Allison is the Public Relations manager for the Charleston Thrashers and is responsible for protecting the teams reputation. Connor is the former star right fielder for the Thrashers, but after landing in jail for two years, his former team doesn't want anything to do with him. Allison's reputation takes a hit when Connor is sent to prison ad the team loses the World Series. She makes it her goal to revamp Connor's tarnished ex-con image to save her job and get Connor back on the team.

Soon enough the job gets complicated by their feelings for each other and the two wonder if they can have it all. Bench Player is the second book in the Charleston Thrashers series. I did not read book one, but I will remedy that ASAP.

I loved this book and these characters. I love a sports romance and, while this one was a little unconventional being that he is an ex-con, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Juliana Keyes for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Allison and Connor are two people that you would never think would get together. They're one of the most unexpected couples but I'm definitely shipping them. Connor uses every technique in the book to be the one to swim against the tide. And Allison is determined to get this bad boy to conform to the accepted norms of society. Building his image up is the only way that she can save her job and give him the opportunity to be a part of the game once again. Getting him to participate and socially interact with the world though, is a whole other ball game. But once he realizes that he needs her to make the team co-operating is easy. But losing their heart to each other was so easy they didn't even realize it had happened. Until it was too late for them to deny it even after they had broken each other's hearts.

I was worried that book 2 in the Charleston Thrashers series would not live up to the magnificence of its first book - Team Player. Well I stand corrected. It is all that and a box of chips. Sure it does take quite a while for Allison & Connor's story to "get there", but the book just had to be written this way. Please, please be patient with this book. Yes there are times when even I thought hurry up and get to the good stuff - it is so worth riding this part out because you will not be disappointed. I love it when a bad boy redeems himself, and boy does Connor achieve that. Thankfully Allison is not only the person who helps him with this, but she also ended up by being what he didn't know he needed.
Fantastically written as always by Julianna and honestly I can't wait to get my hands on more Charleston Thrashers stories.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book via Netgalley

I could not wait for the follow up to Team Player, and it definitely felt like it came out of nowhere. I jumped on this ARC, which I do for about 2 authors. Since I read Team Player, Gwen and Ty loomed very large in my head, and I was so desperately excited to learn this would indeed be Connor's and Allison's book.

It opens with Connor's release from prison, essentially, his loss of time and opportunity, and his determination (and fear) that he will not be able to recapture his place on the team. He doesn't only want to play baseball, he wants to continue playing for the Thrashers. Ty has moved on, and ultimately, Bench Player is not unlike the beginning of Team Player, an athlete who is not just lost personally, but lost to the game (this was not the case for Ty, mostly). And Allison's challenge is to get him back in the game to maintain her job. I won't go to into that, in case you've not read Team Player (and you really really should) but rest assured that Allison remains the character from Team Player but this book expands on her depth.

“You run?” I ask, as we lace our sneakers.
“How else would I burn off my endless rage?”
“By eating the souls of baseball players?”
She snort-laughs. “That’s only half the year.”

I don't usually summarize in reviews, but for this one I feel it's important. The reason is whether Team Player and its Gwen and its Ty loomed so damn large that they can a shadow over this, or whether the opening of this book was just painstakingly crafted in its quiet, I didn't find it nearly as engaging at first. I was worried for nearly the entire first half that this wasn't living up to the promise of the couple. I missed the humor, I missed the snap. It was there, but it wasn't shining.

I probably could've put it down forever until I read the first sex scene. (Dear heaven)

I probably could've forgotten about it until after the conflict (my eyes were sweaty). And Yes, the secondary characters remained a treat.

His eyes soften. “That’s girl’s the best thing I ever did. If you don’t count my inside the park home run that won us the pennant in ’57.”
“You have to count it.”
“That’s right, I do. But Al’s not bad, either.”

But Connor did not feel well-defined...until he was. And looking back, I think this really elevated the book, but it might risk losing a reader that doesn't trust Keyes. The first 40-50% certainly isn't throwaway, but it's hard work to build a base for what comes next. (Though to be clear it isn't hard to read, it's good, it's just different-and why didn't I expect that?)

