3.75 stars!

Do not let this rating deter you from picking up this book. It’s honestly a good book, but just not the book for me I think. I think there is absolutely a market for someone to enjoy this book!

The book is really immersive into the world of basketball and sports commentary, so if that if your jam than this would be something you really enjoy!

I enjoyed the idea of Ruth breaking glass ceilings, and forging her own path in a primarily male dominated field. There was honestly too much sports talk for my liking which decreased my rating.

If you are into sports and enjoy strong female leads I would definitely recommend this book to you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I keep breaking my own rules for basketball books and then I keep being let down. I really try to avoid books about women who are in their 30s/40s and having issues with their lives because it makes me anxious about my future. But, I wanted to read this one because I love basketball.

Sadly, I was not a fan. Which was a disappointment since I am on a quest to find a basketball novel I love and I've seeing excited to read this one since I discovered it.

First of all, I just had a hard time following this book. I had such a hard time tracking the timeline of this book. We flashback and even forward once without notice and maybe in the finished copy they differentiate more, bc wow I had a hard time following the timeline. I also had a hard time tracking all the characters. We have players, Ruth's family, Ruth's coworkers/bosses, and other people. At one point I literally forgot the name of her boyfriend. I also realized that I can only follow basketball if I'm watching it. The detailed descriptions of the games confused me (the jumping around did not help) and I generally just did not know what was happening at any time.

I did like the discussion on being a career driven woman versus focusing on one's family and how that pulls at a person. I wish these moment had been more reflective rather than flashbacks and Ruth in her own head. Most of this book she is in her head and it was not my favorite place to be. Even though I liked these discussions, I don't feel like the author fleshed them out enough for them to impact me.

There is also a mention of Taylor Swift posting about coming to a game and clearly the author does not understand anything about celebrity culture because people as famous as Swift would not post about their location for safely. Plus, Taylor rarely posts personal stuff on IG anyways. This reference just felt dated and out of touch and as a Taylor fan, annoyed me.

I hate to say it since this was the reason I picked up the book, but it had too much basketball. I wanted to see more moments between Ruth and her boyfriend, her ex-husband, her peers, and her daughter INSTEAD OF FLASHBACKS, but instead we got a weird plot line between two players that I did not care about.

Overall, I sped through this one, but was not a fan. I would recommend it if you like nonlinear timelines and books about sports.

This one didnt hold my attention. Finished about 30% and moved on. As a working mother, I found the main character unrelatable.

I was really excited to read this book as I do enjoy books centered around sports. However this just wasn't for me.

This book was very well done. I love reading books with journalists as the main character but a sports caster was a new one for me. I had to scan some of the basketball talk instead of REALLY reading it because it was lost upon me but the story itself was very enjoyable.

I wanted/expected more from this book. It has a solid premise, but the execution left plenty to be desired. There was just something ....lacking. I can't really articulate what, though. It felt at times that there were plot holes. And I would've preferred several of the characters to be more fleshed-out. However, I still generally enjoyed the story/journey, including the basketball parts.

The Second Season is based on a unique premise, it follows a female sports analyst over the course of her career. It discusses many issues associated with women trying to balance a career and having a family. Overall, it was a fun read but I felt as though I was missing some information, I had to make a lot of inferences about certain storylines in the book. There was a lot to like about this book, and the content was certainly unique; additionally, Adrian's writing is very pleasant to read. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read something light and sports related.

Thank you to Emily Adrian, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy!

Whether or not you are a basketball fan, you will love this book about the choices women have to make when balancing a demanding career with motherhood.

Ruth Devon lives and breathes basketball. She played at Georgetown University, but was sidelined in her senior season with a major injury. She married one of her coaches (after he left the university), got pregnant with her daughter Ariana, and fell into a career calling games on the radio.

Years later, Ruth has (almost) reached the pinnacle of her career. She is a sideline reporter for NBA games, working with her ex-husband, who is a color commentator. She occasionally gets to call a game from the booth, and now that her ex-husband is retiring, she wants to get his job. Her daughter is almost grown and is pursuing a career in modeling after she graduates from high school.

