Toronto Blue Jays’ 2015 run to the division title and into the postseason for the first time in more than two decades. I was struck with a serious case of baseball fever, and Nico and Jake completely invaded my brain.
Nico is a rookie pitcher who's repressing his sexuality and putting a buttload of pressure on himself to succeed. As a young teenager, he had a huge crush on Jake, his older brother's teammate. Fast forward nine years, and Jake is jaded and determined never to fall in love again after suffering through unrequited love for his former BFF. Now Nico and Jake are playing for the same team in more ways than one...
This contemporary novel features an age difference, light BDSM, a motherlode of emotional constipation, hurt/comfort, and lots of action on and off the field. I hope you enjoy it! :)
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M16ZAY0/
Amazon Global: http://mybook.to/ReadingSigns_KA
ETA: Now available to borrow in KU!
This is my new sports romance, born a year ago during the Toronto Blue Jays’ 2015 run to the division title and into the postseason for the first time in more than two decades. I was struck with a serious case of baseball fever, and Nico and Jake completely invaded my brain.
Nico is a rookie pitcher who's repressing his sexuality and putting a buttload of pressure on himself to succeed. As a young teenager, he had a huge crush on Jake, his older brother's teammate. Fast forward nine years, and Jake is jaded and determined never to fall in love again after suffering through unrequited love for his former BFF. Now Nico and Jake are playing for the same team in more ways than one...
This contemporary novel features an age difference, light BDSM, a motherlode of emotional constipation, hurt/comfort, and lots of action on and off the field. I hope you enjoy it! :)
September 28, 2016
LOVED!
Baseball....
Age gap....
Friends sibling....
Some kink....
Some hot kink at that....
Low angst....
What's not to love?
Baseball....
Age gap....
Friends sibling....
Some kink....
Some hot kink at that....
Low angst....
What's not to love?
October 10, 2016
KA doesn’t “do repeats”.
She writes about something, she finishes it, she turns the page and she goes on with something different. I didn’t want to read this because it was about sports. I wanted to try this one because it was done by her. She has already won my vote of confidence with the prospect of reading something by her. She only has to convince me, and that’s the challenge.
This story is about two men but there are many arcs, it was so complex in the end.
1. Love story (with an age gap): Nico – Jake.
2. Unrequited love and lost friendship: Jake – Brandon.
3. Guilt road: Nico – mother’s death.
4. Shame road: Nico – father’s homophobic attitude.
5. Health road: Nico – meltdowns before games.
6. Pear pressure road: Nico – expectations to be the best and how to deal with it all.
7. BDSM theme (a light one): Nico – Jake.
8. Rookie – veteran theme: Nico – Jake.
9. Retirement theme: Jake.
10. Obviously, the LBGT theme in a sports environment.
It doesn’t feel that way but in truth this book is not as simple as it seems at first. I don’t consider it a book about ‘sports’, although, ironically, the baseball topic was explained in a damn detailed way.
And it’s funny because the novel is built in such a way that is not even the usual romance. It reads easy, so easy you don’t notice how short the love story really is. Despite this, the love story is balanced and, surprisingly, unhurried. Nico has had a crush on Jake since he can remember, and Jake cannot at first get the idea of a much younger man than him to be his other half… but he does. It's amazing how straight-forward it is, how non-dramatic and non-stupid. How honest and true. No bullshit in the middle.
There are fun moments, too.
And there are heart-melting moments. The scenes with Nico's family were very emotive. I love how the characters have a background. They are not simply this guy who happen to play baseball. They have a past, they are the result of their experiences and their histories. They have depth.
The author could have made it more convoluted, with more drama-queenish moments and beating around the bush for the sake of it. But she didn’t.
I know nothing about baseball. Sometimes I felt I was watching a tennis match. I felt I was stupidly turning my head left and right, left and right, sometimes not even seeing the ball at all.
I’m not even mad. I can work with lapses.
The pitcher and catcher jokes are a plus, but in truth I loved Jake’s reasons for his love of this sport. He shapes the game, he ‘controls’ it, but he also likes taking care of his players, of his team. I could see the parallelism here, and I thought that was beautiful.
All in all, I really enjoyed this one.
*****
***ARC received from author via Indigo Marketing And Design in exchange for an honest review.
She writes about something, she finishes it, she turns the page and she goes on with something different. I didn’t want to read this because it was about sports. I wanted to try this one because it was done by her. She has already won my vote of confidence with the prospect of reading something by her. She only has to convince me, and that’s the challenge.
This story is about two men but there are many arcs, it was so complex in the end.
1. Love story (with an age gap): Nico – Jake.
2. Unrequited love and lost friendship: Jake – Brandon.
3. Guilt road: Nico – mother’s death.
4. Shame road: Nico – father’s homophobic attitude.
5. Health road: Nico – meltdowns before games.
6. Pear pressure road: Nico – expectations to be the best and how to deal with it all.
7. BDSM theme (a light one): Nico – Jake.
8. Rookie – veteran theme: Nico – Jake.
9. Retirement theme: Jake.
10. Obviously, the LBGT theme in a sports environment.
It doesn’t feel that way but in truth this book is not as simple as it seems at first. I don’t consider it a book about ‘sports’, although, ironically, the baseball topic was explained in a damn detailed way.
And it’s funny because the novel is built in such a way that is not even the usual romance. It reads easy, so easy you don’t notice how short the love story really is. Despite this, the love story is balanced and, surprisingly, unhurried. Nico has had a crush on Jake since he can remember, and Jake cannot at first get the idea of a much younger man than him to be his other half… but he does. It's amazing how straight-forward it is, how non-dramatic and non-stupid. How honest and true. No bullshit in the middle.
There are fun moments, too.
And there are heart-melting moments. The scenes with Nico's family were very emotive. I love how the characters have a background. They are not simply this guy who happen to play baseball. They have a past, they are the result of their experiences and their histories. They have depth.
The author could have made it more convoluted, with more drama-queenish moments and beating around the bush for the sake of it. But she didn’t.
I know nothing about baseball. Sometimes I felt I was watching a tennis match. I felt I was stupidly turning my head left and right, left and right, sometimes not even seeing the ball at all.
I’m not even mad. I can work with lapses.