So there's my extended thoughts on this book. Once the conflict occurs, once Connor's working on the field, once the characters become a "cast" the chemistry zips like crazy in this book, and by 70% I was chuckling and hoping it would never end. There were beautiful moments between the couple, between the main characters and the secondary ones, between the main characters and their livelihoods.

And yes, it also made me teary and delighted and swoony and was plenty hot. And so happy.She's got this way to write and avoid sentimentality all the while making you feel. I adore how her characters (all of them) make mistakes, show love, and make choices.

It looks like baseball is suspended for a bit. If you have a craving for America's pastime (even though you'll never convince me that it's not actually basketball) pick this up-unless you haven't read Team Player. Then start there.

I absolutely love Keyes voice. I think she is fantastic at writing incredibly complicated main characters. And this book was no different. They are both kind of grumpy and driven and closed off, yet they open up to each other. Even if it is slowly.

This can probably be read as a stand alone, but go ahead and read the first in the series Team Player, for some extra back story on Allison and Conner. Conner is fresh out of jail for insider trading, which Keyes only delves into a little and that was fine for me. Allison and Conner are both working to save their careers and helping each other.

It was a good story. I was very invested in their HEA. It was sexy (but not as sexy as Time Served, one of Keyes’ earlier books). Allison and Connor quickly fall into a good rhythm of a relationship and I was here for it.

(CW: ailing/dying grandparent)

Bench Player is the second book in the Charleston Thrashers series. We did meet Allison in book one and heard about Connor in book one. But, I was a little nervous coming into this book because both characters had not come off particularly well in the first book. I am happy to say that I had absolutely nothing to be worried about. Both were tough characters, but had their reasons for it, and knew the right times to be vulnerable.

Allison is a really strong character. She’s known as the “ice queen,” and all the baseball players are terrified of her. When the team comes under new management, and she is about to be fired, she offers a deal: to keep her job, she’ll get ex-con, and ex-player Connor Whitman ready for MLB. Connor went to prison for insider trading and has recently been released. He wants to get back on his baseball team, the Charleston Thrashers. Allison and Connor decide to work together to make him more likable to the fans, and management. These two had super strong personalities and butted heads constantly. But, they both were vulnerable in all the right moments, and you rooted for them the entire time. Also, Allison’s grandpa, Biff, was an exceptional secondary character and I loved the scenes with him! The players from the Thrashers were also great to catch up with again. It makes me miss baseball so much right now! This is a fun, sports romance and I would recommend it.

* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

This was a pretty good sports romance. This was my first Julianna Keyes book, so I obviously hadn't read the first book in the series before this one. However, I don't think you'll lose too much of the story if you don't read the first book. The reason why I couldn't give the book 4 stars is because part of the first half really seemed to drag and I found myself not hurrying back to finish reading it. The book does pick up and I thoroughly enjoyed the last 40%.

Allison is the PR/Social Media Manager for the Charleston Thrashers baseball team. She's in the business of making other people look good despite their mistakes. Connor is a former Thrashers player who has just been released from prison after serving 2 years for insider trading. He wants his job back, Allison is there to help him get his position back on the team. They've known each other for 12 years, but going into this book, Connor only sees Allison as basically a b*ll buster who you do not want to interact with, as it usually means bad news for you.

Allison was not my favorite heroine, at least not initially. She comes off really cold, impersonal, manipulative and willing to do whatever it takes to do her job well and keep it. By the end I grew to like her since Connor makes her show some of that human side.

I really liked Connor and was rooting for him the whole time. He did the crime and did the time and learned his lesson. He accepted responsibility and worked hard to get his starting job back. He humbled himself and really made himself human. I had a lot of respect for him and loved watching him integrate with society again. He took on a mentor role and really just became the type of rehabilitated felon you want as a role model.

Their relationship wasn't my favorite. When they were together, it was mostly sex. I didn't see them really getting to know one another and grow close outside of that, at least not before things go south and they split. In the end, it was cute and believable, but not so much for the first 90% of the book.

Oh and this one has a villain that we'll all hate, so kudos to the author for getting our emotions involved in that one. I'll probably still read the rest of the series when they release since I did enjoy the secondary characters.

