ARC Review: Single by Collette West

Single is the first book in the new Stockton Beavers series from Collette West. This series is a spin-off of her New York Kings series, so if you have read any of those books you will recognize a few familiar faces here. Don't worry if you haven't though as Single is a complete standalone and you do not need to have read any of those to understand this one. 

After getting hit in the neck with a pitch, Luke "Single" Singleton not only lost his career, but nearly his life. So when he is offered a chance to play for his hometown team the Stockton Beavers, Luke knows that this could be his one chance to make it to the majors. But Luke's mom has Alzheimer's and he promised his dad he wouldn't put her in a facility, leaving him as her sole care provider. So when Roberta Bennett comes to town, he knows that she could be the solution to all his problems since she is a personal care aide. Soon Roberta has accepted the job and is living under the same roof as Luke while she cares for his mom and things between them start to heat up. Though neither of them were looking for a relationship, they can't fight the connection between them. But Roberta has a past that she is trying to hide from, and when her secret comes out it could destroy everything they have been building together. 

I have to admit that when I first saw Roberta was going to be the heroine here I was worried. She was definitely not my favorite character in the New York Kings series and I was nervous that I wouldn't like her or be able to connect with her. That was absolutely not the case here though. There was so much more to her than we had seen and it was a case of how one should never assume they have all the facts when looking in from the outside. Roberta was easy to like right from the start of this book, and I felt like she was very was to relate to. Luke was amazing. He was sweet and humble, not like your typical cocky athlete at all. It was great to see a guy that cared more about his mother and taking care of her than pursuing a career that could make him rich and famous. He was willing to give it all up for her, and I really admired that about him. At the same time he was hard working, and gave baseball everything he had. I thought that he was great with Roberta too, and these two had great chemistry and a connection that I really enjoyed seeing form.

I will say that Single had less heat than other books I have read from Collette West and there were times that this book felt a bit slower than her others have. But I really enjoyed the story and the characters and didn't mind that this one had a bit of a different feel to it. Collette is a great writer, and I really liked seeing this more emotional and inspirational type of writing from her. Not that I don't enjoy a good amount of steam with my books, but I felt like in this case the story was so good that I didn't miss it. If you haven't read anything by her I would recommend checking them out, especially if you are a sports romance fan. I have really enjoyed everything I have read from her, and I am looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

**ARC Provided by Good Choice Reading**

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ARC Review: Game Winner by Collette West

Game Winner is the sixth book in the New York Kings series from Collette West. I have really enjoyed this series and I couldn't wait to get Jake's story! Having seen him in previous books I was so excited to get to know more about him, and it was great to meet Scarlett since she was a new character to the series. If you haven't read any of these books yet, I highly recommend them, especially if you are a sports romance fan! But if you are new to the series, don't worry about jumping in here since each book is an interconnected standalone story. 

New York Kings center fielder Jake Woodbury is known for being the good guy of baseball. With a squeaky clean reputation, Jake has managed to avoid scandal of any kind. But Jake also has a secret that few know about that haunts him. Scarlett Moore is Jake's opposite. She is a famous popstar that is known for being provocative and singing about her ex-boyfriends. Scarlett appears to be the last thing Jake needs and Jake appears to be the exact opposite of what Scarlett would go for. But the attraction between them is instant and these two quickly realize that they might have more in common than they first thought. 

Jake and Scarlett were some of my absolute favorites from this series, if not my favorites. Each time I think that Collette West can't top herself or the characters, and yet she continues to do so with every book! Jake was so much more than you first see, and I really liked seeing more of him here. The connection he had with Scarlett was surprising and deep, and I couldn't get enough of these two. Scarlett was the exact same in that there was so much more to her that you would think at first. I loved how these two were clearly attracted to each other and the chemistry was instant, yet their connection was so much deeper. They shared a passion for music, and it was so good to see them really explore that together. They were able to connect in a way that they couldn't with others, and the bond that they shared allowed them to deal with their pasts and issues together. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I really can't recommend this series enough. I love these characters and each book is one that I know won't let me down. Collette West writes such interesting and deep characters and each of them are so unique and different. These aren't your typical cookie cutter type of characters, and I like how real and genuine they are. Scarlett and Jake each had things that they were dealing with, and though their issues might not be ones that most people go through, they were easy to relate to and understand. I honestly can't wait for more from Collette West and I am excited to read more from her in the future.