The pitcher and catcher jokes are a plus, but in truth I loved Jake’s reasons for his love of this sport. He shapes the game, he ‘controls’ it, but he also likes taking care of his players, of his team. I could see the parallelism here, and I thought that was beautiful.
All in all, I really enjoyed this one.
*****
***ARC received from author via Indigo Marketing And Design in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2023
I’m in the minority on my thoughts on this book. It could be listening versus reading, but it lacked depth, I couldn’t feel their connection. It was like they were going through the motions rather than really FEELING the intimacy. Why did they like each other?
Excellent baseball play-by-play
Childhood crush/older brothers bff
Veteran (34) 6’5” (my knees hurt for him)
Rookie (22) pitcher
Awkward and unrealistic sex scenes, read more like a hook up the first time
BDSM is oddly placed. No backstory why either likes it
Both are deeply in the closet. One only dates/ has sex with women
Excellent baseball play-by-play
Childhood crush/older brothers bff
Veteran (34) 6’5” (my knees hurt for him)
Rookie (22) pitcher
Awkward and unrealistic sex scenes, read more like a hook up the first time
BDSM is oddly placed. No backstory why either likes it
Both are deeply in the closet. One only dates/ has sex with women
September 28, 2016
Wow, this book was great ! I loved it. I'm a big fan of sport themed (m/m) books, but baseball is defnitely my favorite. I love the sport, the lean muscular men and the very sexy uniforms.
The movie "Major League" is still one of my favorits and damn did I have a crush on "Wild Thing" Ricky Vaughn :)
In this book we are dealing with a rookie pitcher, Nic Agresta, who has some issues with his temper. Most of his temper comes from having to hide who he really is, to his family and the rest of the world. He has very low selfesteem and puts way to much pressure on himself. My heart broke for him a couple of times....
Then there is Jake. He is a catcher and a veteran. He has been playing for the same team for 8 years now. He has come out to his family and some of his friends, but not to his teammates and the rest of the world. Jake is a bit jaded. He fell in love with his best friend/ teammate a long time ago and in doing so, he also fucked up the best friendship he ever had. Things haven't been the same for him ever since. He is not interested in love or relationships and his love for baseball has slowly dwindled down.
Now Jake is being traded to Nic's team in Ottowa. Coaches seem to think that the veteran catcher can help out with their rookie hottempered pitcher. Nic and Jake have a little bit of a history together. Nic has always had a big crush on his brothers 12 year older teammate. So when these two come together...sparks are gonna fly, and Jake knows just how to calm down Nic's temper ;)
The BDSM factor in this book was pretty mild. Just some spanking and bondage, which was extremely hot !! I loved the steam in this book. These boys were perfect together.
I really hope there will be more books like this one. I'm gonna give this one 5 stars, because the MC's and the supporting characters were great, but also because I love baseball, which made it even better for me !!
May 23, 2021
Audio - 5 +++ Greg B was perfection as always
Story - 3.25 Stars. It's been 4 years. My tastes have changed, and I didn't enjoy the story as much this time around.
_______
Huh...it's like the MCs and other secondary characters from Valor on the Move were reincarnated into this story. Good thing I enjoyed that book.
Story - 3.25 Stars. It's been 4 years. My tastes have changed, and I didn't enjoy the story as much this time around.
_______
Huh...it's like the MCs and other secondary characters from Valor on the Move were reincarnated into this story. Good thing I enjoyed that book.
September 16, 2023
*** Baseball lovers, and fans of Kiera Andrews wonderful writing, this book is for you !
We get the action on the field and the super sexy bedroom action, too.
Veteran catcher, big muscled, 6'5" Jake, at 34, is being traded
from San Francisco to Ottawa. He's disappointed, but will make the best of it. Introductions are made and Jake can't believe his eyes;
it's young rookie pitcher, 22 yr. old Nico, who he knows.
As a teen, Nico and Jake plated catch at Nico's family gatherings. Jake was a friend of the baseball family. Now, Nico is full grown and on his way to stardom in baseball. Nico is surprised to see Jake again. He's "closeted" and Jake is too, publically.
Nico has loved Jake since he was 13, but Jake has no idea. We get clever writing, engaging characters who delight us. We move along smoothly and effortlessly. The guys seem so real. Their attraction is mutual, and the heat tangible.
Gosh, these two explode on the pages.
No games, no confusion, just admitting desires. Nico is stressed about telling family, but between the two men, it's a terrific deeply emotional ride. There are amazing sex scenes, with very light BDSM. We watch as Nico comes out to family, and how the family reacts.
This is a beautiful story of Nico and Jake who needed each other desperately to be whole; each filling the other's needs. Even through minor jealousy, and a tragedy, the men are at each other's side.
It's a fantastic tale of a lasting love !
Highly recommended ! ENJOY !
============================
I tried to use different pics than everybody else !
==============================
We get the action on the field and the super sexy bedroom action, too.
Veteran catcher, big muscled, 6'5" Jake, at 34, is being traded
from San Francisco to Ottawa. He's disappointed, but will make the best of it. Introductions are made and Jake can't believe his eyes;
it's young rookie pitcher, 22 yr. old Nico, who he knows.
As a teen, Nico and Jake plated catch at Nico's family gatherings. Jake was a friend of the baseball family. Now, Nico is full grown and on his way to stardom in baseball. Nico is surprised to see Jake again. He's "closeted" and Jake is too, publically.
Nico has loved Jake since he was 13, but Jake has no idea. We get clever writing, engaging characters who delight us. We move along smoothly and effortlessly. The guys seem so real. Their attraction is mutual, and the heat tangible.
Gosh, these two explode on the pages.
No games, no confusion, just admitting desires. Nico is stressed about telling family, but between the two men, it's a terrific deeply emotional ride. There are amazing sex scenes, with very light BDSM. We watch as Nico comes out to family, and how the family reacts.
This is a beautiful story of Nico and Jake who needed each other desperately to be whole; each filling the other's needs. Even through minor jealousy, and a tragedy, the men are at each other's side.
It's a fantastic tale of a lasting love !
Highly recommended ! ENJOY !
============================
I tried to use different pics than everybody else !
==============================
June 2, 2017
4.5 STARS
Why did I let this book sit on my kindle for months??? I absolutely loved everything about this story. Usually I have a problem with age gap stories, but not this one. Jake and Nico were absolutely perfect together.