I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley. Thanks to Victory Editing and the author Julianna Keyes for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I've had a Julianna Keyes book on my TBR for a long time, so when I noticed another book by the author on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. And I'm so glad I did!!

The book starts with MLB player Conner just being released from prison. He spent the past two years behind bars for insider trading. Now, all he wants to do is return to the major leagues and to his team, the Charleston Thrashers. It's his only goal.

Allison has been working for the Thrashers for 12 years as Public Relations Manager. When the new team owner want to fire Allison, she convinces him that if she can revamp Conner's image, she can keep her job.

Connor wants nothing to do with anyone. But Allison persists, and a friendship develops between them. I found their love story so enjoyable to read. There was a perfect balance of sweet and angst.

As a side note, this is the second book in the series. I haven't read the 1st book. You don't need to read it to enjoy this one, but there are a few spoilers from the first book in Bench Player... so if that matters to you, I'd recommend reading the first book before you start this one.

This is not the last book I'll read by Julianna Keyes, and I've added Bench Player to my "buy" list.

I enjoy reading sport romances, especially when it comes to baseball. This ones didn’t disappoint, actually it has become one of my favorites. With Connor Whitman out of jail, he is now out and at a crossroads. He wants to play baseball with his old team, the Thrashers. Enter Allison Whyte, the PR manager for the Thrashers. Except the owner doesn’t want him back. Allison comes up with a way to help Connor. Along the way the realize they have feelings for each other. Conner realizes that his dream of playing for his old team may not happen. Along the way he is given good advice, one he listens too. Will he get his old job back? Or play for a new team? What about Allison? Does she fit into his plans? Will the old Connor resurface or has he learned his lesson will in prison?

TROPES:
Unlikable heroine
Grumpy hero
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Found Family

TRIGGER WARNINGS AT THE BOTTOM

REVIEW:
When I read the blurb of this book I was really excited because Team Player was one of my favourite books from last year but I thought Bench Player was going to be challenge because Allison and Connor were at times antagonist of Gwen and Ty in the previous book.
And now Here I am trying to articulate hoy much I loved this book, Connor and Allison relationship starts as enemies to reluctant allies to lovers and it’s a realistic and heartwarming journey that I enjoyed immensely.

We can say Allison is an “unlikable” heroine, she’s the woman everybody is afraid of at work, she’s a really career-oriented woman and unapologetic. In the other hand Connor is a grumpy ex-con player and the character growth of both of them is amazing

Being a rich man Connor could totally be an asshole but he acknowledge his mistakes, he takes responsability of them and he wants to EARN his place on the team, he’s a down to earth man despite his privileges and I loved that about him.
I adored this book, my only criticism is that like the previous book I longed for Allison to have female friends (as Gwen) but aside from that this book was perfection. It’s a low angst comforting enemies to lovers with complex three dimensional characters that feel so real they could became your best friends.
Another thing that I loved was that in romance books is always the hero that messes up big time but here the big misunderstanding was Allison’s fault but you can’t help but understand her and be sympathetic beacuse she was really trying her best.

Overall is one of the best enemies to lovers character driven book that I read this year, the banter and chemistry between Connor and Allison is off the charts, they act like ADULTS all the time, they’re complex and the screw it up a lot of times but they learn from their mistakes and both of them finish the book being a better version of themselves. Definitely Bench Player is a MUST read!.

TRIGGER WARNING: Death of a loved one.

This is the romance for readers who miss baseball, love a strong heroine, want a gruff but gooey-centered hero, and need all the feels. A tall order, but Julianna Keyes delivered a homerun with Connor's return to professional baseball after two years in prison for insider trading.

I was so excited to get Connor's story after meeting him briefly in Team Player and was not disappointed by his uphill battle for forgiveness and redemption. Thrashers fans haven't forgiven him for getting arrested right before the team went to lose the World Series. Although the Thrashers' slimy general manager doesn't want him back, Connor has never known any family or home except for the team.