**ARC Provided by Good Choice Reading**

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ARC Review: Inside Game by Collette West

Inside Game is the newest book in Collette West's New York Kings series. This book like the rest are all standalones, and it isn't necessary to read them in order though I would recommend it. I have really enjoyed this series so far, and each book seems to be better than the previous. I really thought that I might have some issues with Drake here though after reading the previous books since he was such a cocky jerk. I have to say though that I liked him instantly here, and he might even be my favorite of the series! 

When the bad boy of the New York Kings baseball team, Drake Schultz, gets suspended for taking performance enhancing drugs, the team lets him know that he has no choice but to clean up his act. In order to not lose his contract with the team, he reluctantly agrees to work with a sober companion to get and stay clean. Eva Sloane has always been a fan of Drake's, but as her first celebrity client she knows she has to tread carefully. After losing her friend to addiction, she is determined to get Drake the help he needs. But as Eva gets to know Drake, she finds herself drawn to him as more than just a client. But in order to get him to face his past, she has to find the balance between getting close to him and remaining professional all while keeping herself from becoming his newest drug of choice. 

I really liked Drake and Eva. Drake was so much more than the facade that he showed to everyone, and I knew for him to be the way he was there had to be a lot beneath the surface. I never expected for his story to be what it was though, and it was clear to see why he had become the man he was. I felt so badly for him, and yet I was so glad that he had Eva to help him. She understood where he was coming from having had some experience with coming from a similar background. Eva was able to reach Drake when no one else could, and I loved her approach to getting him to open up. She was supportive and encouraging, but she knew her limits when it came to how hard to push him. She was smart and positive, and was the perfect match for Drake. These two also had really great chemistry, and they felt so natural together. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There were some parts that were a bit frustrating to get through, and there were times that I definitely didn't like Drake's actions. But I really thought that this story was a great one and Evan and Drake were some of my favorites from this series. I thought that these two had great communication, which is really rare to see. I loved that they could be honest with each other and were able to confide in one another. It was really refreshing to see Drake make such positive changes, and I liked seeing the progress that he made as he faced his past. I would definitely recommend this series, but especially this book. Drake and Eva were really special, and I think that their book is definitely worth the read. I look forward to reading more from Collette West.

**ARC Provided by IndieSage PR**

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ARC Review: Perfect Game by Collette West

Perfect Game is the newest New York Kings book by Collette West. Each one of these books can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading these in order if you can as the characters are interconnected and some things will be spoiled by reading them out of order. I was really looking forward to Scott and Carrie's story, and though I was frustrated with these two at times I really ended up enjoying their story. 

Scott Harper is the first baseman for the New York Kings. He is known for being a player both on and off the field. When his phone is hacked and nude pictures of him and several different girls are released to the public, it just makes his reputation worse. Carrie McKenzie has always been known as the fat chick, but after slimming down and winning the job as the clubhouse reporter for the Kings, she scores the sole interview with Scott where he will discuss the nude selfies. Carrie and Scott have been flirting for awhile, but it wasn't until they spent a passionate night together while at spring training that things began to really heat up for these two. Scott isn't used to wanting more than one night with any girl and Carrie doesn't date baseball players, but they soon find themselves with feelings that they didn't plan on and in a very complicated situation. But Carrie also has a secret that could change everything that her and Scott are just starting to build. 

I really liked Scott and Carrie, but I have to admit at the beginning of this book I really feared I was going to hate them both. They had a lot of chemistry and attraction right off, but they were also very frustrating. Both of them would flip flop constantly on what they wanted, and I got very sick of the back and forth. Luckily, they started to see that there was something special between them and things started to shape up. I liked that Scott was so much more than what you first saw. He was known for being a player and extremely cocky, but underneath he was also really sweet and caring. His feelings for Carrie were genuine, and I liked that he didn't give up on her. Carrie was a little harder for me to like if i'm honest. She was slower to warm up to Scott and I felt like she made a few bad decisions along the way. She knew she wanted him and was attracted to him, but she also let some things happen that I wasn't really a fan of, especially when it came to one of Scott's teammates. But I really liked Scott and Carrie together, and I liked seeing them figure things out. It was sort of them against the world, and they really had so many obstacles that they had to face. I was glad that they had each other to lean on. 

Overall, this was my favorite book in the series so far. I really liked Scott, and I think part of that is seeing the bad boy player fall hard for his girl. I just loved Scott and thought that despite everything that he had been through that he really just needed to meet the right girl that would change his life. He deserved to be happy, and I thought that Carrie was a great match for him. These two challenged each other and might not have made the most sense on paper, but they were proof to me that opposites can attract. They connected in a way that neither of them had ever done with anyone else before, and I liked seeing how things played out for them. I think that this book was a great addition to the series, but it is also a really great standalone. I would recommend this to contemporary romance fans looking for an entertaining and well written story. If you are a sports romance fan, you will definitely want to check this one out!

