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Easton U Pirates #2
Home Plate
Dominic Girard
My final baseball season with the Easton U Pirates feels bittersweet. I’d like to go out on a high note, graduate, and focus on the family business. But a certain pitcher is making senior year a challenge. Not only because Maclain is stubborn as hell, but because he makes me feel things I never have about another guy. With each snarky comment and hard-won grin, he reveals a little more of himself, and before I know it, I’m in over my head.
Mason Maclain
I’ll be graduating college this year, which also means the end of baseball, a sport I’ve played my entire life. It feels like a significant chapter is coming to a close, leaving behind a void I’m unwilling to face. Something else I don’t want to face? The impossibly charming Pirates catcher, whose quick wit and killer smirk poke holes in all my defenses. With each lingering look and quiet exchange, I want to push him away and pull him closer at the same time. I’ve never felt this intense draw before, and there’s no way I’ll ever admit it.
When Coach proposes a team-building activity to improve our chemistry on the field, little does he know things are heating up behind the scenes as well. A flicker of a connection sparks into a firestorm, and soon Girard and I are experiencing things for the first time—together. But outside the haven of our hotel room, reality infringes all too soon. I’m clinging to my fraying relationship with my dad, and for Girard, coming out is still scary, loving family or not. Resisting the pull to Girard seems futile, but I struggle at every turn. Any longer and I’ll lose the only person who makes my pulse thud quicker than a fastball over home plate.
There’s a pitcher-and-catcher joke in there somewhere.
My final baseball season with the Easton U Pirates feels bittersweet. I’d like to go out on a high note, graduate, and focus on the family business. But a certain pitcher is making senior year a challenge. Not only because Maclain is stubborn as hell, but because he makes me feel things I never have about another guy. With each snarky comment and hard-won grin, he reveals a little more of himself, and before I know it, I’m in over my head.
Mason Maclain
I’ll be graduating college this year, which also means the end of baseball, a sport I’ve played my entire life. It feels like a significant chapter is coming to a close, leaving behind a void I’m unwilling to face. Something else I don’t want to face? The impossibly charming Pirates catcher, whose quick wit and killer smirk poke holes in all my defenses. With each lingering look and quiet exchange, I want to push him away and pull him closer at the same time. I’ve never felt this intense draw before, and there’s no way I’ll ever admit it.
When Coach proposes a team-building activity to improve our chemistry on the field, little does he know things are heating up behind the scenes as well. A flicker of a connection sparks into a firestorm, and soon Girard and I are experiencing things for the first time—together. But outside the haven of our hotel room, reality infringes all too soon. I’m clinging to my fraying relationship with my dad, and for Girard, coming out is still scary, loving family or not. Resisting the pull to Girard seems futile, but I struggle at every turn. Any longer and I’ll lose the only person who makes my pulse thud quicker than a fastball over home plate.
There’s a pitcher-and-catcher joke in there somewhere.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 27, 2021
276 people are currently reading
1660 people want to read
About the author
Christina Lee
55 books2,147 followersChristina writes romance in different sub-genres, mostly with LGBTQ characters, not only because she's part of the community, but because representation matters, and everyone deserves a happily-ever-after.
You can find more info on her website: www.christinalee.net. From there you can link to her Facebook reader group as well as her IG account and newsletter.
You can find more info on her website: www.christinalee.net. From there you can link to her Facebook reader group as well as her IG account and newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews
February 9, 2024
I enjoyed this, though maybe not as much as the previous book. This one was angstier and more emotional. I didn't mind it that much, I just didn't expect it.
I really liked Girard and Maclain as characters. I loved how sweet and patient Girard was and I really felt for Maclain in this one. His story made me so sad.
The way the physical part of their relationship developed didn't quite work for me, but other than that I loved them together. I enjoyed the banter between them and some really sweet and tender moments.
As with the previous book, the secondary characters were great. Well, all but one. I loved seeing Dominic and Kellan again, as well as everyone on the team, and Girard's family is pretty amazing.
One thing that I noticed is that this story is very similar to the previous one in some ways.
I didn't necessarily dislike that, but it made this story less unique to me.
*******
Re-read 2/2024: listened to the audiobook
I really liked Girard and Maclain as characters. I loved how sweet and patient Girard was and I really felt for Maclain in this one. His story made me so sad.
The way the physical part of their relationship developed didn't quite work for me, but other than that I loved them together. I enjoyed the banter between them and some really sweet and tender moments.
As with the previous book, the secondary characters were great. Well, all but one. I loved seeing Dominic and Kellan again, as well as everyone on the team, and Girard's family is pretty amazing.
One thing that I noticed is that this story is very similar to the previous one in some ways.
I didn't necessarily dislike that, but it made this story less unique to me.
*******
Re-read 2/2024: listened to the audiobook
February 11, 2021
5 Stars
Initially, upon finishing this book, I slapped a GR four-star rating on it and went about my week… but after 6 long days, I’ll admit that I still haven’t stopped thinking about Mason Maclain and Dominic Girard, and the angsty-delicious way these two frenemies explosively came together during their final year playing college baseball. As far as I’m concerned, book couples that have staying power in my mind, well beyond the turn of the final page of their story, deserve extra stars, so there you have it!
If you’ve read Bat Boy, then you will already be familiar with the Easton U Pirates. In book one, we got to witness baseball captain Donovan come out of the closet when he fell hard and fast for the team’s bat boy (and the coach’s son), Kellan. Their romance was slightly angsty in a “forbidden romance” kind of way, but mostly it was made up of sweet moments and sexy first-times. Their story was a lot of fun to read and is one of my favourite new adult college-themed romances of 2020 (if not, the best).
This time around, the story focus is on team grinch and star pitcher, Maclain, and his explosive chemistry with team catcher and all-around good guy, Girard. These college seniors have a major enemies-to-lovers dynamic going on, with years’ worth of mutual antagonism, on and off the field. They butt heads at every turn, only truly agreeing on the fact that they drive each other crazy. But after they share a certain locker-room shower incident that shakes them both to their core, the entire basis of their mutual dislike is called into question, and they’re coming to realise the old adage is true: it’s a fine line between love and hate.
I god damn loved every minute of Maclain and Girard’s double bi-awakening. Their scorching sexual chemistry was all too easy to see and I bought into their developing feelings with ease. I felt for both of them in relation to their fears and confusion, but I respected the hell out of the way they ultimately embraced their new feelings as their relationship inevitably changed. Undoubtedly, Girard has a smoother acceptance of everything than Maclain, but together they bolstered each other up, challenging and motivating one another to be better and fight for what was important to them, not only on the baseball field but also in their personal lives and eventually in the bedroom too. They made one hell of a pair, when all was said and done, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the way their initially rocky relationship progressed into an epic romance.
The story was a meatier one than its predecessor, no doubt, with some serious family drama going on and plenty of (understandable) internal struggles with Maclain and Girard’s newly realised bisexuality—particularly in terms of what it would mean to act on these feelings—but all-in-all this story was made up of the kind of angst that I devour in my M/M romances and I couldn’t have been happy with the results.
Now, in truth, Maclain’s in-the-closet denials and overall grumpy-bum attitude could be a deterrent for some readers, but I think his temperamental character was done very well, because I ultimately came away from this story LOVING him. I felt so damn much for what he was going through, especially in relation to his overwhelming feelings of loneliness and his fractured relationship with his step-dad (the only family he had left). The bastard even made me cry—more than once—so that alone makes him an instant character favourite in my books.
As far as college sports-themed romances go, this one was perfectly executed. Beyond the great enemies-to-lovers relationship and the excellent bisexual representation, the story was elevated by a full cast of supportive and memorable characters. It’s obvious I loved the MCs, but the members of Girard’s close-knit family also deserve a noteworthy mention for being the bringers of such unconditional love. And it was also deeply heart-warming to see plenty of Kellan and Donovan (from book one), both happy and thriving in their relationship almost a year on.
This was definitely a win for me—possibly my favourite of Christina Lee’s books to date. 🙌
************************************
Update: The Valentine's Day bonus scene, available to newsletter subscribers, made me burst into tears of happiness. I'm an absolute goner for these two. <3
Initially, upon finishing this book, I slapped a GR four-star rating on it and went about my week… but after 6 long days, I’ll admit that I still haven’t stopped thinking about Mason Maclain and Dominic Girard, and the angsty-delicious way these two frenemies explosively came together during their final year playing college baseball. As far as I’m concerned, book couples that have staying power in my mind, well beyond the turn of the final page of their story, deserve extra stars, so there you have it!