Jake Fitzgerald is the aging catcher that was used to having control, on the field and in the bedroom. Nico Agresta is the hot shot new rookie pitcher trying to live up to the accomplishments of both his father and brother. But Nico is struggling with self-doubt and self-hatred. His head is spinning, but it is patient Jake that once again takes control.
Some readers might not like the baseball details, but since I am a huge baseball fan, I loved every minute of it. This was a super sweet, low angst type of read and I highly recommend it.
Why did I let this book sit on my kindle for months??? I absolutely loved everything about this story. Usually I have a problem with age gap stories, but not this one. Jake and Nico were absolutely perfect together.
Jake Fitzgerald is the aging catcher that was used to having control, on the field and in the bedroom. Nico Agresta is the hot shot new rookie pitcher trying to live up to the accomplishments of both his father and brother. But Nico is struggling with self-doubt and self-hatred. His head is spinning, but it is patient Jake that once again takes control.
Some readers might not like the baseball details, but since I am a huge baseball fan, I loved every minute of it. This was a super sweet, low angst type of read and I highly recommend it.
September 24, 2016
~BR with my girl, Dani~
I loved this relatively low angst book about a rookie and a veteran in the professional baseball world. Jake (the veteran catcher) gets traded to Ottawa in a surprise move with only two years left to play before he retires. It's on his new team that he meets back up with Nico, a rookie pitcher whom he knew many years ago from being friends with Nico's older brother.
The age gap of 12 years was delicious, and while Jake is told to mentor this relatively young team, it's discipline he winds up teaching - both on and off the field.
The attraction flares hot between Jake and Nico, and the two soon learn that a little lite BDSM kink in the bedroom is just what Nico's anxiety needs. He's such a perfectionist, always trying to be what his family and the sport "expect" of him. He needs to shut off his brain and just let it all go. And Jake's dominance kink can't wait to explore those possibilities with Nico. The bedroom scenes (and baseball stadium scenes) were hot, hot, hot!
What begins as fooling around turns to genuine affection, and the fallout of not only gay players in major league baseball, but teammates?? Well, it's enough to stress out anyone.
This is heavy on the baseball, so if you're not a fan, this could bore you. I am a fan, so all of that was just fine by me. Those uniforms sure know how to emphasize, ahem, their assets.
4 stars overall for this low angst, feel good story! Recommend.
I loved this relatively low angst book about a rookie and a veteran in the professional baseball world. Jake (the veteran catcher) gets traded to Ottawa in a surprise move with only two years left to play before he retires. It's on his new team that he meets back up with Nico, a rookie pitcher whom he knew many years ago from being friends with Nico's older brother.
The age gap of 12 years was delicious, and while Jake is told to mentor this relatively young team, it's discipline he winds up teaching - both on and off the field.
The attraction flares hot between Jake and Nico, and the two soon learn that a little lite BDSM kink in the bedroom is just what Nico's anxiety needs. He's such a perfectionist, always trying to be what his family and the sport "expect" of him. He needs to shut off his brain and just let it all go. And Jake's dominance kink can't wait to explore those possibilities with Nico. The bedroom scenes (and baseball stadium scenes) were hot, hot, hot!
What begins as fooling around turns to genuine affection, and the fallout of not only gay players in major league baseball, but teammates?? Well, it's enough to stress out anyone.
This is heavy on the baseball, so if you're not a fan, this could bore you. I am a fan, so all of that was just fine by me. Those uniforms sure know how to emphasize, ahem, their assets.
4 stars overall for this low angst, feel good story! Recommend.
September 30, 2016
4.5 Stars
It might be un-American of me, but I don't know a thing about baseball. But regarless of that, I really enjoyed this book. From the impromptu spanking to the very hot smexytimes...oh, yeah. Loved Nico and Jake. :)
It might be un-American of me, but I don't know a thing about baseball. But regarless of that, I really enjoyed this book. From the impromptu spanking to the very hot smexytimes...oh, yeah. Loved Nico and Jake. :)
January 19, 2022
Audiobook - 5 stars
Story - 3.5 stars
Story - 3.5 stars
June 6, 2017
4.25 stars
Athletes + BDSM + age gap = a Dani very happy. YEY!
Andrews nailed it with this story. I don’t even care that I didn’t understand a shit when they were talking about baseball (I know, my bad. Not a big fan of baseball.)
If you are not a big fan of baseball either, let me warn you that the first 35% is mostly about that. The beginning is SLOW and after 45% is when the romance starts to pick up. However, that didn’t stop me from enjoying this story.
Andrews wrote beautiful characters in this one. The MCs were splendid. Jake is 35 years old baseball player that is not so eager about baseball anymore… until he’s traded and he starts spending time with Nico. God, those two together are hot and sweet! Jake is super overprotective and he cares so much about Nico’s well-being that melts my heart. Nico has lots of issues but he kinda overcomes them thanks to Jake.
This story involves so much more than just sex and romance. It’s about acceptance. Accepting who you are and accepting those that are around you. Even if you have some retrograde thoughts *cough* Nico’s Dad *cough*. It’s also about healing and reconciling with those you once hurt (because you were being a completely and jealous asshole.)
Jake and Nico’s journey is not easy. There’s angst, guilt and self-loathing. So be prepared.
Finally, I have to say that the writing was fantastic, everything felt so real that it made me enjoy this story so much. Andrews did an awesome job with Nico’s family. I liked their interactions. I adored Val, she was so supportive and sweet and I liked learning more about Nico’s dad.
This is the second book that I read from Andrews and I must say she doesn’t need to write about zombies to do a great job.
Highly recommended!
Athletes + BDSM + age gap = a Dani very happy. YEY!
Andrews nailed it with this story. I don’t even care that I didn’t understand a shit when they were talking about baseball (I know, my bad. Not a big fan of baseball.)
If you are not a big fan of baseball either, let me warn you that the first 35% is mostly about that. The beginning is SLOW and after 45% is when the romance starts to pick up. However, that didn’t stop me from enjoying this story.
Andrews wrote beautiful characters in this one. The MCs were splendid. Jake is 35 years old baseball player that is not so eager about baseball anymore… until he’s traded and he starts spending time with Nico. God, those two together are hot and sweet! Jake is super overprotective and he cares so much about Nico’s well-being that melts my heart. Nico has lots of issues but he kinda overcomes them thanks to Jake.
