Rough Diamond

by Brooke Hastings

Dani Ronsard and Ty Morgan, the heiress and the major league pitcher. What match could be more unlikely?Yet his muscled athlete's body awoke in her a response that more civilized men had never known, and the passion that lay beneath her veneer of sophistication drove him to the ragged edge of control--and beyond.Under the hot summer sun they played out a game that had no rules--and the greatest prize of all.

Genres: Contemporary Romance

251 pages

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Julz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’tcha just hate when you dig up old bones that should’ve stayed buried, like that old boyfriend...or that book you really liked. Being someone who can’t resist a good hello, (consequences be damned!) I sought this one out because I had such good memories (the book, not the boyfriend). I’ve discovered that I was certainly easy to please. Don’t get me wrong, it’s actually an ok story, just not the 5 star wonder that I remember. It’s just absolutely loaded with minute details of running various businesses and how someone stays busy when their hero tries to keep them thoroughly dumped while running around being rubbed on by her whorey stepmother, (who the H thinks is just so much fun!) Actual H&h time runs about 10 pages.

To give some background, this story is about an heiress of a movie producer who inherits a baseball team and other über money making businesses (with which we share in the education how each one is run). So she’s totally loaded and the boss of our hard-to-get baseball pitching hero. He has the hots for the h but openly admits that he would not be able to handle the hit (heh! pun) to his ego that being married to a muey moneyed mogul who calls all the shots would inflict (athletes are egomaniacs, after all). Makes sense, yes? So we’re witness to numerous scenes of his dark brooding while she shameless chases him and gets slammed with his pissy reaction afterwards. After a while, I found myself thinking “can’t you take a hint?” and “don’t you have any pride?” Yeah, it was embarrassing.

Added to that was the fact that the hero had screwed the stepmother a few years back (while she was married to her father! Can you say CHEATER‽ ) but that was ok because he was just a young kid new to fame and the h’s father forgave him (and the stepmother since daddy was a cheater too). That also supposedly made it ok that the H still ran around with the step-skank and was frequently privy to her feline ministrations even though “there was nothing between them.” Ah, the humor.

Of course, our determined H breaks down in the end while exerting his manliness to make sure the h knows who’s boss (and we’re supposed to be so turned on by his need for domination. Actually, that was kinda hot. I like my storybook heroes alpha ;D).

But did they really reach their HEA? In my opinion, theirs is a HFN at best, because I think all those issues that he was so insightful to recognize are still valid and will be making a reappearance in their future.

I would recommend this for those who like baseball and would find all those idiosyncrasies of running a league fascinating. This would also appeal to those who love a slooooow burn with a reluctant alpha hero who has inappropriate “friendships” with stepmothers. Angsty fun!

[Ellyn (Mrs. Darcy in my Dreams) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read better sports romances. I really didn't like the H. I also thought he was too quick to stop any thoughts of a relationship. It was their first "date" and he was putting the brakes on any future. Most of the book was centered on her father's businesses she had to learn about. Not much romance.

[tina smithbauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good story. Really liked the supporting characters. Sports related but not focused on technical stuff.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

read as part of a baseball romance review project. Most of the baseball romances from the 1980s get the baseball right; unfortunately you get the 1980s sexual attitudes as well. Recommended if you keep the copyright date in mind.