If you’ve read Bat Boy, then you will already be familiar with the Easton U Pirates. In book one, we got to witness baseball captain Donovan come out of the closet when he fell hard and fast for the team’s bat boy (and the coach’s son), Kellan. Their romance was slightly angsty in a “forbidden romance” kind of way, but mostly it was made up of sweet moments and sexy first-times. Their story was a lot of fun to read and is one of my favourite new adult college-themed romances of 2020 (if not, the best).
This time around, the story focus is on team grinch and star pitcher, Maclain, and his explosive chemistry with team catcher and all-around good guy, Girard. These college seniors have a major enemies-to-lovers dynamic going on, with years’ worth of mutual antagonism, on and off the field. They butt heads at every turn, only truly agreeing on the fact that they drive each other crazy. But after they share a certain locker-room shower incident that shakes them both to their core, the entire basis of their mutual dislike is called into question, and they’re coming to realise the old adage is true: it’s a fine line between love and hate.
I god damn loved every minute of Maclain and Girard’s double bi-awakening. Their scorching sexual chemistry was all too easy to see and I bought into their developing feelings with ease. I felt for both of them in relation to their fears and confusion, but I respected the hell out of the way they ultimately embraced their new feelings as their relationship inevitably changed. Undoubtedly, Girard has a smoother acceptance of everything than Maclain, but together they bolstered each other up, challenging and motivating one another to be better and fight for what was important to them, not only on the baseball field but also in their personal lives and eventually in the bedroom too. They made one hell of a pair, when all was said and done, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the way their initially rocky relationship progressed into an epic romance.
The story was a meatier one than its predecessor, no doubt, with some serious family drama going on and plenty of (understandable) internal struggles with Maclain and Girard’s newly realised bisexuality—particularly in terms of what it would mean to act on these feelings—but all-in-all this story was made up of the kind of angst that I devour in my M/M romances and I couldn’t have been happy with the results.
Now, in truth, Maclain’s in-the-closet denials and overall grumpy-bum attitude could be a deterrent for some readers, but I think his temperamental character was done very well, because I ultimately came away from this story LOVING him. I felt so damn much for what he was going through, especially in relation to his overwhelming feelings of loneliness and his fractured relationship with his step-dad (the only family he had left). The bastard even made me cry—more than once—so that alone makes him an instant character favourite in my books.
As far as college sports-themed romances go, this one was perfectly executed. Beyond the great enemies-to-lovers relationship and the excellent bisexual representation, the story was elevated by a full cast of supportive and memorable characters. It’s obvious I loved the MCs, but the members of Girard’s close-knit family also deserve a noteworthy mention for being the bringers of such unconditional love. And it was also deeply heart-warming to see plenty of Kellan and Donovan (from book one), both happy and thriving in their relationship almost a year on.
This was definitely a win for me—possibly my favourite of Christina Lee’s books to date. 🙌
************************************
Update: The Valentine's Day bonus scene, available to newsletter subscribers, made me burst into tears of happiness. I'm an absolute goner for these two. <3
February 9, 2021
~4.5~
Damn, I liked Home Plate even more than the first book in the series. Maclain and Girard are so insanely hot together, and this story has all the things:
- Enemies to lovers (read book 1 first to get a feel for the chemistry between these two, even when they're fighting, or maybe especially then)
- Gay sex virgin x 2 (both men are SO eager, and the sexy scenes are sensual AF)
- Team camaraderie (I loved seeing Kellan and Donovan again)
- Real-life angst (Maclain's stepdad, the only dad he's ever known, is a heartless SoB and doesn't deserve any of Maclain's hope and love)
- Supportive family (all the cheers for Girard's awesome parents and sister!)
- Epilogue featuring Honey the Bee and some perfectly sappy sweetness (and hotness)
Christina Lee hit it out of the park with this one (baseball metaphor intended because I'm cool like that).
Damn, I liked Home Plate even more than the first book in the series. Maclain and Girard are so insanely hot together, and this story has all the things:
- Enemies to lovers (read book 1 first to get a feel for the chemistry between these two, even when they're fighting, or maybe especially then)
- Gay sex virgin x 2 (both men are SO eager, and the sexy scenes are sensual AF)
- Team camaraderie (I loved seeing Kellan and Donovan again)
- Real-life angst (Maclain's stepdad, the only dad he's ever known, is a heartless SoB and doesn't deserve any of Maclain's hope and love)
- Supportive family (all the cheers for Girard's awesome parents and sister!)
- Epilogue featuring Honey the Bee and some perfectly sappy sweetness (and hotness)
Christina Lee hit it out of the park with this one (baseball metaphor intended because I'm cool like that).
February 14, 2024
It’s hard to admit, but I pretty much just picked this book based solely on the cover alone. No reading the blurb, no looking at the author, nothing. And I don’t know why I'm always surprised when these kinds of books always end up having a really sweet message! I think in my mind I sort all of these books into the same porny genre, so you could say I was tricked by the cover in more ways than one! I should really be used to it by now. I was also afraid because my knowledge of baseball starts and ends at the fact that I have a really cool bobble head of Ichiro from when he was in the Mariners (passed down to me like a family heirloom!), but thankfully most of the hardcore sports aspects are generally glossed over!! Thank. Fuck. I know why I'm here and it's definitely not for basketball... or whatever sport is played in this book.
The story is pretty simple and mostly character driven but still interesting because of the fact that the characters are just so damn lovable! Dominic Girard is gregarious and charming while Mason Maclain has a chip on his shoulder but a heart of gold (and also has an alliterative name, so that's cool). It’s a dynamic that’s always a recipe for gold, and I honestly couldn't get enough of them! I do think their banter falls short in some parts though. They never really seemed to get past the “small-talky” stage and the dialogue had some pretty excessive male posturing. Very “bro” heavy. "Hey bro, pass that beer bro." "Sure thing bro, by the way bro, your eyes are beautiful bro." "Woah, Bro." You get it. It's a pretty silly complaint when going into one of these "shirtless-man-on-the-cover" books, but for a character driven novel, it's important to note these things. Personal preference thing, but I can't help but role my eyes when people talk like that in a book... and in the real world. If I'm totally honest, it's just not my cup of tea.
Other than that, there’s a nice surprise in the amount of diversity of LGBT+ identities that I was definitely not expecting here, but that might just be a "me" thing. Can you tell I was really thrown by the cover? And there’s some interesting conversations about coming out, and how difficult that could be, even in a supportive environment. That sense of mortification... I shudder at the thought! But once again, it's really hard to know what any of these people look like. Everybody’s just soooo hot, it reminds me of that one Twilight Zone episode, "Number 12 Looks Just Like You" (check it out, it's a good one). I mean, I like looking at the cover as much as anybody, but I can't stress how unimportant someone's appearance is to me in a book! It only gets you so far, and when all we've got is our imagination, how a person is described matters more than ever. Sorry, "he's super attractive," doesn't really do anything in the grand scheme of things. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this and I look forward to reading the rest of the series... or just looking back on this one fondly. Whichever.
The story is pretty simple and mostly character driven but still interesting because of the fact that the characters are just so damn lovable! Dominic Girard is gregarious and charming while Mason Maclain has a chip on his shoulder but a heart of gold (and also has an alliterative name, so that's cool). It’s a dynamic that’s always a recipe for gold, and I honestly couldn't get enough of them! I do think their banter falls short in some parts though. They never really seemed to get past the “small-talky” stage and the dialogue had some pretty excessive male posturing. Very “bro” heavy. "Hey bro, pass that beer bro." "Sure thing bro, by the way bro, your eyes are beautiful bro." "Woah, Bro." You get it. It's a pretty silly complaint when going into one of these "shirtless-man-on-the-cover" books, but for a character driven novel, it's important to note these things. Personal preference thing, but I can't help but role my eyes when people talk like that in a book... and in the real world. If I'm totally honest, it's just not my cup of tea.
Other than that, there’s a nice surprise in the amount of diversity of LGBT+ identities that I was definitely not expecting here, but that might just be a "me" thing. Can you tell I was really thrown by the cover? And there’s some interesting conversations about coming out, and how difficult that could be, even in a supportive environment. That sense of mortification... I shudder at the thought! But once again, it's really hard to know what any of these people look like. Everybody’s just soooo hot, it reminds me of that one Twilight Zone episode, "Number 12 Looks Just Like You" (check it out, it's a good one). I mean, I like looking at the cover as much as anybody, but I can't stress how unimportant someone's appearance is to me in a book! It only gets you so far, and when all we've got is our imagination, how a person is described matters more than ever. Sorry, "he's super attractive," doesn't really do anything in the grand scheme of things. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this and I look forward to reading the rest of the series... or just looking back on this one fondly. Whichever.