This story involves so much more than just sex and romance. It’s about acceptance. Accepting who you are and accepting those that are around you. Even if you have some retrograde thoughts *cough* Nico’s Dad *cough*. It’s also about healing and reconciling with those you once hurt (because you were being a completely and jealous asshole.)
Jake and Nico’s journey is not easy. There’s angst, guilt and self-loathing. So be prepared.
Finally, I have to say that the writing was fantastic, everything felt so real that it made me enjoy this story so much. Andrews did an awesome job with Nico’s family. I liked their interactions. I adored Val, she was so supportive and sweet and I liked learning more about Nico’s dad.
This is the second book that I read from Andrews and I must say she doesn’t need to write about zombies to do a great job.
Highly recommended!
November 18, 2016
Resumen: algún momento: grrrrrrr, que te como entero!! y el resto: Zzzzzzzz y Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeh.
Dos jugadores de baseball se enamoran, y a partir de ahí algunos momentos muy calientes y páginas y páginas y páginas sobre baseball. Ver un partido de baseball en directo (yo lo he hecho) es un coñazo, pero leer sobre ello es ya el coñazo supremo. El libro está totalmente descompensado, mientras que las partes de baseball, de los partidos, son muy lentas, con detalles totalmente innecesarios, toda la construcción de la relación entre Nico y Jake es caótica, muy rápida. Cuando analizas a los personajes, nada de lo que ocurre tiene mucho sentido, años y años los dos con muchos problemas a cuestas y todo cambia en cuestión de un mes? dos meses? tres meses? Son adorables, las parejas de la autora suelen serlo, pero se queda todo muy plano, falta mucha construcción del personaje, y eso para mi es imperdonable. Si hay algo que me puede sacar de un libro es cuando siento que no conozco a los personajes, que no conozco sus motivaciones, o que todo está pasando muy deprisa. No my cup of tea.
Sé que el libro tiene muchos fans, por favor, perdonadme!!
Dos jugadores de baseball se enamoran, y a partir de ahí algunos momentos muy calientes y páginas y páginas y páginas sobre baseball. Ver un partido de baseball en directo (yo lo he hecho) es un coñazo, pero leer sobre ello es ya el coñazo supremo. El libro está totalmente descompensado, mientras que las partes de baseball, de los partidos, son muy lentas, con detalles totalmente innecesarios, toda la construcción de la relación entre Nico y Jake es caótica, muy rápida. Cuando analizas a los personajes, nada de lo que ocurre tiene mucho sentido, años y años los dos con muchos problemas a cuestas y todo cambia en cuestión de un mes? dos meses? tres meses? Son adorables, las parejas de la autora suelen serlo, pero se queda todo muy plano, falta mucha construcción del personaje, y eso para mi es imperdonable. Si hay algo que me puede sacar de un libro es cuando siento que no conozco a los personajes, que no conozco sus motivaciones, o que todo está pasando muy deprisa. No my cup of tea.
Sé que el libro tiene muchos fans, por favor, perdonadme!!
October 15, 2016
4.5 stars
This felt a little rushed but was an adorable, hot baseball romance. Dirty talk, passion and some actual baseball action. Win!
Highly recommended.
This felt a little rushed but was an adorable, hot baseball romance. Dirty talk, passion and some actual baseball action. Win!
Highly recommended.
September 29, 2016
This book is going straight to my: low-angst-high-cozyness-shelf! I really needed a fantastic read and this was it!
So Jake is a veteran in the baseball-league, and he is going through the motions, just to finish up his contract, so he can retire. He is gay, but hiding it, and after ruining his friendship with his BFF, he has not really given a shit about anything.
When he is traded to a new club, he is... Resigned, to just get on with it. That is until he sees Nico.
They knew each other years ago, since Jake was friends with Nico's older brother, but when Jake was traded, they lost contact.
Nico is this REALLY 'uptight' MC. Hid dad is a POS character (IMO), and Nico is struggling to live up to his father's and brother's accomplishments. The biggest pressure though comes from Nico, he has an array of things he takes on his shoulders, that almost broke my heart. This dude is so high-strung.
Jake promises himself that he just needs to finish his career, and not be involved with anyone, BUT when Nico's brat-tendencies come out in full force, Jake lets his 'hobby-Dom' shine through.
(I have a quick side-note here; there is NO negotiation or anything for the first spanking, and it is done in anger so beware if you have a hard time accepting this.)
After this they start a tentitative relationship. There is some angst and back-and-forth, but it made sense for these two MCs.
I liked this story, I liked that both Jake and Nico had some closure to their 'issues' and history, and I loved the way they were together.
During the book these two grow individually and together, and they learn from each other. This book is the story of Jake waking up and 'getting on' with his life, while Nico learns to take a deep breath and open up about his issues. The smexy times were hot, and the humor was great.
The reason this is not a 5-star read for me, is the baseball-language and Nico's dad.
The baseball-language yanked me out of the story, every time it got to the description of 'rules' and 'hits' and technicalities.
I have read sports-romances before, where the MCs are in a sport I know nothing about, but still the author managed to 'explain' it during the course of the book, or they had not written pages on the technical stuff (Avon Gale is a good example of this -IMO).
Nico's dad is the other reason I can't rate this book higher. This dude was an IDIOT. He may have sort of redeemed himself, during the book, but for him to KEEP saying that Nico can't act too gay! JESUS ROLLERBLADING CHRIST!!!! Where is the true support? That pissed me off something fierce!
The rest of the book was awesome, and definitely one I will read again! I've said it before, and I will say it again: this new trend with LAHC-plots and "no" crisis sround the 70-80% mark is FABULOUS!
So Jake is a veteran in the baseball-league, and he is going through the motions, just to finish up his contract, so he can retire. He is gay, but hiding it, and after ruining his friendship with his BFF, he has not really given a shit about anything.
When he is traded to a new club, he is... Resigned, to just get on with it. That is until he sees Nico.
They knew each other years ago, since Jake was friends with Nico's older brother, but when Jake was traded, they lost contact.
Nico is this REALLY 'uptight' MC. Hid dad is a POS character (IMO), and Nico is struggling to live up to his father's and brother's accomplishments. The biggest pressure though comes from Nico, he has an array of things he takes on his shoulders, that almost broke my heart. This dude is so high-strung.