The last person Connor wants to turn to is Allison, the Thrashers' PR boss. Allison's Iron Lady rule over the Thrashers' organization almost stole the show in Team Player and I was thrilled to see her matched with the ex-con grump Connor.

It's when Connor finally acquiesces to Allison's professional judgment about rehabbing his public image that we get to see the real Allison. The loving granddaughter who is holding onto a house falling apart but full of memory; the true baseball fan; the woman falling in love with a man who isn't part of her plan at all. This is where Julianna Keyes works her magic, how she reveals the flawed hearts of her lovers when the whole world tells them not to be together.

There, of course, are other forces keeping Connor and Allison from each other and their dreams. Connor and Allison are keeping so many secrets and painful emotions from each other that it was no wonder when they finally combusted with fury and betrayal. I really couldn't see how they could repair the damage but the scene where Connor shows up for Allison almost had me in tears.

There was a much-appreciated epilogue but it was far too brief for me. It should have gone far into the future to show Connor as a retired Hall of Famer juggling his new role as a stay-at-home dad of a gaggle of kids all scheduled within an inch of their lives by Allison, now the longest-running MLB Commissioner in history.

This is the first book I have read by Julianna Keyes but it certainly won’t be the last. Bench Player is book 2 in the Charleston Thrashers Series but it can certainly be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone, I know this because I haven’t read the first in this series although that will change as soon as time permits. If you love sports romances with a few twists and turns you will want to one click this gem.
A bad season for the Charleston Thrashers has the new general manager looking for scapegoats so he tries to fire Allison Whyte the head of PR. Allison is desperate to save her job and the only option she sees is to make Connor Whitman the Star he once was before that fateful season that saw him going to jail for 2 years for insider trading .......what Allison doesn’t realise is whatever she does will not be enough because there is never a chance Connor will get his place back on the team.
Sparks fly as this couple spend time together and the enemies soon become lovers but what will Connor do when he finds out the real reason Allison is trying to help him get his place on the team back, will he walk away or will he fight for the love of his life.......
I’m looking forward to read8ng book 1 and hopefully more books from this very talented author.

After reading Team Player, I didn't see how Julianna Keyes could top it but I shouldn't have doubted her. Bench Player is a fundamentally different type of romance with a very different feel yet I loved it even more. The only thing the two books have in common is that they are both love letters to baseball and to the players who step out on that field every season and give their all. The first book was fun and flirty, this book is almost melancholy and reflective. There is some occasional banter, but both Alison and Connor, the main characters, are facing crossroads in their lives. Both have lost their direction and need to figure out what's really important to them and how to obtain it.

For Connor, it's all about regaining his career and being able to continue playing the game he loves for the team that he feels is his family, two years after he was convicted of insider trading and sent to prison. He's taken responsibility for his actions, owned up to his stupidity, and has paid his debt. Now all he wants is to get back on the team. As the team's PR manager, Alison has given her her life and energy for the last 12 years to the team, but now that the team ownership has changed, she's been told that her contribution is not valued and she needs to figure out how hard she's going to fight to save her job. In order to get what they want, they need to work together, but since they are both somewhat difficult and prickly, that's easier said than done. As for their relationship, no one is more surprised than they are when they are blindsided by a mutual attraction that they just can't resist. I hope Julianna decides to write more books featuring the team, but if not, I know I love whatever book she decides to write next.

4.5 STARS!
I love Julianna Keyes and couldn't wait to get my hands on this book.
When the former left fielder went to jail for insider trading is released from prison, it's publicist Allison's job to reform his image and get him back in the game. With all of the things around them not going in their favor, namely Connor is a pain in the butt, the general manager doesn't want to sign him back on the team, AND Allison is fighting to keep her job in the process, we don't know if she will be able to succeed in getting this grumpy loner back to doing what he loves...playing ball.
What these characters don't expect is to see something in each other that the other had never seen before—that undeniable chemistry that just pulls them together—and oh that sexiness is just so delicious, I could not put this book down. Allison can't tell Connor that his chance to get back on the team is pretty much zero but watching Connor's hope and drive to get there coupled with her seeing the genuinely nice guy underneath that toughness just made my heart so happy. I loved being a part of their journey... the struggles, the laughs, all the feels... this book had it all.
As an aside I loved her relationship with her grandfather and seeing Connor's teammates felt like seeing old friends. I love this series and can't wait for more from Keyes.