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August 14, 2021
reread (1): aug 2021
5 stars ☆
Just as I thought we'd probably hugged for longer than necessary, he pulled me in tighter and buried his face in my shoulder.
"Mason?" I said against his neck.
"Can't let go," he choked out.
I melted into his frame. "It's okay."
He shook his head. "I don't wanna let you go."
Maclain and Girard, my bbs. 🥺 i guess i'm in another rereading mood this month bc it's all i've been doing recently and these two have my heart! i finally started Bat Boy last night and i'm enjoying it so far but, 15% in, Maclain and Girard had this tension and i started missing them so i spent today rereading this instead lol. i felt everything for these two, especially Maclain because of his shitty dad, but i adored how Girard was always there to support him. 😭 the slow burn and development between them had the right pacing for me to feel invested. Girard's family was so wholesome, i loved them as well. ♡
5 stars ☆
Just as I thought we'd probably hugged for longer than necessary, he pulled me in tighter and buried his face in my shoulder.
"Mason?" I said against his neck.
"Can't let go," he choked out.
I melted into his frame. "It's okay."
He shook his head. "I don't wanna let you go."
Maclain and Girard, my bbs. 🥺 i guess i'm in another rereading mood this month bc it's all i've been doing recently and these two have my heart! i finally started Bat Boy last night and i'm enjoying it so far but, 15% in, Maclain and Girard had this tension and i started missing them so i spent today rereading this instead lol. i felt everything for these two, especially Maclain because of his shitty dad, but i adored how Girard was always there to support him. 😭 the slow burn and development between them had the right pacing for me to feel invested. Girard's family was so wholesome, i loved them as well. ♡
February 5, 2021
5 “Somehow, I had a feeling these two were gonna bat for the other team’’ stars
“I want this. I want you,” he murmured. “I know the first time might hurt, but I need to feel you, really feel you. I wanna feel alive, and you make me feel that way, like I’m burning from the inside. And I just…I need that right now.”
I was not ready for this book, at all. This book absolutely wrecked me. I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. The first book was really sweet and low angst and I thought it would be in the same vibe but turns out I couldn’t be more wrong. This book hit me in the feels really hard. I cried at it, more than once. Everything about it was just so perfect. I adored every seconds of this book, so much.
This was such a pure exploring who you are story and all of it just felt so real. It was angsty but it was also very sweet. Definitely the perfect balance of angst and comfort.
Brief summary: Mason McLain is a grumpy asshole with a lot of daddy issues who doesn’t think that anyone will want to stick by his side because of that. He’s pretty much enemy with Dominic Girard and they never could get along, which isn’t good because they have to play baseball together. So the coach decides to do an activity to make them more friendly and well, they fall madly in love.
I will try but i’m not sure I can put words on how much I loved this book, it was just perfect to me.
First, the description of McLain’s daddy issues was so done so well and it felt so real and as someone with a lot of those too, I kept finding myself relating to him and feel (and cry) for him.
Second, I loved how it was a double sexual discovery, with both of the main characters wanting to be with a man for the first time. That part was so well done, it was perfect. I loved how we got to see both of them experiencing their attraction to a man for the first time and how we got to see them exploring their sexuality together. I loved how we got to see all of their first times, they were so well done too. Also, I also enjoyed how we got to see their internal struggles about it, all of it felt so real.
Third, this was pretty slow burn and it took them a while before they got together and I loved how they tried to hate each other to hide the sexuality attraction and the sexual tension was so well done. You could feel how much these two wanted each other.
Fourth, oh my sweet, McLain, I can’t explain how much I fell in love with him. Everything about him. How he was really grumpy and a asshole because it’s been ages since he had someone that cares about him and he’s used to only having himself so he erects walls to protect himself from everyone else, but all he wanted was to find someone that will care about him and fight for him. How touch starved he was, that was described perfectly and I loved how he did everything to get Girard to touch him at all times. How he kept wishing his dad would be there for him even if he was mean and didn’t seem to care about him very much (I could definitely relate to that). How he was so scared of being who he is, it just felt so damn real, I just wanted to give the poor guy a hug. How he started to come out of his shell and trust that Girard would be there for him and wouldn’t hurt him and would keep him and his secrets safe. How he opened up to Girard and how he kept fighting for it and to be the man that Girard deserves, even if it was hard for him to not go back to his defense mecanism of pushing everyone away, I loved how he worked on opening up, it was so realistic. How he was so used to hiding his emotions and then he finally shared himself with Girard, piece by piece, it was such a thing of beauty. How he was less and less grouchy because he started opening up and being the man that he really is instead of hiding behind his defenses. I just loved McLain so much. He’s definitely one of my favourite book character. I loved how his character progression was done, it was perfect.
Fifth, Girard was so nice and so supportive. I loved how he never pushed McLain. He let him do thing at his pace. I like how he gave him some space to be and figure himself out. Honestly, Girard is a saint for waiting for McLain. McLain was really hot and cold because he never trusted someone before and it was hard for him. And I loved how Girard waited for him to be ready. Girard was so suportive, I really adored him.
Sixth, I loved the sex scenes so much. They were so tender and full of wonder because it was all new to them. I loved how you could see how touch starved McLain was and how Girard did everything to keep touching him. I adored how they explored each other. Also, special mention to their first kiss and their first time doing anal, those two scenes, they were perfection.
Seventh, I love how they communicated about their fears and talked to each other, it was so good. Also, when McLain opened up and started talking about his feelings? A fucking thing of beauty.
Eight, this was angsty (which is not my favourite) but it never bothered me. Mclain had a lot of issues but they all felt so real and they all made sense because of how his character was protrayed.
Ninth, I loved how it showed that being in love doesn’t magically solve everything, McLain still had issues and it was still hard for him to trust, even if he was in love and that part was done so so well. Also, I loved how he went to a therapist too to fix his issues because all doesn’t magically fix itself when you fall in love.
Everything about this book was perfect for me and it’s going on my favourites list for sure.
“I want this. I want you,” he murmured. “I know the first time might hurt, but I need to feel you, really feel you. I wanna feel alive, and you make me feel that way, like I’m burning from the inside. And I just…I need that right now.”
I was not ready for this book, at all. This book absolutely wrecked me. I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. The first book was really sweet and low angst and I thought it would be in the same vibe but turns out I couldn’t be more wrong. This book hit me in the feels really hard. I cried at it, more than once. Everything about it was just so perfect. I adored every seconds of this book, so much.
This was such a pure exploring who you are story and all of it just felt so real. It was angsty but it was also very sweet. Definitely the perfect balance of angst and comfort.
Brief summary: Mason McLain is a grumpy asshole with a lot of daddy issues who doesn’t think that anyone will want to stick by his side because of that. He’s pretty much enemy with Dominic Girard and they never could get along, which isn’t good because they have to play baseball together. So the coach decides to do an activity to make them more friendly and well, they fall madly in love.
I will try but i’m not sure I can put words on how much I loved this book, it was just perfect to me.
First, the description of McLain’s daddy issues was so done so well and it felt so real and as someone with a lot of those too, I kept finding myself relating to him and feel (and cry) for him.
Second, I loved how it was a double sexual discovery, with both of the main characters wanting to be with a man for the first time. That part was so well done, it was perfect. I loved how we got to see both of them experiencing their attraction to a man for the first time and how we got to see them exploring their sexuality together. I loved how we got to see all of their first times, they were so well done too. Also, I also enjoyed how we got to see their internal struggles about it, all of it felt so real.
Third, this was pretty slow burn and it took them a while before they got together and I loved how they tried to hate each other to hide the sexuality attraction and the sexual tension was so well done. You could feel how much these two wanted each other.