Jake promises himself that he just needs to finish his career, and not be involved with anyone, BUT when Nico's brat-tendencies come out in full force, Jake lets his 'hobby-Dom' shine through.
(I have a quick side-note here; there is NO negotiation or anything for the first spanking, and it is done in anger so beware if you have a hard time accepting this.)
After this they start a tentitative relationship. There is some angst and back-and-forth, but it made sense for these two MCs.
I liked this story, I liked that both Jake and Nico had some closure to their 'issues' and history, and I loved the way they were together.
During the book these two grow individually and together, and they learn from each other. This book is the story of Jake waking up and 'getting on' with his life, while Nico learns to take a deep breath and open up about his issues. The smexy times were hot, and the humor was great.
The reason this is not a 5-star read for me, is the baseball-language and Nico's dad.
The baseball-language yanked me out of the story, every time it got to the description of 'rules' and 'hits' and technicalities.
I have read sports-romances before, where the MCs are in a sport I know nothing about, but still the author managed to 'explain' it during the course of the book, or they had not written pages on the technical stuff (Avon Gale is a good example of this -IMO).
Nico's dad is the other reason I can't rate this book higher. This dude was an IDIOT. He may have sort of redeemed himself, during the book, but for him to KEEP saying that Nico can't act too gay! JESUS ROLLERBLADING CHRIST!!!! Where is the true support? That pissed me off something fierce!
The rest of the book was awesome, and definitely one I will read again! I've said it before, and I will say it again: this new trend with LAHC-plots and "no" crisis sround the 70-80% mark is FABULOUS!
December 29, 2016
4 Stars
When veteran baseball catcher Jake Fitzgerald gets traded to a new up and coming team in Ottawa, Canada, he’s fairly disappointed and pretty pissed off that he now has to uproot his comfortable life and spend his final years in a game he’s honestly lost the passion for playing. You see, Jake was secretly considering early retirement, but now he’s been shipped off to play mentor to a new bunch of rookies and he really hasn’t got the heart to do so. That is, until he meets his new pitcher, Nico, and suddenly Jake finds his love for life and the game spectacularly reignited.
Nico Agresta is the rookie pitcher for the Ottawa team. He has a killer arm and a reputation for being quite shy in the club house and hot-headed on the pitch. As the younger brother of one of Jake’s old teammates Nico and Jake have a shared history. For Nico, Jake was his first real crush; the man that made Nico realise he was gay, and the constant star of all his forbidden fantasies since he was a teenager. He quickly finds himself learning from Jake on and off the field, in more ways than one.
Both men are deeply closeted, for different reasons, but once they reconnect the sparks fly and eventually their mutual attraction is an undeniable force they can’t help but act on.
This story had some fairly emotional moments highlighting the often negative stigmas surrounding gay men in professional sports. My heart particularly ached for Nico, with his self-imposed shame and misguided guilt relating to his family, his past and his sexuality. I loved how his coming out was handled with his family. His father was often an asshole, but I liked that he wasn’t made out to be an over-the-top uncaring parent, but simply an ignorant man who was a product of his own experiences. I particularly loved Nico’s sister and Jake’s mother as supportive secondary characters, too. It was great to see two strong, likeable female characters in an M/M romance – it’s something that’s often weirdly missing, but is a feature that I loved within this story and one I wish we had more of on the regular in the genre of m/m romance.
This story featured some light aspects of BDSM – themes I’m not usually interested in within my books, but which I found completely acceptable here. Seriously, I think I can handle anything in my books if Andrews is the one doing the writing. She made spanking hot, people! I say that in a shocked, excited way, because it’s always been a complete turn off for me, but here, I found myself totally engaged. So, for people who are liked-minded when it comes to a disinterest in BDSM in their books, please don’t let the mention of it here turn you away, because I promise this is the kind of kink you can handle and will most certainly enjoy.
Overall, this was another really enjoyable read from Andrews, with Nico and Jake making a truly sexy and sweet M/M pairing.
When veteran baseball catcher Jake Fitzgerald gets traded to a new up and coming team in Ottawa, Canada, he’s fairly disappointed and pretty pissed off that he now has to uproot his comfortable life and spend his final years in a game he’s honestly lost the passion for playing. You see, Jake was secretly considering early retirement, but now he’s been shipped off to play mentor to a new bunch of rookies and he really hasn’t got the heart to do so. That is, until he meets his new pitcher, Nico, and suddenly Jake finds his love for life and the game spectacularly reignited.
Nico Agresta is the rookie pitcher for the Ottawa team. He has a killer arm and a reputation for being quite shy in the club house and hot-headed on the pitch. As the younger brother of one of Jake’s old teammates Nico and Jake have a shared history. For Nico, Jake was his first real crush; the man that made Nico realise he was gay, and the constant star of all his forbidden fantasies since he was a teenager. He quickly finds himself learning from Jake on and off the field, in more ways than one.
Both men are deeply closeted, for different reasons, but once they reconnect the sparks fly and eventually their mutual attraction is an undeniable force they can’t help but act on.
This story had some fairly emotional moments highlighting the often negative stigmas surrounding gay men in professional sports. My heart particularly ached for Nico, with his self-imposed shame and misguided guilt relating to his family, his past and his sexuality. I loved how his coming out was handled with his family. His father was often an asshole, but I liked that he wasn’t made out to be an over-the-top uncaring parent, but simply an ignorant man who was a product of his own experiences. I particularly loved Nico’s sister and Jake’s mother as supportive secondary characters, too. It was great to see two strong, likeable female characters in an M/M romance – it’s something that’s often weirdly missing, but is a feature that I loved within this story and one I wish we had more of on the regular in the genre of m/m romance.
This story featured some light aspects of BDSM – themes I’m not usually interested in within my books, but which I found completely acceptable here. Seriously, I think I can handle anything in my books if Andrews is the one doing the writing. She made spanking hot, people! I say that in a shocked, excited way, because it’s always been a complete turn off for me, but here, I found myself totally engaged. So, for people who are liked-minded when it comes to a disinterest in BDSM in their books, please don’t let the mention of it here turn you away, because I promise this is the kind of kink you can handle and will most certainly enjoy.
Overall, this was another really enjoyable read from Andrews, with Nico and Jake making a truly sexy and sweet M/M pairing.