But there may be a spanner in the works of her plan to become the color commentator (or several spanners, really). She has to decide what is most important to her - her child? her significant other? her career? How can she balance all three? Will the network give her the job she so obviously deserves, or will she lose it to another former coach (like her ex-husband) because of prejudice and the assumption that no one wants to listen to a woman call an NBA game? Is she ready to "retire" and be a mom again, or does she put her career first once again?

Ruth obviously is fantastic at her job, but she still feels inadequate because that keeps her from her child. Any woman will tell you that this is not a conversation men typically have with themselves; they rarely agonize over missing important milestones because of work. But women are expected to be both a mother and a career woman, not missing a beat in either role, which is, quite frankly, impossible. Or they are judged for not being a "good" mother or "good" employee for having to choose between the two.

I loved this book because whether or not you agree with Ruth's choices, it makes you think about what you would do in her place (or what you have done in similar circumstances). It underscores how much family needs can derail the career of a woman, unless she has tremendous familial support (as Ruth does), and how women often must decide, family or career, while men are offered the opportunity of both because they have a partner willing to take up the slack. This is especially relevant right now, when scores of women had to leave the workforce to take care of children and oversee their virtual schooling during the pandemic.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this insightful book.

So much of Ruth Devon's life has revolved around basketball. After her college ball career ended in injury, she married her coach, and took to the floor as a sideline commentator on games. Sometimes, she'd fill in in the announcing booth.

It's only fitting that she would reach a crossroad in her life during the NBA finals.

The Second Season explores how Ruth attempts to juggle her desire to be a "better" mother with her professional ambition. She lives and breathes basketball, and her daughter has sometimes (often?) taken a back seat to Ruth's career. (But she's okay with it, right? Ari understands?) Ruth's ex-husband retired from coaching to follow her into commentating, only he's allowed in the booth full-time. Ruth wants his spot badly, but the demands may be incompatible with the life her boyfriend wants with her. Does she want a second chance at settling down and finding fulfillment in family life? Or does she fight for the job she knows should be hers?

This is a very interior type of book. The reader spends their time looking over Ruth's shoulder. The trouble with this type of story is that the main character makes or breaks it. I found Ruth to be a challenging character to like. Mostly because she seemed to talk herself in circles when it seemed screamingly obvious what the right decision was going to be for her. But I think that makes her all the more realistic. I know I've ruminated on decisions where I knew what the "real" answer was even as I wished it were something different. The exploration of the conflict of professional ambition and personal relationships is well done throughout the book. The author is clear that Ruth is not a role model for all women; Ruth openly states that she is not a feminist. Her conflict is her own.

The Second Season is a thoughtful book about one woman's mid-life crisis with a little bit of basketball on the side.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in order to facilitate this review.

The main character of this novel, Ruth Devon, was a successful college basketball player who, after a career-ending injury, married her coach and had a baby, but then became an NBA sideline reporter and analyst. Most of this book is set during the NBA finals when Ruth’s daughter is about to graduate from high school, and Ruth is pursuing a job as the very first female NBA announcer while at the same time grappling with thoughts about how her career has affected her motherhood and other relationships.

Ruth is a terrific character, not perfect by any means but feels very real, and this book really explores interesting themes regarding the balance between pursuing a demanding and successful career and being a mother - would make a great book club book. The basketball games and commentary also came very much to life, though I think this book could also be enjoyed by someone who is not a sports fan.

𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧: 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟.

I have a lot of emotions after reading this book…mostly all good. I feel like it took me forever to get through it but it was totally worth it. It wasn’t my typical read. I think I was expecting more action but this was more about the choices we make in life. This is a book that’s needs to be savored and dissected. As someone who is extremely passionate about my career I can relate but more importantly learn from Ruth and her ambitions of “wanting it all”.

The Second Season is an insightful book about basketball and broadcasting, but also highlights the difficult balance of love, motherhood, aging, and claiming authority in a male-dominated world. Ruth is a complicated, unapologetically ambitious fortysomething woman who is smart, tough, and passionate. Her love of basketball is infectious, you can’t help but fall in love with the sport too, even if you’ve never actually watched a game. Yes, this is a basketball driven book as it takes place during the NBA finals but the real story happens on the sidelines and in the humanity.

If you’re looking for a character driven sports book look no further. This is definitely an empowering book that tells women no matter how old to never give up on their dreams!