Fourth, oh my sweet, McLain, I can’t explain how much I fell in love with him. Everything about him. How he was really grumpy and a asshole because it’s been ages since he had someone that cares about him and he’s used to only having himself so he erects walls to protect himself from everyone else, but all he wanted was to find someone that will care about him and fight for him. How touch starved he was, that was described perfectly and I loved how he did everything to get Girard to touch him at all times. How he kept wishing his dad would be there for him even if he was mean and didn’t seem to care about him very much (I could definitely relate to that). How he was so scared of being who he is, it just felt so damn real, I just wanted to give the poor guy a hug. How he started to come out of his shell and trust that Girard would be there for him and wouldn’t hurt him and would keep him and his secrets safe. How he opened up to Girard and how he kept fighting for it and to be the man that Girard deserves, even if it was hard for him to not go back to his defense mecanism of pushing everyone away, I loved how he worked on opening up, it was so realistic. How he was so used to hiding his emotions and then he finally shared himself with Girard, piece by piece, it was such a thing of beauty. How he was less and less grouchy because he started opening up and being the man that he really is instead of hiding behind his defenses. I just loved McLain so much. He’s definitely one of my favourite book character. I loved how his character progression was done, it was perfect.
Fifth, Girard was so nice and so supportive. I loved how he never pushed McLain. He let him do thing at his pace. I like how he gave him some space to be and figure himself out. Honestly, Girard is a saint for waiting for McLain. McLain was really hot and cold because he never trusted someone before and it was hard for him. And I loved how Girard waited for him to be ready. Girard was so suportive, I really adored him.
Sixth, I loved the sex scenes so much. They were so tender and full of wonder because it was all new to them. I loved how you could see how touch starved McLain was and how Girard did everything to keep touching him. I adored how they explored each other. Also, special mention to their first kiss and their first time doing anal, those two scenes, they were perfection.
Seventh, I love how they communicated about their fears and talked to each other, it was so good. Also, when McLain opened up and started talking about his feelings? A fucking thing of beauty.
Eight, this was angsty (which is not my favourite) but it never bothered me. Mclain had a lot of issues but they all felt so real and they all made sense because of how his character was protrayed.
Ninth, I loved how it showed that being in love doesn’t magically solve everything, McLain still had issues and it was still hard for him to trust, even if he was in love and that part was done so so well. Also, I loved how he went to a therapist too to fix his issues because all doesn’t magically fix itself when you fall in love.
Everything about this book was perfect for me and it’s going on my favourites list for sure.
July 11, 2021
omg the feels in this book… i may have cried.
the tension, the angst, the mutual pining… was absolutely delicious. this was a little slow burny at the beginning in the best ways possible. you could just FEEL how much mason and dominic longed for each other.
mason maclain is the epitome of don’t judge a book by its cover. he was hiding SO much pain, loneliness and insecurity behind his harsh words and prickly exterior. he was the softest, mushiest man on the inside though. just longing for love and affection and someone to rely on. dominic gave that to him, even when mason fought how much he needed it. 🥺
the way not just dominic, but also his family accepted mason was so beautiful to see and it made my cold black heart warm right up. absolutely love seeing supportive parents in books. hope mason’s stepdad burns in hell though.
thank you so much to the beautiful marci for recommending this to me. absolutely loved it! 🥰
the tension, the angst, the mutual pining… was absolutely delicious. this was a little slow burny at the beginning in the best ways possible. you could just FEEL how much mason and dominic longed for each other.
mason maclain is the epitome of don’t judge a book by its cover. he was hiding SO much pain, loneliness and insecurity behind his harsh words and prickly exterior. he was the softest, mushiest man on the inside though. just longing for love and affection and someone to rely on. dominic gave that to him, even when mason fought how much he needed it. 🥺
the way not just dominic, but also his family accepted mason was so beautiful to see and it made my cold black heart warm right up. absolutely love seeing supportive parents in books. hope mason’s stepdad burns in hell though.
thank you so much to the beautiful marci for recommending this to me. absolutely loved it! 🥰
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March 18, 2024
MM Romance
Hurt/Comfort Grumpy/Sunshine
4.25 Stars ⭐️
🎧Audiobook Reread 2024
🎵Narrated by Kale Williams & Iggy Toma
Loved this book more via audiobook probably because I adore both narrators and found they voiced their respective characters exactly how I heard them in my head. I have this ridiculous thing that happens almost every time I listen to a book I already read where the narrators voices aren’t what I imagined and it makes me disconnect from the story. It’s annoying af because it happens even when I like the narrator whereas if I listen to the audio without having read the book, I will usually like it a hell of a lot more. I think this one worked because I only read this book once in 2022 so I didn’t have any expectation going in.
I will say though some of their dialogue near the end was super cheesy spoken aloud and because I just listened to the first book in this series, Bat Boy, I noticed just how similar the two books are which is a bit lazy but I’ll overlook it because I love Mason & Dominic. 💗
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Original Review Below
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Mason Maclain broke my heart while reading this and Dominic Girard and his family pieced both of us back together. 😭😭 Mason was so broken, touch starved and just empty since losing his mom at 10 years old and I just wanted to hug him the entire time I read this. It was so hard to be in his POV at times because of the longing he had inside him to matter to someone. Girard’s POV was a bit easier to be in but because he adored Mason and felt like it was a hopeless situation between them, the longing was present within him as well and it made this book a tad sad at times. That being said, I didn’t feel like this was a super angsty book but it did make me a bit teary at times especially when it came to Maclain’s stepdad.
I absolutely adored the found family aspect to this book and the hurt/comfort. I always forget how much I like those two tropes and this book really gets them right. I liked how just like in book one the focus stayed on the couple’s relationship and friendship and not just the sexual aspects because most books like this become one sex scene after another once they start experimenting. Don’t get me wrong, I love that in some books but this book wouldn’t have been as special without the trust they had between them as time went on. But damn, the sex scenes in this book were better than book one that’s for sure. I loved how Mason was so needy for it and it made him feel less empty when he’d fall asleep with Girard still inside him because he needed the connection. 😭😭 That got me in the feels as did the bee 🐝. But I just loved how these two knew how to take care of each other and how Girard’s family adopted Mason. This was a lovely book and I wish I had read it sooner.
Hurt/Comfort Grumpy/Sunshine
4.25 Stars ⭐️
🎧Audiobook Reread 2024
🎵Narrated by Kale Williams & Iggy Toma
Loved this book more via audiobook probably because I adore both narrators and found they voiced their respective characters exactly how I heard them in my head. I have this ridiculous thing that happens almost every time I listen to a book I already read where the narrators voices aren’t what I imagined and it makes me disconnect from the story. It’s annoying af because it happens even when I like the narrator whereas if I listen to the audio without having read the book, I will usually like it a hell of a lot more. I think this one worked because I only read this book once in 2022 so I didn’t have any expectation going in.
I will say though some of their dialogue near the end was super cheesy spoken aloud and because I just listened to the first book in this series, Bat Boy, I noticed just how similar the two books are which is a bit lazy but I’ll overlook it because I love Mason & Dominic. 💗
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Original Review Below
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Mason Maclain broke my heart while reading this and Dominic Girard and his family pieced both of us back together. 😭😭 Mason was so broken, touch starved and just empty since losing his mom at 10 years old and I just wanted to hug him the entire time I read this. It was so hard to be in his POV at times because of the longing he had inside him to matter to someone. Girard’s POV was a bit easier to be in but because he adored Mason and felt like it was a hopeless situation between them, the longing was present within him as well and it made this book a tad sad at times. That being said, I didn’t feel like this was a super angsty book but it did make me a bit teary at times especially when it came to Maclain’s stepdad.
I absolutely adored the found family aspect to this book and the hurt/comfort. I always forget how much I like those two tropes and this book really gets them right. I liked how just like in book one the focus stayed on the couple’s relationship and friendship and not just the sexual aspects because most books like this become one sex scene after another once they start experimenting. Don’t get me wrong, I love that in some books but this book wouldn’t have been as special without the trust they had between them as time went on. But damn, the sex scenes in this book were better than book one that’s for sure. I loved how Mason was so needy for it and it made him feel less empty when he’d fall asleep with Girard still inside him because he needed the connection. 😭😭 That got me in the feels as did the bee 🐝. But I just loved how these two knew how to take care of each other and how Girard’s family adopted Mason. This was a lovely book and I wish I had read it sooner.
February 10, 2021
This is possibly the best M/M novel ever written by Christina Lee.
Home Plate gets a YES!!! 5 star!!! rating from me because everything about this story is perfect! It is also the last book in a duology. Naturally there are recurring characters like Brady and Kellan from the first book: Bat Boy. In Home Plate, it is the Easton U Pirates' last baseball season for some seniors of the team. Including the two MC's Girard and Maclain. While things start heating up between them, they are also both on a journey towards self acceptance. This book is such a beauty because Maclain and Girard slowly fall in love. And the moment they are naming each other by their first names instead of the usual last names, Mason and Dominic, is so damn magical concerning their relationship development.