This was a cute sports romance that I really enjoyed! It was a pretty easy read, and I flew threw it. It was told in alternating perspectives of the two main characters, so we really got to know them and fall in love with them. I did feel like the ending was a little abrupt though. I wanted just a little bit more to wrap things up. Overall, it was a great book that I would definitely recommend.

4 stars
I received this book for free in return for an honest review.

I am always looking for a great second chance/redemption story and this one did not disappoint! This book is everything I needed this week The writing was filled with witty banter. The story was a great blend of smart, sexy, funny, and emotional moments. Keyes is a new author for me but certainly won't be my last book by her. Five chilli peppers of hotness!

I received a free ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own.

Oh my god this book was so good. It’s rare to find a book that makes you laugh and cry, let alone a romance novel. This one did it for me.

I read this in the midst of the coronavirus quarantine. It successfully distracted me, but also made me more sad than before that baseball is postponed.

Allison and Connor need each other professionally. He wants to redeem himself after two years in prison and get a chance to play professional baseball again. She wants to keep her job as head of PR for the Charleston Thrashers. Of course in the meantime they grow closer, that is to be expected. Where Keyes’ talent shines Is the well rounded developed nature of this journey. Thrasher teammates, Allison’s grandfather, and the evil boss are people that you’ve known, they’re real to the point of tangible. This book revolves less around the actual game of baseball than the last, but the scenes that do take place on the field are, as I’ve said before, the best baseball scenes I’ve ever read.

Just like at the end of the last book, I cannot wait for the next story in the Charleston Thrashers series. TBD on whether I want to see Denzel or Jorge first (it’s definitely Jorge).

4 1/2 stars

I have to say I really enjoyed Bench Player. I think I was impressed that the author didn't just redeem one character but two. I felt like Connor and Allison were both misunderstood characters in Team Player. Connor is in prison for insider trading and refuses to see his best friend, Ty, every time he comes to see him there (which is frequently). That pretty much made me think he was a selfish piece of work. Allison puts forth an image to everyone in the Thrashers organization that she's heartless and a workaholic with no feelings. To get to see the true side of both of these characters in Bench Player was pretty eye-opening. They were very different from what you expected. What was even more fun was to see them realize that their perceptions about each other were also "way off base."

Connor comes out of prison with hopes of rejoining the Thrashers baseball organization. He's been gone for two years and the club is now under different management. Allison is fighting to keep her job under a boss that doesn't respect or love the game - he only cares about the money it can provide. Allison is trying to help Connor rehab his image when they discover they have the potential to have more than a professional relationship with each other. There are feelings there and they have to decide if it's worth the risk for both of them with so much on the line.

Thank you to NetGalley and Julianna Keyes for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review will post 3/25/2020

I remember finishing the first book in this series, Team Player, and hoping that I’d get to meet the man who went to prison and caused all the upheaval with the professional baseball team this series features. Well… it’s here! LOL

Connor Whitman has just been released from prison after 2 years for insider trading. He knows what he did was wrong and that he messed up in a lot of ways. Now he just wants to get back to a semi-normal life and hopefully, find a way back onto the Thrashers roster. He just doesn’t know how to do that. Enter Allison, the public relations manager for the team. She needs to rehab Connor’s image and get him back on the diamond, not only for Connor, but also to save her job.

I really enjoyed Connor and Allison. They had this chemistry that just drew me in and kept me reading. I’m a big fan of sports romance so I was on board anyway, but add in a touch of grumpy meets stern/bossy with what felt like just a little bit of enemies to lovers and I’m all in.

These are mature (30’s) characters and were dealing with a lot of real to life issues. And while the story could have felt heavy and bogged down with the main plot, this author did a wonderful job of giving readers just enough humor, tender moments, and fun interactions between Connor and his teammates and Allison and her grandfather to keep it balanced. Also, Allison and Connor have some nice, steamy love scenes. Really nice.