September 24, 2016
I was in heaven when I found about this book!
Keira Andrews + Sports + Older brother’s friend + Age gap = ticking all of Lili’s boxes.
And I have to say Keira Andrews delivered. The books starts off with Jake being traded to Ottawa. There he’s united with Nico, his friend’s little brother. He still has the image of a gangly, curly-haired kid with pimples but little Nico is all grown up. What ensues is a story of healing.
My highlights:
-Jake. I love a man who is caring and loving but also takes charge. Although he wasn’t looking for a relationship, he’s mature enough not to fight it and embraces his feelings for Nico.
-Nico. My heart broke for him. He was full of guilt and self-loathing. I was rooting for him all the way.
-Dual POV. Score!
-I love sports romance but sometimes in sports fiction, if there’s too much sports talk I get bored, but in this story, there was enough information about baseball to comprehend the logistics but not too much to bore me.
-Relationship progression. I just loved how she built Nico and Jake’s relationship. It was so romantic and not to sound cheesy, but it gave me butterflies.
-The supporting cast. A great group that added substance to the story. They showed us what molded each man, and were an instrumental part of the healing process.
-The pace was smooth and easy to read.
-The steam. They were so much more than sex scenes in a romance story.
All in all, this was another hit for Andrews. It was a beautiful story about family, healing, trust, and love. 5 Stars! HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
…he kissed every inch of skin he could kiss.
“Tell me how you feel,” he whispered.
“Like there’s no going back.”
And as the words left Nico’s kiss-swollen lips, Jake recognized that truth deep in his bones.
ARC kindly provided to Gay Book Reviews for an honest review.
May 4, 2017
***3.75 Stars***
This was perfect to keep my baseball high going....Did I mention GO CUBS!?!?! I'm still riding the emotions of that World Series win!
This was a really great story set in the baseball world. You've got a wonderful set of ingredients here: an age gap (12 years), friend's little brother trope (one harboring a long standing crush and the other oblivious), a fireball pitcher finally willing to explore his attraction to men and a veteran catcher with a love for some kink......stir together and enjoy!
The first half was better for me than the second, but I was really glad that the angst was kept low. There was serious potential to really throw some unnecessary drama in, but no wild pitches here...and hooray for that!
September 12, 2021
TW for homophobia, use of the f-word, cancer, and death of a parent.
Okay, I'm officially obsessed with Keira Andrews' books. I LOVED this one and it's an age gape M/M romance between a catcher and a pitcher. The catcher, Jake, used to play with the pitcher's, Nico's, older brother, and Nico has had a crush on Jake ever since he was young. Nico comes from a conservative family, so he's always been ashamed of being gay and has tried to deny that part of him. But with Jake, he's finally giving into his attraction. The romance between Jake and Nico was PERFECT and I loved all of the baseball in this. Since they're both baseball players on the same team, we get so much baseball content and I loved it. While they were falling in love, Jake was helping Nico become a better pitcher and learn to control his anger. I literally read this in one day because I couldn't put it down. I would definitely recommend picking it up!
Okay, I'm officially obsessed with Keira Andrews' books. I LOVED this one and it's an age gape M/M romance between a catcher and a pitcher. The catcher, Jake, used to play with the pitcher's, Nico's, older brother, and Nico has had a crush on Jake ever since he was young. Nico comes from a conservative family, so he's always been ashamed of being gay and has tried to deny that part of him. But with Jake, he's finally giving into his attraction. The romance between Jake and Nico was PERFECT and I loved all of the baseball in this. Since they're both baseball players on the same team, we get so much baseball content and I loved it. While they were falling in love, Jake was helping Nico become a better pitcher and learn to control his anger. I literally read this in one day because I couldn't put it down. I would definitely recommend picking it up!
September 23, 2016
Gave me everything I wanted in a sexy baseball book. Sportsing written by someone who gets the sport, themes tied between the sportsing and the romance/bedroom, and some deliciously hot scenes to show off all that sporty physicality. Loved the age difference, even though that isn't always a thing that works for me. Loved the low-angst sweetness. All in all, another win for me!
September 21, 2024
4 Stars!
If you’re a fan of Keira Andrews, this does not disappoint.
Veteran baseball player Jake is simply going through the motions. He’s planning on finishing his last two years as a catcher with minimal fuss. However, he suddenly gets traded to an up and coming team in the hopes that his experience will tame their hot headed rookie pitcher. Imagine his surprise when the pitcher turns out to be his old friend’s younger brother, whose attitude and hidden vulnerability stirs all sorts of feelings he didn’t know he had or wanted.
Nico definitely is not short on passion, dedication, or intensity. He’s been battling and denying his sexuality for years, while at the same time putting an extreme amount of pressure on himself to be the best, always trying to live up to unrealistic expectations. When he’s partnered with his teen crush, he can hardly believe his luck and his misfortune. He and Jake have great chemistry on the field, but at times they also clash as Jake tries to ground Nico and focus his talent. Things quickly heat up, and for the first time, Nico no longer wants to hide who he is anymore.
Be assured that Andrews does not short change the reader on the feels or the heat. For someone who is the furthest thing from a sports enthusiast in real life, I felt the abundance of technical details didn’t detract much from the flow. And for someone who typically does not enjoy bdsm, I was thankful to find myself not skipping through any of the love scenes. That may disappoint some, but know that the hot and dirty factor remain strong. Perfect in the amount of angsty insecurity and doubt, with very little drama overall, Jake and Nico get their realistic, but sweet and happy ending!
If you’re a fan of Keira Andrews, this does not disappoint.
Veteran baseball player Jake is simply going through the motions. He’s planning on finishing his last two years as a catcher with minimal fuss. However, he suddenly gets traded to an up and coming team in the hopes that his experience will tame their hot headed rookie pitcher. Imagine his surprise when the pitcher turns out to be his old friend’s younger brother, whose attitude and hidden vulnerability stirs all sorts of feelings he didn’t know he had or wanted.
Nico definitely is not short on passion, dedication, or intensity. He’s been battling and denying his sexuality for years, while at the same time putting an extreme amount of pressure on himself to be the best, always trying to live up to unrealistic expectations. When he’s partnered with his teen crush, he can hardly believe his luck and his misfortune. He and Jake have great chemistry on the field, but at times they also clash as Jake tries to ground Nico and focus his talent. Things quickly heat up, and for the first time, Nico no longer wants to hide who he is anymore.