Home Plate can be read as a standalone but I do recommend reading Bat Boy first. Because you can already feel something great happening between Maclain and Girard in the first book.
Home Plate gets a YES!!! 5 star!!! rating from me because everything about this story is perfect! It is also the last book in a duology. Naturally there are recurring characters like Brady and Kellan from the first book: Bat Boy. In Home Plate, it is the Easton U Pirates' last baseball season for some seniors of the team. Including the two MC's Girard and Maclain. While things start heating up between them, they are also both on a journey towards self acceptance. This book is such a beauty because Maclain and Girard slowly fall in love. And the moment they are naming each other by their first names instead of the usual last names, Mason and Dominic, is so damn magical concerning their relationship development.
Home Plate can be read as a standalone but I do recommend reading Bat Boy first. Because you can already feel something great happening between Maclain and Girard in the first book.
January 25, 2021
This book was just so so so good!
Review to come
I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest review.
****SPOILER FREE REVIEW****
****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED VULNRABILITY****
What I loved!
The Characters...
- Girard is straight, or so he thought. He had a girlfriend, was a great baseball player and all around nice guy who helps his family in their bowling alley business. The only time he doesn't have his wits about him is when Maclain is concerned. #Confused
- Maclain has been having weird feeling towards Girard for more than a year. He never thought someone would make him feel safe and electrify him at the same time. Maclain is starved for affection and touch, and Girard is all to happy to comply. #TouchMe
The Plot...
These guys are enemies, but there is an invisible string that keeps them tethered. After being forced to bunk together, they start to talk and connect...emotionally and physically. #HateToLoveYou
The Romance...
Through all the confusion and connection, Maclain is scared of his own feelings. He struggles to let go, but Girard doesn't give up and keeps breaking down his walls. He wants to get to the mushy center of Maclain's hard outer covering. #ChipAwayAtTheLayers
The Heat...
Dooooode! The UST is off the charts. Hot Damn! The pacing is smooth and logical, the feelings are all there, and these boys coming together (pun intended) is #FireOnFire
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The HEA...
Can we all say SWOON? These two boys are the sweetest ever, and they deserve every bit of happiness they got. #TogetherNoMatterWhat
Review to come
I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest review.
****SPOILER FREE REVIEW****
****HIGHLY RECOMMENDED VULNRABILITY****
What I loved!
The Characters...
- Girard is straight, or so he thought. He had a girlfriend, was a great baseball player and all around nice guy who helps his family in their bowling alley business. The only time he doesn't have his wits about him is when Maclain is concerned. #Confused
- Maclain has been having weird feeling towards Girard for more than a year. He never thought someone would make him feel safe and electrify him at the same time. Maclain is starved for affection and touch, and Girard is all to happy to comply. #TouchMe
The Plot...
These guys are enemies, but there is an invisible string that keeps them tethered. After being forced to bunk together, they start to talk and connect...emotionally and physically. #HateToLoveYou
The Romance...
Through all the confusion and connection, Maclain is scared of his own feelings. He struggles to let go, but Girard doesn't give up and keeps breaking down his walls. He wants to get to the mushy center of Maclain's hard outer covering. #ChipAwayAtTheLayers
The Heat...
Dooooode! The UST is off the charts. Hot Damn! The pacing is smooth and logical, the feelings are all there, and these boys coming together (pun intended) is #FireOnFire
[image error]
The HEA...
Can we all say SWOON? These two boys are the sweetest ever, and they deserve every bit of happiness they got. #TogetherNoMatterWhat
February 9, 2021
I KNOW! I know this is the second book from the series but I didn't like the first one, I remember that the writing was weird and I couldn't connect so I didn't get farther than 15%, but the reviews to this one got me interested and besides I LOVE SPORTS/ROMANCE BOOKS! 😍😍👐
I really, really was charmed by Home Plate, it's a lovely story about two guys getting to know and exploring their sexuality, there are a rollercoaster of emotions because of it: excitement, fear, sadness, frustration, apprehension, a lot! But it was well written so I didn't question anything and I didn't feel overwhelmed by it. I wasn't even bothered by Mason's hot and cold attitude because I understood him.
It was really lovely and I think Mason and Dominic are a wonderful couple. Beautiful read. 🥰❤
I really, really was charmed by Home Plate, it's a lovely story about two guys getting to know and exploring their sexuality, there are a rollercoaster of emotions because of it: excitement, fear, sadness, frustration, apprehension, a lot! But it was well written so I didn't question anything and I didn't feel overwhelmed by it. I wasn't even bothered by Mason's hot and cold attitude because I understood him.
It was really lovely and I think Mason and Dominic are a wonderful couple. Beautiful read. 🥰❤
June 10, 2021
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: If you go into this one looking for a fluffy GFY M/M romance, this’ll probably be a hit! I don’t think I was expecting that much tbh, so I wasn’t disappointed or anything but I really wish it was one of those that was a pleasant surprise. I did not read the first book, and from reading reviews it seemed like I didn’t need to — but I wouldn’t recommend jumping to this book first. I felt like I was missing a lot. There were references to things that happened in the past as if I experienced them, but I didn’t. That was a little frustrating and I think it contributed to me not getting into this as much as I would’ve liked. This is getting 3 just okay stars from me
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Dominic and Mason’s story. They bump heads as the stubborn pitcher and catcher on the college baseball team, but something lies underneath their rocky relationship that’s a lot like attraction. Only neither of them had been attracted to a man before. Things get really confusing when the coach decides that they need to be friends and makes them bunk together on away games. There is some banter, some sexy times, and some family drama...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Dominic and Mason’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well
Instalove: Kind of. Insta-confused-lust 😜
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 3.5 stars. Dominic. He was super sweet and caring.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3.5 stars. Mason. He broke my heart with his loneliness!
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a good place but with what I would call a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: If you go into this one looking for a fluffy GFY M/M romance, this’ll probably be a hit! I don’t think I was expecting that much tbh, so I wasn’t disappointed or anything but I really wish it was one of those that was a pleasant surprise. I did not read the first book, and from reading reviews it seemed like I didn’t need to — but I wouldn’t recommend jumping to this book first. I felt like I was missing a lot. There were references to things that happened in the past as if I experienced them, but I didn’t. That was a little frustrating and I think it contributed to me not getting into this as much as I would’ve liked. This is getting 3 just okay stars from me
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Dominic and Mason’s story. They bump heads as the stubborn pitcher and catcher on the college baseball team, but something lies underneath their rocky relationship that’s a lot like attraction. Only neither of them had been attracted to a man before. Things get really confusing when the coach decides that they need to be friends and makes them bunk together on away games. There is some banter, some sexy times, and some family drama...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Dominic and Mason’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well
Instalove: Kind of. Insta-confused-lust 😜
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 3.5 stars. Dominic. He was super sweet and caring.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3.5 stars. Mason. He broke my heart with his loneliness!
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a good place but with what I would call a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
April 5, 2021
I adored this from start to finish. Everything that was missing for me in the first book, Bat Boy I found here! I couldn't really feel the chemistry from Donovan & Brady in the first book but Maclain & Girard's chemistry???? Off the charts. Red-hot. It was also leaps and bounds a more compelling, better written story. I had an inkling I would enjoy this more because enemies-to-lovers is everythinggggg but I'm so happy that it exceeded my expectations! Best-friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers are tied for my favorite tropes and this book solidified why I enjoy enemies-to-lovers so so so much. What a pleasure to read. I wish there were a billion books about Maclain & Gerard and Gerard's family, I would read every last one <3
January 24, 2021
I really loved this one, just as I expected I would. I am not completely sure about my rating yet... It is somewhere between 4 and 4,5 stars.
Full review to come soon... but for now, highly recommended ;)
I mean this is a book about a catcher and a pitcher falling in deep man-love... Who would not want to read about that !!???
Full review to come soon... but for now, highly recommended ;)
I mean this is a book about a catcher and a pitcher falling in deep man-love... Who would not want to read about that !!???
October 20, 2021
3.5 stars ⭐️ I really liked the story, and I did enjoy it. But I think I expect more of both Dominic and Mason, and most of the incidents of Home Plate are similar to the earlier book, and it did disappoint me. The plot is interesting but I was hoping it’d be amazing.
May 5, 2025
I enjoyed this just as much a book one and maybe a little bit more 🥰 Where book one was sweet, fluffy, and light on the angst, this one was a little more dramatic. I wouldn't say it's heavy angst or anything but just enough to give it a rougher edge to it than the first book.