Even if you haven’t read the first book in the series I feel like you can dive right in easily and not be lost. I really enjoyed Bench Player and hope to see more in this world.

It’s hard for me to write a review that is as enthusiastic and upbeat as this book deserves, because things are so tough everywhere right now. But that means when I tell you it transported me out of my home and made me extremely happy for a few hours of coronavirus social distancing, you should take it as even stronger of a recommendation. I’m harder to distract and relax now than ever, and it’s great praise to say Julianna Keyes’ Bench Player thoroughly accomplished both.

Connor Whitman was on top of the world as the right fielder for the Charleston Thrashers - at least, until an ignorant stock deal landed him in jail for two years for insider trading. Now he’s out again, but a thirty-four-year-old ex-con isn’t exactly prime baseball material. Connor needs an image rehab.

Allison Whyte is the PR manager for the Thrashers, and the latest victim of blame-shifting by the idiot GM Kimball Dean, who has inherited his dad’s team. In a Hail Mary to save her job, Allison tells him she can do the impossible and get Connor’s poll numbers up. Although Kimball sends her to try, it’s with the guarantee that Connor isn’t up for a spot on the team. Spring Training is the best he can hope for - which Allison decides not to tell Connor.

The author tells this story in alternating first-person perspective chapters, and this is the rare case where it doesn’t just work, but actively enhances the story. We first meet Allison from Connor’s point of view, and she is utterly awful. I could not imagine how this woman could turn out to be the heroine. Then we get a couple of chapters from Allison’s point of view, and not only was I suddenly completely empathetic to her, but now I wanted to shake Connor for his stubborn resistance to her advice. Over the course of the book, their perspectives gradually converge, until each point of view shows the other as appealing and attractive. That’s remarkable writing.

Allison’s deal with Kimball is of course the looming Big Mis, but Keyes surprised and delighted me by pulling the trigger on that storyline early and making Allison and Connor work their way back from it. I also loved the sex scenes. Connor is one of those grumpy, taciturn heroes who are utterly focused on their partners, and yeah, that’s a weakness of mine.

I appreciate an older character written to be a person in their own right, not just to push the plot for younger people, and in this capacity. I loved Allison’s grandfather Biff, a legendary baseball player of the 1950s. Yes, Biff helps Connor get perspective, but given the rarity of major league ballplayers, that makes sense. Other supporting characters, like the flashy Ibanez or a behavior-challenged rival for Connor, are also well developed and credible.

I also love a well-developed setting. The author is clearly a huge baseball fan, and she makes sure Connor acts like a pro athlete, working out and watching his diet. She understands the nuances of the process of making a team, and how the American MLB works, with its minor league affiliates and seasonal schedule. Although her protagonists so far have been white Americans, she has a diverse supporting team, which is accurate to the league (I want to read about both Ibanez and the South Korean pitcher, Jae Hwa Kim, who talks smack through his locker room interpreter). Similarly, Allison’s PR world is developed, and I liked the idea of the whole team living in terror at the click of her shoes in the hallway.

What could be improved? While I understood that Connor is supposed to have completely accepted his guilt and worked through it, a man coming out of prison could have had at least one scene where he expressed opinions on/anger at the system (he got two years for insider stock trading but, say, Brock Turner got three months for felony sexual assault, and sentences for people of color for minor marijuana offenses can be over a decade). I like to think that once he got his career back on track, Connor became involved with employment advocacy for ex-cons.

Also regarding the ending - for a very long time, I wasn’t actually sure how the story was going to end, and I really enjoyed that suspense. The ending that Keyes settles on is satisfying, but maybe a bit too neat.

Bench Player is the second book in the Charleston Thrashers series. I hadn’t read the first, Team Player, but it didn’t matter for my reading experience. Despite the fact that the protagonists of that book are planning their wedding in this one, their reappearance isn’t saccharine and purposeless, which is rare in sequels. That being said, I immediately bought Team Player after reading this and since it’s excellent, you might as well go and get it and read them in order.

This was my first Julianna Keyes, and the fact that I followed it within an hour with my second should tell you how much I enjoyed it. I strongly recommend both books in the Charleston Thrashers series.

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