Be assured that Andrews does not short change the reader on the feels or the heat. For someone who is the furthest thing from a sports enthusiast in real life, I felt the abundance of technical details didn’t detract much from the flow. And for someone who typically does not enjoy bdsm, I was thankful to find myself not skipping through any of the love scenes. That may disappoint some, but know that the hot and dirty factor remain strong. Perfect in the amount of angsty insecurity and doubt, with very little drama overall, Jake and Nico get their realistic, but sweet and happy ending!
September 30, 2016
I think I’m really a great fan of Keira Andrews, especially because it’s always something different.
This time, it’s about baseball players.
Jake is almost at the end of his career and has lost a bit of his interest, even though he keeps being the good team-player. However, he’s a bit annoyed to be traded and ending up in Ottawa, where he has to restart bonding with a new team and setting up in a new city. The trade is finally not that bad : great supporters, good management, nice team with an old acquaintance who guessed a lot time ago he was gay and with the brother of an old friend, Nico.
Nico always had a crush for Jake so he’s super excited about playing with Jake. But Nico, despite his young age, puts some much pressure on himself it’s hurtful : he needs to be a good grandchild, a good son, a good brother, a great player, and in the mix, accepting he’s gay is another burden he has a hard time to deal with.
But Jake is there to ground him, to support him, to help him to unleash all this pressure, while Nico’s thrill for the game is so refreshing for Jake and makes him want to feel again, on so many levels.
I loved this story for so many reasons : the writing…well, it’s Keira Andrews, the context (I love my sport romances), the friendship, the hotness (let’s not forget that, of course), but most of all, it felt so real that I totally got immersed in this story and felt so much for both Jake and Nico.
Recommended.
This time, it’s about baseball players.
Jake is almost at the end of his career and has lost a bit of his interest, even though he keeps being the good team-player. However, he’s a bit annoyed to be traded and ending up in Ottawa, where he has to restart bonding with a new team and setting up in a new city. The trade is finally not that bad : great supporters, good management, nice team with an old acquaintance who guessed a lot time ago he was gay and with the brother of an old friend, Nico.
Nico always had a crush for Jake so he’s super excited about playing with Jake. But Nico, despite his young age, puts some much pressure on himself it’s hurtful : he needs to be a good grandchild, a good son, a good brother, a great player, and in the mix, accepting he’s gay is another burden he has a hard time to deal with.
But Jake is there to ground him, to support him, to help him to unleash all this pressure, while Nico’s thrill for the game is so refreshing for Jake and makes him want to feel again, on so many levels.
I loved this story for so many reasons : the writing…well, it’s Keira Andrews, the context (I love my sport romances), the friendship, the hotness (let’s not forget that, of course), but most of all, it felt so real that I totally got immersed in this story and felt so much for both Jake and Nico.
Recommended.
October 4, 2016
****4.5 Stars****
May 22, 2024
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“I’m pretty fucking tempted to take you over my knee!” Nostrils flaring, chest heaving, Nico jutted out his chin. “I dare you.”
Famous last words
Keira Andrews has that special something that can make me read something completely out of my comfort zone. This one has lots I was excited about, but I generally avoid sports romance. But come on, how was I supposed to resist a book with a young, closeted hotheaded rookie and the veteran player newly traded to his team who said rookie had a massive crush on as a teenager? With spanking and a mild D/s dynamic in bed? I simply could not.
Nico is under a lot of pressure, from himself, his family, the team and the fans. He makes himself sick with nerves before every game, he struggles with internalized homophobia, has repeatedly tried to sleep with women in order to ‘be normal’ (his words), and had never planned on touching a man. Then in walks Jake, and their chemistry on and off the diamond is just too much for them to resist. They just made so much sense together.
This could have easily been horribly angsty, but it ended up being okay. That doesn’t mean it was angst free, but I thought the themes were handled well. Nico talking with his father made me cry a lot. A lot.
I would’ve liked an epilogue set a tad further into the future, but overall it was good.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Baseball players
Veteran/rookie
Teenage crush
Mild D/s dynamic
Closeted MCs
Size difference
Age gap
First times
‘good boy’
Restraints/rope play
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Mention of the death of a parent (past, cancer)
Internalized homophobia (MC)
Vomiting on purpose before games
Homophobic slur
Spanking (discipline)
Homophobic family members
Impact play
Face-fucking
Mentions of past racism/xenophobia
Restraints/rope play
Career-ending injury (older MC)
Hospitalization and surgery
One-time use of ‘slut’ during sex
Alcohol consumption (casual drinking)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: The first chapter starts with Nico right after a hookup with a woman. There are no details, and the woman is nice. It’s there to show Nico’s relationship/struggle with his own sexuality. After the MCs meet again, they briefly spot each other while Nico is out to dinner with a woman. They just say hi to each other, no details about what happens with her. Neither of them see anyone else after being together the first time. Jake’s previous FWB is still a friend, so when Nico overhears them talking on video chat, there’s a situation with jealousy, but they talk it out. Jake was previously in love with his best friend and ended up driving him away. There is no current romantic feelings between them.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary sports romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 22 and 34
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 240
Happy ending: Yes
He’d waited so long to say it out loud that Nico was suddenly struck by a soul-shaking tremor of fear, panic rising that if he didn’t get all the words out now, they’d somehow be swallowed too deep to ever surface. “I’m queer.” Nodding, Jake murmured, “That’s it, baby.” Tears burned Nico’s eyes. “I’m gay. I want cock. Always have. Always will.”
Marco’s forehead creased. “Fitz? What’s he got to do with it?” The other shoe apparently dropped, and his eyes widened. “Wait, Fitz is gay too? Holy shit, is everyone gay? How big is that closet?”
“That’s human nature, right? We don’t want something, but tell us we can’t have it—whoa, that changes everything. Whether we’re five or fifty.”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
“I’m pretty fucking tempted to take you over my knee!” Nostrils flaring, chest heaving, Nico jutted out his chin. “I dare you.”