We met Maclain and Girard in book one where they were the pitcher and cacher duo that were always in tiff or some such thing. In this book, we find out the reason behind that was (surprise, surprise) they've been harboring some feelings for each other 💙
Maclain and Girard had great chemistry together, and I found them more compelling as a couple than Kellan and Brady from book one. I loved the slowburn and how they worked through figuring things out. My heart broke for Maclain and his family situation, but the way he found the family he deserved with Girard's family was lovely. If you read this, make sure not to miss the bonus scene because it ties up the story ✌🏻
We met Maclain and Girard in book one where they were the pitcher and cacher duo that were always in tiff or some such thing. In this book, we find out the reason behind that was (surprise, surprise) they've been harboring some feelings for each other 💙
Maclain and Girard had great chemistry together, and I found them more compelling as a couple than Kellan and Brady from book one. I loved the slowburn and how they worked through figuring things out. My heart broke for Maclain and his family situation, but the way he found the family he deserved with Girard's family was lovely. If you read this, make sure not to miss the bonus scene because it ties up the story ✌🏻
February 9, 2021
I absolutely loved this slow burn, complicated and a wee bit angsty sports romance.
The second in Christina's Easton U series, it was a beautifully paced and completely organic frenemies to lovers relationship with just the right amount of UST.
I thought I might get frustrated at Maclain's inability to deal with his feelings for Girad, but in actually, I found myself empathising more and more.
His stepfather was an utter dick, and what made it worse was that it wasn't deliberately done. He was just thoughtless and should have done more to live up to his promise to Mason's mum to always take care of him.
On the other side of the pairing, Dominic's family were awesome and I loved how they had no hesitation on accepting his bisexuality or his feelings for Mason.
The Epilogue is just so lovely I had big heart eyes when reading it 😁
I've no clue who might be next though or if there even is another book coming!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The second in Christina's Easton U series, it was a beautifully paced and completely organic frenemies to lovers relationship with just the right amount of UST.
I thought I might get frustrated at Maclain's inability to deal with his feelings for Girad, but in actually, I found myself empathising more and more.
His stepfather was an utter dick, and what made it worse was that it wasn't deliberately done. He was just thoughtless and should have done more to live up to his promise to Mason's mum to always take care of him.
On the other side of the pairing, Dominic's family were awesome and I loved how they had no hesitation on accepting his bisexuality or his feelings for Mason.
The Epilogue is just so lovely I had big heart eyes when reading it 😁
I've no clue who might be next though or if there even is another book coming!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
February 7, 2021
4.5 stars
I adored Mason and Dominic. Watching them both experience attraction towards another guy for the first time. And how scary it all was. Especially for Mason.
It was a slow slow burn, but with so much UST, it kept me reading and wanting more, wanting to see what happened when they finally touched. And it didn’t disappoint. The sex scenes were scorching.
The angst, the fear. I wanted to wrap Mason in my arms, except he’d probably kick and run. I loved the push and pull and the fear to commit, to admit there was something between him and Dominic.
Dominic was sweet and patient. His perfect family grated me a little though. Too much perfection is annoying. The writing was a little cheesy at times, I feel like some things would have been better more toned down.
Another thing that frustrated me a little, and it was the same in book 1, I would have liked to see the initial attraction. It felt a bit like starting a book at chapter 3.
But overall it was awesome. ❤️
I adored Mason and Dominic. Watching them both experience attraction towards another guy for the first time. And how scary it all was. Especially for Mason.
It was a slow slow burn, but with so much UST, it kept me reading and wanting more, wanting to see what happened when they finally touched. And it didn’t disappoint. The sex scenes were scorching.
The angst, the fear. I wanted to wrap Mason in my arms, except he’d probably kick and run. I loved the push and pull and the fear to commit, to admit there was something between him and Dominic.
Dominic was sweet and patient. His perfect family grated me a little though. Too much perfection is annoying. The writing was a little cheesy at times, I feel like some things would have been better more toned down.
Another thing that frustrated me a little, and it was the same in book 1, I would have liked to see the initial attraction. It felt a bit like starting a book at chapter 3.
But overall it was awesome. ❤️
August 17, 2021
5 Bit-o-Honey stars
THIS BOOK SET ME ON FIRE
I'm in love with Girard and Maclain! They're such a powerful couple, with an incredible chemistry. The tension between them was palpable. Even through the pages, I could feel it in my bones. And then, when they got together, it was a firework 🧡
Maclain was a complexe character. Utterly alone and hollow inside, he put up walls to hide his true feelings. Seeing him go head to head with Girard in Bat Boy, I thought he was more of a coleric man, but he was actually hurting because of his step-dad - who is a jerk and a homophob I would gladly knee in the nuts😡
Girard was sweet and more grounded. I liked his way of thinking and his patience towards Maclain. He had a more optimistic personality, thanks to his loving family. He was surprised to find himself attracted to another man, but he was willing to give it a try, because of all the butterflies that set off in his belly when Maclain smiled - it was so cute to read about it. So dreamy!
These two didn't have anything in common, except baseball. But they sensed something tying them together and simply couldn't fight their attraction.
Maclain's confusing feelings for Girard made him antsy and it was a long fight until he opened up to him. I loved seeing him gradually let go of his fear and trust Girard. I think he's my favourite character in the series so far. His vulnerability strung an emotional chord and he has a special place in my heart as of now. Which is kind of surprising considering I couldn't stand him in book 1 🤷♀️
This time, the side characters really helped build the story. Seeing Donovan, Kellan and Jaz interacting with the MCs and helping them sort things out about themselves was heartwarming. The club was also a great idea - thank you for this AMAZING scene !!! In another register, Girard's family dynamic with Maclain was just perfect. My heart melted each time they were mentionned together.
A genius mix of meaningful and hot moments that put me on a little cloud 🌤
THIS BOOK SET ME ON FIRE
I'm in love with Girard and Maclain! They're such a powerful couple, with an incredible chemistry. The tension between them was palpable. Even through the pages, I could feel it in my bones. And then, when they got together, it was a firework 🧡
Maclain was a complexe character. Utterly alone and hollow inside, he put up walls to hide his true feelings. Seeing him go head to head with Girard in Bat Boy, I thought he was more of a coleric man, but he was actually hurting because of his step-dad - who is a jerk and a homophob I would gladly knee in the nuts😡
Girard was sweet and more grounded. I liked his way of thinking and his patience towards Maclain. He had a more optimistic personality, thanks to his loving family. He was surprised to find himself attracted to another man, but he was willing to give it a try, because of all the butterflies that set off in his belly when Maclain smiled - it was so cute to read about it. So dreamy!
These two didn't have anything in common, except baseball. But they sensed something tying them together and simply couldn't fight their attraction.
Maclain's confusing feelings for Girard made him antsy and it was a long fight until he opened up to him. I loved seeing him gradually let go of his fear and trust Girard. I think he's my favourite character in the series so far. His vulnerability strung an emotional chord and he has a special place in my heart as of now. Which is kind of surprising considering I couldn't stand him in book 1 🤷♀️
This time, the side characters really helped build the story. Seeing Donovan, Kellan and Jaz interacting with the MCs and helping them sort things out about themselves was heartwarming. The club was also a great idea - thank you for this AMAZING scene !!! In another register, Girard's family dynamic with Maclain was just perfect. My heart melted each time they were mentionned together.
A genius mix of meaningful and hot moments that put me on a little cloud 🌤
July 21, 2021
UPDATE- What the hell, I read the bonus scene and just couldn't stop feeling all sappy. This is the best proposal scene I have read in a while. So, I am upgrading my rating to 5⭐ because it's reserved for anything that makes me feel strong emotions in a good way.😌😌
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This is kind of a grumpy-Sunshine romance. I can't call it hate to love because the MCs never actually hated each other. Plus, they both played as Catcher and pitcher, their role as complementary to the team not of a rival. I know it's weird but this book was refreshing in an angsty way. Because all the books I have read recently forget to talk about internalised homophobia. Especially in the case of bi-curious MCs. But this book has double sexual discovery and both Girard and Parker handled it in completely different ways. Maybe it can be attributed to their support system but I liked that the main source of angst is Parker's inability to accept his bisexuality or his fear of acceptance from his friends and father. I loved the relationship development and how much patience Girard has for Parker.
Overall, this is a kind of sports romance that will stay with you for days. I just wanted it to be a little longer than 250 pages.