**ARC Provided by IndieSage PR**

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ARC Review: Game On by Collette West

Game On is the third book by Collette West about the guys of the New York Kings baseball team. Each of these books are standalone and can be read by themselves, though the characters are connected and some of the backstory will be missed by reading individually. I hadn't read any of the books in the series before Game On, but I didn't have any problems understanding what was going on. While I didn't have any problems with that, I did have some issues with the characters and the story itself.

Bruce "Jilly" Gillette has always been a loner. He is a successful pitcher for the New York Kings, but prefers to keep to himself rather than deal with the publicity and fame that being a pitcher has brought him. After the team decides that his image needs a revamp after his latest heartbreak, they set him up with a winner from a dream date contest. The winner turns out to be none other than his former high school friend and crush Hailey Halpert. Hailey and Jilly rekindle their friendship and decide to give dating a try. But Hailey has a secret that could ruin everything if found out.

Jilly was so sweet. He was a really great guy, and I loved that he was a bit awkward. He wasn't the best with girls or how to talk to them, and I found his character endearing. I loved that he really put his heart on the line with Hailey, even if he didn't spell it out completely. He was really trying, even if he didn't go about it the best way. Hailey on the other hand annoyed me at times. I never really connected with her character and I just didn't understand a lot of her actions. I felt like she should have been able to be more honest with Jilly and didn't get why she hid so much from him. These two had history and a great friendship, and they clearly had a lot of chemistry as well. But their communication was a huge issue, and it never got better. I understand that a lot of that was part of the plot, but honestly after several times of miscommunication or the characters just flat out not talking I was over it.

Besides the constant communication problems, I also felt as though this book was choppy and disjointed. It would often times seem to skip around a bit and I thought that it could have used smoother transitions. Several times it would go from the characters being really upset with one another to flirty and fun, and then right back. It just didn't flow well, and was kind of hard to stick with at times. I also thought that the story felt rushed while also feeling really slow. It is hard to put into words, but Jilly and Hailey reconnected and next thing you know after four years of not even talking to one another they are a couple. But then their actual relationship progressed so slowly that they weren't really together until the last couple chapters of the book. It was just kind of confusing and hard to ever really get into this story. I am curious to go back and read the previous two books, but I think for the most part this one just had a few too many things that didn't work for me. If you have read the previous books though, I think you will definitely want to read this one especially because Jilly was really great.

**ARC Provided by Tasty Book Tours**

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Feature and Giveaway: Game On by Collette West

Pitching phenom Bruce "Jilly" Gillette has a hard time talking to women. His hulking presence of tattoos and muscles is what makes him an intimidating closer on the mound, yet off the field, he's painfully shy, uncomfortable in his own skin.

Desperate to revamp his loner image, the New York Kings hold a dream date contest, granting the lucky winner a night on the town with their surly reliever, doing whatever it takes to force Jilly out of his comfort zone.

Hailey Halpert enters the contest on a whim, looking for answers as to why her high school relationship with Jilly hit the skids. Now she’s a popular romance author writing under a pen name, and her reappearance in Jilly's life is no accident. It turns out that her novels are all about the sexy players on the Kings, and Jilly has no clue that he's about to become her new leading man.

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Guest Post with Author Collette West and Giveaway

Meet Collette West, author of Game Changer.

Collette West grew up as somewhat of a jock-nerd hybrid. Entering the world three weeks premature, her dad nearly missed her birth because he had seats behind the dugout for a sold-out, highly-anticipated match-up between two of baseball's biggest rivals. Not to be outdone, her book-loving mom taught her how to read by the time she was three. A love of the game coupled with an appreciation for the written word were instilled in Collette's impressionable brain from a young age. No wonder her characters believe in the philosophy: sports + romance = a little slice of heaven.

Splitting her time between the Pocono Mountains and Manhattan, Collette indulges her inner fangirl by going to as many games as she can from hockey to baseball and downloading every sports romance novel in existence onto her iPad. When she's not clicking away on her laptop, she enjoys walking her dog in Central Park, satisfying her caffeine craving at the Starbucks on Broadway and keeping an eye out for Mr. Right. But above all, she loves dishing with her readers. Email her at collette_west@yahoo.com

She is the author of NIGHT GAMES and GAME CHANGER.

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