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Tuesday, February 3, 2015

ARC Review: Back in the Game by Lori Wilde


Back in the Game is the first book in Lori Wilde's new Stardust, Texas series. Each book in the series is a standalone story with interconnected characters. I was really looking forward to this book because Lori Wilde is a great romance writer, and her stories are always really cute with a touch of magic thrown in. I am not a huge paranormal fan, but she manages to somehow put just a bit in so that it adds to the story without being too much. I also really love sports romance stories, so the fact that Rowdy plays baseball was just a bonus.

Ex-Pitcher Rowdy Blanton is ready to tell his story now that he is no longer playing baseball. When he begins interviewing ghostwriters for his autobiography, he never expects the girl he briefly met but can't get off his mind to show up. He knows that he needs someone tough for the story he intends to tell, but he ends up giving her the job rather than turning her away. But soon Rowdy and Breeanne Carlyle are connecting more than just professionally. Rowdy and Breeanne are both passionate about baseball, and Breeanne is determined to start living her life finally. But Rowdy isn't looking for a relationship and doesn't want to hurt Breeanne. Can she convince him to take a chance on something fun with her?

I liked Rowdy and Breeanne. They were both really nice and normal characters that I found easy to relate to. Rowdy was a bit cocky at times, but it was never so bad that you didn't like him. He was charming and straightforward, and I liked that he was always so sweet with Breeanne. He was just a good guy that had been through a tough childhood and I loved that he had turned his life around. Breeanne was also really easy to relate to. She was a bit geeky and inexperienced, yet she wasn't completely naive or annoying. She had also had a tough childhood, but for different reasons than Rowdy. It was good to see her stand up for herself and finally start taking control of what she wanted. I thought that she had a great connection with Rowdy, and they definitely had chemistry.

While I did like this story, it was predictable and similar to others I have read. It was good but it didn't blow me away. There were several things that I found cheesy and I didn't care for them. The biggest one for me was the heroine constantly saying "nut bunnies" when she messed something up or made a mistake. It was explained in the book why she said it, but it was just too corny for me to ever be okay with it and I found myself rolling my eyes every time that she did it. It just didn't seem to be something that a 25 year old would say, even one that had been as sheltered as her. I think that Lori Wilde is a great writer though, and she always tells a solid story. This contemporary read was enjoyable and light, and was a pretty quick read. If you are looking for something fun and easy to read, you might give this one a shot. I am looking forward to reading more from Lori in the future, and I am interested to get to know the rest of the characters in this series better.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository |





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