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This is kind of a grumpy-Sunshine romance. I can't call it hate to love because the MCs never actually hated each other. Plus, they both played as Catcher and pitcher, their role as complementary to the team not of a rival. I know it's weird but this book was refreshing in an angsty way. Because all the books I have read recently forget to talk about internalised homophobia. Especially in the case of bi-curious MCs. But this book has double sexual discovery and both Girard and Parker handled it in completely different ways. Maybe it can be attributed to their support system but I liked that the main source of angst is Parker's inability to accept his bisexuality or his fear of acceptance from his friends and father. I loved the relationship development and how much patience Girard has for Parker.
Overall, this is a kind of sports romance that will stay with you for days. I just wanted it to be a little longer than 250 pages.
September 11, 2022
”Mason?
‘Can’t let go’ He choked out.
I melted into his frame. ‘It’s okay.’
He shook his head. ‘I don’t wanna let you go’”
Ok maybe, maybe I was sobbing a little in one part. Oh this was emotional. The mutual pining and the angst *chef’s kiss*
I’m indeed a mess after this book. Mason deserves all the best in his life and see him suffering like that argh!!?!!?
Girard was his biggest supporter in this book, it was beautiful to see that he didn't give up on the mason at all.
Mason being touched starved hits different.
I LOVE THEM.
‘Can’t let go’ He choked out.
I melted into his frame. ‘It’s okay.’
He shook his head. ‘I don’t wanna let you go’”
Ok maybe, maybe I was sobbing a little in one part. Oh this was emotional. The mutual pining and the angst *chef’s kiss*
I’m indeed a mess after this book. Mason deserves all the best in his life and see him suffering like that argh!!?!!?
Girard was his biggest supporter in this book, it was beautiful to see that he didn't give up on the mason at all.
Mason being touched starved hits different.
I LOVE THEM.
March 18, 2021
First off, I’d like to thank Florence for finally making me read this. After reading the first book in the series and not liking it, I wasn’t too excited to jump into this one.
But I’m glad I did!
So swoony and romantic with very hot first times.
I fell in love with Maclain. I’m a sucker for MC’s with daddy issues. Girard was perfect for him, and how they came together was so organic and pure.
The flirting with banter were out of this world. It’s my favourite part of any romance novel. The subtle smiles, the butterflies and just falling in love with each other.
It was so good. I don’t have much to say other than I have a huge grin on my face.
But I’m glad I did!
So swoony and romantic with very hot first times.
I fell in love with Maclain. I’m a sucker for MC’s with daddy issues. Girard was perfect for him, and how they came together was so organic and pure.
The flirting with banter were out of this world. It’s my favourite part of any romance novel. The subtle smiles, the butterflies and just falling in love with each other.
It was so good. I don’t have much to say other than I have a huge grin on my face.
February 4, 2021
4.5 happy filled stars!
I can definitely say I enjoyed this more than the first one, a lot more. Again, maybe it's the push and pull, love/hate dynamic that gets me, but whatever it was, I just was so much more into this one.
This focuses on Mason Maclain and Dominic Girard, the pitcher and catcher on the team - there's a joke there somewhere ;) - who don't seem to get along well and butted heads multiple times in the first book. But there was definite heat between them in the first book to let us know that there more than just animosity between these two.
There's definite attraction, but for so long both of these men thought they were straight, or didn't look too deeply if they had a little more appreciation for a male figure than a straight person would have.
But Girard is a little more open to exploring said possible attraction to men, specifically Maclain, but Maclain is so terrified of his own shadow that any progress between these two is hard won - and I guess, most of the time, all the better because it is so deserved.
I do have to say that well past the 5o% mark, Maclain's hot and cold, mostly cold, attitude about it all, got to be a little trying at times. I understood it, I definitely understood it, what with his family situation and his father (actually step-father) who is definitely homophobic, and he is the only family Maclain has left, as his mother died when he was young and they live in Kentucky, even if it's one of the cities in Kentucky, and even today, it would take a lot of courage to be out.
But, it got a tad frustrating when it felt like it was taking too long for Maclain to make any real progress. When these two start anything physical, it's well into the book and they don't even kiss, not until well after the halfway point. And even then there are times when Maclain will mostly ignore Girard or keep it all bottled up inside.
So I gave .5 off for that, just because of how little progress was being made over so far into the book, but ultimately it was more understandable than not, so it wasn't too much of a detriment to my enjoyment of this.
Especially when Maclain starts to really give into his feelings. Even though he's still scared and nowhere near ready to be out, he gets more intimate with Girard and closer to him, and that makes all the difference for me.
They had this push and pull, this great banter, this great chemistry, that I loved. And for their first time being with men, once they finally do go far, both aren't too scared about the actual intimately physical parts with each other, which was both sweet and sexy.
I wish Maclain's step-father would have gotten his comeuppance. He was a straight up asshole and honestly fuck him. He got away with things way too easily. Whether it would be healthier or not to just "let it go" I feel like Maclain - or even Girard - should have gone off on the fucker. Because honestly, fuck him.
But thankfully Girard's family kind of takes Maclain in, and they treat him more like he's family than his stepfather ever did.
I also love that we got to see so much more depth to Maclain. In the first book he's mostly a loud-mouthed, obnoxious asshole, but there's so much more under the surface with him, and when he starts to loosen up and be himself, he's such a good person, an interesting person. Just goes to show, you never know what someone is going through.
And Girard was great too. He was so kind and patient and caring with Maclain, and he saw the real Mason - Maclain's first name - under all the bluster and BS. Which of course, I love to death.
So overall, a superb second installment, and it was, in my opinion, better than the first. Two massive thumbs up from me!
I wonder if we'll be getting a third installment in this series? I have my ideas of who a third couple could be ;).
I can definitely say I enjoyed this more than the first one, a lot more. Again, maybe it's the push and pull, love/hate dynamic that gets me, but whatever it was, I just was so much more into this one.
This focuses on Mason Maclain and Dominic Girard, the pitcher and catcher on the team - there's a joke there somewhere ;) - who don't seem to get along well and butted heads multiple times in the first book. But there was definite heat between them in the first book to let us know that there more than just animosity between these two.
There's definite attraction, but for so long both of these men thought they were straight, or didn't look too deeply if they had a little more appreciation for a male figure than a straight person would have.
But Girard is a little more open to exploring said possible attraction to men, specifically Maclain, but Maclain is so terrified of his own shadow that any progress between these two is hard won - and I guess, most of the time, all the better because it is so deserved.
I do have to say that well past the 5o% mark, Maclain's hot and cold, mostly cold, attitude about it all, got to be a little trying at times. I understood it, I definitely understood it, what with his family situation and his father (actually step-father) who is definitely homophobic, and he is the only family Maclain has left, as his mother died when he was young and they live in Kentucky, even if it's one of the cities in Kentucky, and even today, it would take a lot of courage to be out.
But, it got a tad frustrating when it felt like it was taking too long for Maclain to make any real progress. When these two start anything physical, it's well into the book and they don't even kiss, not until well after the halfway point. And even then there are times when Maclain will mostly ignore Girard or keep it all bottled up inside.
So I gave .5 off for that, just because of how little progress was being made over so far into the book, but ultimately it was more understandable than not, so it wasn't too much of a detriment to my enjoyment of this.
Especially when Maclain starts to really give into his feelings. Even though he's still scared and nowhere near ready to be out, he gets more intimate with Girard and closer to him, and that makes all the difference for me.
They had this push and pull, this great banter, this great chemistry, that I loved. And for their first time being with men, once they finally do go far, both aren't too scared about the actual intimately physical parts with each other, which was both sweet and sexy.
I wish Maclain's step-father would have gotten his comeuppance. He was a straight up asshole and honestly fuck him. He got away with things way too easily. Whether it would be healthier or not to just "let it go" I feel like Maclain - or even Girard - should have gone off on the fucker. Because honestly, fuck him.
But thankfully Girard's family kind of takes Maclain in, and they treat him more like he's family than his stepfather ever did.
I also love that we got to see so much more depth to Maclain. In the first book he's mostly a loud-mouthed, obnoxious asshole, but there's so much more under the surface with him, and when he starts to loosen up and be himself, he's such a good person, an interesting person. Just goes to show, you never know what someone is going through.
And Girard was great too. He was so kind and patient and caring with Maclain, and he saw the real Mason - Maclain's first name - under all the bluster and BS. Which of course, I love to death.
So overall, a superb second installment, and it was, in my opinion, better than the first. Two massive thumbs up from me!
I wonder if we'll be getting a third installment in this series? I have my ideas of who a third couple could be ;).
October 19, 2021
"Mason?" I said against his neck.
