Amazon UK
Title: Squeeze Play
Author: Aven Ellis
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Author supplied copy
Publisher: Self Published
Publication Date: 25th October 2017
Rating: 4 Stars
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| Amazon UK |
Full of enthusiasm, recent graduate Hayley Carter is thrilled to be working for a non-profit organization in Washington, DC. Having spent a lot of her life in the background due to family circumstances, Hayley is eager to step up and be heard—and bring much needed change to her new organization. With romance on the shelf, it’s time to focus on herself and new career. Armed with a workbook to help her improve on a personal and professional level, Hayley is ready to become a better version of who she already is.
But will a baseball player for the Washington Soaring Eagles challenge her thoughts on not only dating, but the person she thinks she needs to be?
Brody Jensen is the new catcher for the professional team in DC. Baseball is everything to Brody and has been his salvation while growing up. Brody wants to make the most of his full-time shot behind the plate. Which means no serious relationships.
However, when a chance encounter leads him to Hayley, Brody finds himself wanting to know all about the beautiful blonde who has engaged him from the moment he spotted her. Together, they find themselves questioning the ideals they had set for not only relationships, but themselves, too.
When the cherry blossoms bloom in the nation's capital, Cupid puts a squeeze play on Hayley and Brody. Will they be brave enough to love themselves and each other? Will love be called out? Or will their relationship be safe at home?
If you can forgive a football phrase when reviewing a book featuring a baseball player, to me this really was a book of two halves. The first half was fine, but I was struggling to connect to the characters a bit, so although I was enjoying what I was reading, I just know the author normally does better.
And then in the second half, well last third (do any sports have thirds?) suddenly everything clicked into place, courtesy of one live sporting fixture where I may have started to understand baseball slightly and from then I was really really interested in Hayley and Brody's story.
The story had me laughing from the first page and Hayley is a great character, she is passionate about things she believes in, must have every single kitchen appliance known to mankind, and sometimes has no filter between her head and her mouth! The initial meeting with Brody was a classic, and will be memorable for a long while.
Amazingly for me with an Aven Ellis book though I did not bring Brody off the bench and promote him to full blown book boyfriend, I'm not sure why exactly and even started searching the net for hot baseball guys to try to get a better feel, and ultimately, I'm sorry to say I was missing the central sport of the book being Ice-Hockey. Baseball just doesn't for me have quite the same feel to it...then again I do prefer my sport fast and furious, as opposed to more sedate.
As I say though my feelings did start to change towards the end of the book, as I got to know not only Brody better but some of his team mates, and I suspect that once I'm more used to Baseball references and players that I will love the next books in the series. Please note although I seem to be fixated on the sport - no knowledge or interest in sport is needed to enjoy this book, its in bite sized amounts and as Hayley knows nothing about Baseball at the start its really beginner level stuff.
The book predominately focuses on their relationship, but also their families, and Hayley's work, where I found I was also laughing a lot at her bosses reactions towards anything social media! I found the work she was doing for the non-profit foundation really interesting.
There are some beautifully romantic moments, I'm just sorry that Brody didn't capture my heart fully.
Thank you to Aven Ellis for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
About the Author
Links
And then in the second half, well last third (do any sports have thirds?) suddenly everything clicked into place, courtesy of one live sporting fixture where I may have started to understand baseball slightly and from then I was really really interested in Hayley and Brody's story.
The story had me laughing from the first page and Hayley is a great character, she is passionate about things she believes in, must have every single kitchen appliance known to mankind, and sometimes has no filter between her head and her mouth! The initial meeting with Brody was a classic, and will be memorable for a long while.
Amazingly for me with an Aven Ellis book though I did not bring Brody off the bench and promote him to full blown book boyfriend, I'm not sure why exactly and even started searching the net for hot baseball guys to try to get a better feel, and ultimately, I'm sorry to say I was missing the central sport of the book being Ice-Hockey. Baseball just doesn't for me have quite the same feel to it...then again I do prefer my sport fast and furious, as opposed to more sedate.
As I say though my feelings did start to change towards the end of the book, as I got to know not only Brody better but some of his team mates, and I suspect that once I'm more used to Baseball references and players that I will love the next books in the series. Please note although I seem to be fixated on the sport - no knowledge or interest in sport is needed to enjoy this book, its in bite sized amounts and as Hayley knows nothing about Baseball at the start its really beginner level stuff.
The book predominately focuses on their relationship, but also their families, and Hayley's work, where I found I was also laughing a lot at her bosses reactions towards anything social media! I found the work she was doing for the non-profit foundation really interesting.
There are some beautifully romantic moments, I'm just sorry that Brody didn't capture my heart fully.
Thank you to Aven Ellis for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
About the Author
I live
in the Dallas area with my family. I enjoy clipping out recipes I will never
get around to trying, working out, and chatting with friends on social media.
I’m a hockey nut (Go Stars!) and watch as much as humanly possible. I also love
shopping and fashion and admit to being obsessed with whatever the Duchess of
Cambridge is wearing. In addition to be obsessed with the Duchess, I’m equally
obsessed with any show or cookbook featuring Gordon Ramsay.
Links
Website/Blog
- http://avenellis.com/
Twitter
- https://twitter.com/@AvenEllis
Facebook
- https://www.facebook.com/AvenEllis1
Amazon
Page - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aven-
Instagram
- https://www.instagram.com/avenellis/
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