"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

This story drew me in from the start. You have Amy who is a single mom, working 2 jobs trying to make ends meet, and then you have Rick who is the baseball player. They both have a secret past that neither want exposed, but eventually, it will all come out. This book is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. I recommend this book!

Baseball + Romance = Must Read

Anytime I see a romance that involves baseball, I’m gonna’ read it. Playing For Keeps did not disappoint! Amy is navigating being a single mother in the best way she can while Rick is learning to cope with his family being ripped from him. With the past haunting both of them, they seem to be the only ones able to pull each other out of self imposed singledom. It was definitely more of an “at first sight” love than it was a slow burn.

The supporting characters were built up enough for their roles in the story with enough focus on Trey that I’m assuming there is/will be a book for his story.

**Spoiler-ish**

One caveat I had was that the end of the book felt rushed. It drives me crazy when the first 70% of the book is building up the story and then you get a rushed climax and brief epilogue. I would have loved to see more about Rick’s transition into step-parenthood, his ex in-laws reaction to the relationship, the public’s reaction, Danny’s biological dad, etc. It just felt like a really quick ending and I was sad to not get more of their story.

This romance involves several standard romance plotlines: the poor single mother working hard to make a good life for her child; the heartbroken widower struggling to recover emotional equilibrium after his beloved wife’s tragic death; and the cruel actions of a extremely spoiled “mean girl.” What helps this story rise above the average romance, for me, was the depiction of Amy’s bright, adorable son, Danny. He is fascinated by the Weather Channel and keeps coming up with interesting factoids about the weather. It was very cute, and also struck me as quite believable that a smart kid would have that sort of obsessive interest. He and his mother had such a sweet, loving relationship. Amy has experienced a lot of bad luck in her life, but she’s remained strong and is learning not to feel shame for what she’s had to do to support her son.

Rick Taylor, a pro baseball player is trying to make a comeback after having gone into a professional and personal tailspin after his wife died. He is just a good guy - not your typical athlete in romance novels who takes advantage of all the women who would like to hook up with a handsome professional athlete. For my taste in sports romances, I would have liked a bit more sports in the book. Otherwise, the guy is a pro baseball player just as a plot device, not as an integral part of the plot. But, overall, this was a pleasant read about two good people who deserve each other.


I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

This was an enjoyable story. That drew me in from the start. As the characters were very likable, the story engaging, entertaining, easy to read and well paced. Not to mention it was sweet, had just a touch of angst and likable secondary characters. And although Playing for Keeps is part of a series ot can easily be read as a standalone; and I would happily recommend it to others. Especially if you like your romance on the sweeter side.

A sports romance with the perfect mixture of entertaining characters, including spoiled, entitled socialites, tension and a smattering of angst, and lastly believable situations expected in a sports story.

Pull all of the above together and add a smart and emotional dialog with heart that's fast paced, keeping you engaged throughout the story, you then have a story that is literally hard to put down.

Coming into the series with this sixth book, I've got some catching up to do to get up to speed on the Feeling the Heat series.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

I have read all the books in the Playing for Keeps series. I actually thought this book would be better since it’s been several years since the last book. This book wasn’t bad by any means but it dragged in the middle for me. It was hey exciting in the beginning and the end but the middle was kind of blah.

This book is about Amy and Rick. They have both been through a lot in their past few years. Amy has had a rough life since the age of 16. Rick lost his wife and unborn child as well. So they both have a lot of emotional baggage. They both try to over come their fears as they navigate a relationship. Amy has moved back to San Francisco after leaving Barton because of something that happened. She is working two jobs to provide for her and her son Danny. Rick is still pretty to get over losing his wife and getting back into baseball.

I really enjoyed this book and the characters. This is dual POV and sweet romance. I hope Trey and Jade have a story coming next.

I received a free cooy for an honest review.

Playing for Keeps is sort of a second chance for love story. Rick is playing for a starting spot as catcher for the Blaze. Amy is doing everything she can to protect her son and make their life better since leaving Barstow to come back to San Francisco.

Rick had lost it all and is working on making better choices and getting his career back. The chance meeting of a woman at a night club brings feelings up he hasn't felt in forever. Now the woman at the sports agency that represents him stirs that same emotion. But why do they seem so similar. It's a cute story and pulls you in. You can't help but fall for both and hope they get a chance at love. I seriously enjoyed it.