"Can't let go," he choked out.
I melted into his frame. "It's okay."
He shook his head. "I don't wanna let you go."
My heart rose to my throat. "I don't want you to let go either."
After another long beat, his mouth found my ear. "I'm in love with you."
My body tingled from head to toe. "I'm in love with you too."
• college romance
• baseball
• double bi-awakening
• sunshine/grumpy
• slow burn
• sweet, low angst
Home Plate was a fun read even though I'm generally not a fan of college romance. It’s a perfect comfort read for those days when you want something sweet that will pull at your heartstrings.
Dominic Girard and Mason Maclain are both baseball players in their senior year of college. Dominic is the sunshine to Mason's grumpy. They want to end their last season of baseball with a bang, but their weird, tense dynamic keeps getting in the way of their team's performance. It turns out that all the aggro between them masks a case of serious attraction. Theirs is a slow burn romance where Dominic and Mason move from warily circling each other to becoming tentative friends, and finally, lovers. What makes this sweet is watching Mason evolve from a prickly, emotionally damaged loner to a more trusting and confident person as he thrives under Dominic's love. And their double bi-awakening provides for some steamy sex scenes.
"Can't let go," he choked out.
I melted into his frame. "It's okay."
He shook his head. "I don't wanna let you go."
My heart rose to my throat. "I don't want you to let go either."
After another long beat, his mouth found my ear. "I'm in love with you."
My body tingled from head to toe. "I'm in love with you too."
• college romance
• baseball
• double bi-awakening
• sunshine/grumpy
• slow burn
• sweet, low angst
Home Plate was a fun read even though I'm generally not a fan of college romance. It’s a perfect comfort read for those days when you want something sweet that will pull at your heartstrings.
Dominic Girard and Mason Maclain are both baseball players in their senior year of college. Dominic is the sunshine to Mason's grumpy. They want to end their last season of baseball with a bang, but their weird, tense dynamic keeps getting in the way of their team's performance. It turns out that all the aggro between them masks a case of serious attraction. Theirs is a slow burn romance where Dominic and Mason move from warily circling each other to becoming tentative friends, and finally, lovers. What makes this sweet is watching Mason evolve from a prickly, emotionally damaged loner to a more trusting and confident person as he thrives under Dominic's love. And their double bi-awakening provides for some steamy sex scenes.
November 2, 2021
[3.8] ngl Mason kinda annoyed me in the previous book BUT this redeemed him in my eyes and my heart broke for him so many times 🥺 this story had a nice dose of conflict courtesy of his lousy stepdad who takes care of him with as minimal effort as possible purely out of obligation to his deceased mother, so no surprise here when i threw up my arms and screamed HALLELUJAH once . ugh incompetent parental figures, amirite? thank goodness Dominic fabulous family balanced it out!!
i liked this a little more than the first thanks to the extra spice of enemies-to-lovers, but maybe because i read the books back-to-back and my brain's still buzzing from work, i thought they shared several similarities?? like with the . not that that's bad or anything, but as a result, the story didn't feel as fresh as i'm sure those who read this one first would feel. either way though, i *love* watching grumpsters open up their hearts and be vulnerable around only a certain someone so thanks for the food!! not to mention, Mason's first reaction to basically go "ew" whenever he notices he's thinking about Dominic in that way was hilariously adorable 🤣
don't forget the bonus proposal scene, SO CUTE!!!! shout out to the therapist mention as well 🙌
i liked this a little more than the first thanks to the extra spice of enemies-to-lovers, but maybe because i read the books back-to-back and my brain's still buzzing from work, i thought they shared several similarities?? like with the . not that that's bad or anything, but as a result, the story didn't feel as fresh as i'm sure those who read this one first would feel. either way though, i *love* watching grumpsters open up their hearts and be vulnerable around only a certain someone so thanks for the food!! not to mention, Mason's first reaction to basically go "ew" whenever he notices he's thinking about Dominic in that way was hilariously adorable 🤣
don't forget the bonus proposal scene, SO CUTE!!!! shout out to the therapist mention as well 🙌
April 9, 2023
This was just as good as I remembered
June 6, 2022
3.9 Stars
I liked this second book in the Easton U Pirates-Series better than the first, because the point of conflict was much clearer and I liked both characters. Maclean was the one to bring the angst into the deal mostly by means of his abondonment issues, being neglected by his step-dad (that dad really deserves the golden raspberry of the year) and dealing with fear of homophobia. This more than counterweighted the moments of sweetness to an effect that kept those from going over my tolerance-level.
I felt the growing feelings were well done. From the first moment of simultaneous rivalry & attraction (I wouldn't say "hate" here, it's more like they avoided each other) to friendship to friends with benefits to love the progress was not hurried and not too slow.
I liked the baseball parts in the books. I always have problems with supposed sport romances which don't actually show the characters doing any of said sports. Here it was done just right - a frame for the relationship without being the center.
The writing was ... okay. It wasn't to sugary or two clichéd, which can easily happen for me but sometimes felt a bit stilted. A bit "and then ... and then ... and then". Still overall as stated before I would say it was okay.
There is a strange fixation with both the volumes of "Easton U Pirates" on snacks. In the first volume already there was an emphasis on gummybears, this time it is honey-candy. The whole team seems to think that Kellan deserves the spot as team statistician because he ... keeps them in the right choice of snacks. That seems the wrong reason. Are college aged people really this fixated on snacks?
I liked this second book in the Easton U Pirates-Series better than the first, because the point of conflict was much clearer and I liked both characters. Maclean was the one to bring the angst into the deal mostly by means of his abondonment issues, being neglected by his step-dad (that dad really deserves the golden raspberry of the year) and dealing with fear of homophobia. This more than counterweighted the moments of sweetness to an effect that kept those from going over my tolerance-level.
I felt the growing feelings were well done. From the first moment of simultaneous rivalry & attraction (I wouldn't say "hate" here, it's more like they avoided each other) to friendship to friends with benefits to love the progress was not hurried and not too slow.
I liked the baseball parts in the books. I always have problems with supposed sport romances which don't actually show the characters doing any of said sports. Here it was done just right - a frame for the relationship without being the center.
The writing was ... okay. It wasn't to sugary or two clichéd, which can easily happen for me but sometimes felt a bit stilted. A bit "and then ... and then ... and then". Still overall as stated before I would say it was okay.
There is a strange fixation with both the volumes of "Easton U Pirates" on snacks. In the first volume already there was an emphasis on gummybears, this time it is honey-candy. The whole team seems to think that Kellan deserves the spot as team statistician because he ... keeps them in the right choice of snacks. That seems the wrong reason. Are college aged people really this fixated on snacks?
October 13, 2021
Finally! Some actual character development! Tho the last bit felt a bit rushed (looking at you last chapter 👀)
December 27, 2025
4/5
not sure why people categorize this story as enemies to lovers? that's a bit of a reach 🥴 awkward/reluctant teammates to lovers seems like a more accurate label.
although it follows a similar mold, it's definitely one of the better MM school sports romances i've come across.
dominic has my whole entire heart btw. genuinely sweet and thoughtful guys like him will never not be my kryptonite.
Just as I thought we’d probably hugged for longer than necessary, he pulled me in tighter and buried his face in my shoulder.
“Mason?” I said against his neck.
“Can’t let go,” he choked out.
I melted into his frame. “It’s okay.”
He shook his head. “I don’t wanna let you go.”
My heart rose to my throat. “I don’t want you to let go either."
not sure why people categorize this story as enemies to lovers? that's a bit of a reach 🥴 awkward/reluctant teammates to lovers seems like a more accurate label.
although it follows a similar mold, it's definitely one of the better MM school sports romances i've come across.
dominic has my whole entire heart btw. genuinely sweet and thoughtful guys like him will never not be my kryptonite.
October 19, 2021
Frenemies to lovers, dual bi-awakening, found family, lovable MCs with great chemistry, prominent secondary characters.
Attraction between Maclain and Girard was there from the very beginning but the best part was watching them to get to know each other and fall in love. Especially Maclain - him opening up to Girard was a joy. Girard's family was great, their acceptance and love not only for Girard but for Maclain as well was heartwarming. Loved the epilogue and the bonus scene.
Attraction between Maclain and Girard was there from the very beginning but the best part was watching them to get to know each other and fall in love. Especially Maclain - him opening up to Girard was a joy. Girard's family was great, their acceptance and love not only for Girard but for Maclain as well was heartwarming. Loved the epilogue and the bonus scene.
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