Famous last words
Keira Andrews has that special something that can make me read something completely out of my comfort zone. This one has lots I was excited about, but I generally avoid sports romance. But come on, how was I supposed to resist a book with a young, closeted hotheaded rookie and the veteran player newly traded to his team who said rookie had a massive crush on as a teenager? With spanking and a mild D/s dynamic in bed? I simply could not.
Nico is under a lot of pressure, from himself, his family, the team and the fans. He makes himself sick with nerves before every game, he struggles with internalized homophobia, has repeatedly tried to sleep with women in order to ‘be normal’ (his words), and had never planned on touching a man. Then in walks Jake, and their chemistry on and off the diamond is just too much for them to resist. They just made so much sense together.
This could have easily been horribly angsty, but it ended up being okay. That doesn’t mean it was angst free, but I thought the themes were handled well. Nico talking with his father made me cry a lot. A lot.
I would’ve liked an epilogue set a tad further into the future, but overall it was good.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Baseball players
Veteran/rookie
Teenage crush
Mild D/s dynamic
Closeted MCs
Size difference
Age gap
First times
‘good boy’
Restraints/rope play
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Mention of the death of a parent (past, cancer)
Internalized homophobia (MC)
Vomiting on purpose before games
Homophobic slur
Spanking (discipline)
Homophobic family members
Impact play
Face-fucking
Mentions of past racism/xenophobia
Restraints/rope play
Career-ending injury (older MC)
Hospitalization and surgery
One-time use of ‘slut’ during sex
Alcohol consumption (casual drinking)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: The first chapter starts with Nico right after a hookup with a woman. There are no details, and the woman is nice. It’s there to show Nico’s relationship/struggle with his own sexuality. After the MCs meet again, they briefly spot each other while Nico is out to dinner with a woman. They just say hi to each other, no details about what happens with her. Neither of them see anyone else after being together the first time. Jake’s previous FWB is still a friend, so when Nico overhears them talking on video chat, there’s a situation with jealousy, but they talk it out. Jake was previously in love with his best friend and ended up driving him away. There is no current romantic feelings between them.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary sports romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 22 and 34
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 240
Happy ending: Yes
He’d waited so long to say it out loud that Nico was suddenly struck by a soul-shaking tremor of fear, panic rising that if he didn’t get all the words out now, they’d somehow be swallowed too deep to ever surface. “I’m queer.” Nodding, Jake murmured, “That’s it, baby.” Tears burned Nico’s eyes. “I’m gay. I want cock. Always have. Always will.”
Marco’s forehead creased. “Fitz? What’s he got to do with it?” The other shoe apparently dropped, and his eyes widened. “Wait, Fitz is gay too? Holy shit, is everyone gay? How big is that closet?”
“That’s human nature, right? We don’t want something, but tell us we can’t have it—whoa, that changes everything. Whether we’re five or fifty.”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
September 28, 2016
Gods be praised.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Keira Andrews...for writing a book that helped cleanse my palate of all the goddamn disappointments I've read this month.
Your characters, as always, are sweet and adorable and sexy, and your stories straddle the line between fluff and angst almost perfectly. After I read this, I went back and skimmed through Valor on the Move (again)...and I'll probably revisit a few of your others.
You're my savior this week, Keira Andrews. Bless you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Keira Andrews...for writing a book that helped cleanse my palate of all the goddamn disappointments I've read this month.
Your characters, as always, are sweet and adorable and sexy, and your stories straddle the line between fluff and angst almost perfectly. After I read this, I went back and skimmed through Valor on the Move (again)...and I'll probably revisit a few of your others.
You're my savior this week, Keira Andrews. Bless you.
September 23, 2016
Nico Agresta has been trying to be straight since he first realized he liked men because his father made it clear there should be no queers on the baseball field. As a result of that, and some childhood issues, he's a bundle of anxiety and nerves.
Baseball is a small world, and Nico knew Jake Fitzgerald when he was thirteen. That was when Nico's massive crush on Jake first began, and it seems nothing's changed in the years since they've seen each other. While nothing ever happened then, when Jake gives Nico some much-needed correction it quickly escalates into the two coming together in some pretty sexy scenes.
I liked that, even though Nico was a little immature in spots, he grows up some during the course of the story. Have to say though, if he were real I would probably gently suggest some therapy.
While I mostly liked the romance side of story, the baseball side didn't thrill me. I admit it - baseball bores me. But those who love the game will probably really enjoy that side of the story.
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Reading the Signs is a low angst, dual POV, romance with some very light bondage, some spanking, and a sweet HFN/HEA.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Reading the Signs provided by KA Books in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
“Why?” Jake wanted to punch someone; wanted to turn back time and fix it. “Look at me. Why?”
Tears escaped, hanging on Nico’s lashes. “No queers in baseball. Not allowed.”
The fury burned white hot, but Jake tamped it down. “Fuck that. Fuck anyone who thinks that. Fuck your dad for thinking that. He’s wrong. They’re wrong.” He kissed Nico, stroking his tongue as if he could erase the words Nico had said—that he didn’t deserve it, that he wasn’t allowed.
Baseball is a small world, and Nico knew Jake Fitzgerald when he was thirteen. That was when Nico's massive crush on Jake first began, and it seems nothing's changed in the years since they've seen each other. While nothing ever happened then, when Jake gives Nico some much-needed correction it quickly escalates into the two coming together in some pretty sexy scenes.
“Tell me how you feel,” he whispered.
“Like there’s no going back.”
And as the words left Nico’s kiss-swollen lips, Jake recognized that truth deep in his bones.
I liked that, even though Nico was a little immature in spots, he grows up some during the course of the story. Have to say though, if he were real I would probably gently suggest some therapy.
While I mostly liked the romance side of story, the baseball side didn't thrill me. I admit it - baseball bores me. But those who love the game will probably really enjoy that side of the story.
[image error]
“...I stopped loving it. Stopped loving everything.”
“But you said things changed when you came here, right?”
Turning his head on the pillow, Jake swiped at the tears escaping his eyes. “When I started loving you, I loved the game again.”
Nico was pretty sure the floor had just evaporated and he was falling through space, his heart pounding in his ears. “You love me?” he whispered.
“Of course. I honestly never thought I’d love anyone again. I didn’t want to. But you’re undeniable.”
Reading the Signs is a low angst, dual POV, romance with some very light bondage, some spanking, and a sweet HFN/HEA.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Reading the Signs provided by KA Books in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
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