In The Second Season, Ruth is a former college basketball star who’s career was cut too short by a knee injury. Her knowledge of the game has made her famous as a sideline commentator and she’s hoping to become the first woman to call NBA games on national television. But like a lot of working women, Ruth is a mother and her teenage daughter is needing her mom to be around.

Last year, I read Everything Here is Under Control by @emily_a_adrian and related so much to how the mothers in the book were written/. They felt so real to me, like people I knew or like myself in a younger parenting phase. Once again, she has penned a character who is relatable as a mother who wants it all but is going to have to make choices, ones that won’t affect most men. It’s such a great observation of family and the things we’ll do for those we love.
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Sports fans will love this book and the unique story it tells from trying to fit in the industry. Emily does a great job of mixing reality and creativity in a work of fiction. The Second Season is the perfect gift for a sports fan

Ruth Devon is a woman in a sports media career trying to make her name in her career, all while juggling being a mom and working with her ex. Her ex is retiring from his on air position, which could make way for her big break.

I realized about halfway through the book that I still only knew the same things I knew early on. Often times the author seems to jump back and forth between the past (I think they were flashbacks to her previous marriage and present and a future tv interview in a way that is just confusing. I found myself having to reread the sections more than once to figure out when things were set and where I was in the story.

As I write this, I’m hard pressed to find anything good to say about the book besides that it’s great to see women’s representation in the sports world. In no way do I mean this was an awful book, it just was fine and boring. I almost DNFed this book twice by accident because I forgot I hadn’t finished it yet. If I’m talking about this book at the end of the year it’ll be because it was one of the books I enjoyed the least.

I got 35% into this one and unfortunately was very bored. Nothing had happened - I love sports novels, especially with female protagonists, but I needed a little more to be happening. There was too much lead-in and not enough plot/movement.

Thank you @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for the advanced copy to read and review. I never liked the idea that sports belong to men or that women can only enjoy sports superficially, so as a passionate NBA fan this was such a treat.

‘The Second Season’ is a great for those who love strong women characters, honest conversations around motherhood and being a women navigating careers in male dominated fields.

Ruth (inspired by the legend Doris Burke 🐐) starred for Georgetown Basketball until she had a career- ending knee injury. She married her coach and pivoted to a new career as a basketball commentator and sideline reporter. Fast forward two decades, Ruth and her now-ex-husband Lester, are two of the most famous names in sports media.

The book mainly takes place during the NBA Finals where Ruth is faced with battling motherhood and her ambition to become the first woman to call NBA games on national television.

I loved how you are transported into the world of basketball and it was so fun to see the comparisons and inspirations to real life players, coaches and celebrities (Hi Drake).

Ruth is honest, ambitious and strong-willed which I admired. She is also beloved by the players and respected among true fans. She is honest in her admission of how basketball and her career are her number one priority but she reflects and shows remorse at some of her shortcomings as a mother.

I appreciated the dialogue and transparency Ruth had with herself and her commitment to fiercely fighting for her ambitions. The discussions around the price of female ambition were honest and I loved the plot around the players as well.

“That Ruth is a woman who understands basketball should not be remarkable, basketball is a sport that women understand”

There were a lot of basketball plays and depictions shown in the book but even if you have never watched a single game in your life, you will still be able to follow.

Overall, loved the story and looking forward to reading more by Emily.

I wanted so badly to love this book, but it was slow for me. I think books like The Second Season are SO important to women and girls who want to work in or currently work in sports. It's a tough industry, and stories like this are inspirational and remind them to push through while also taking care of themselves. For that, I loved Ruth and I loved this story.

However, the writing style wasn't for me. I found myself bored, wondering how I had only read another 3% of the book when it felt like I should be halfway through. Maybe it was my inherent aversion to basketball, or maybe because I just can't relate to that desire to be a mom, but this one just wasn't for me. It's hard to describe, but I almost felt like this was written with the intent to be a TV show or movie more than it was meant to be a book.

I can absolutely see why people would love this, and I think anyone who loves sports or aspires to work in sports or sports media should give this a read.

I love sports and I love women in sports. Reading about a woman who trailblazes and the things she gives up for it should be right up my alley. I loved so many parts of it but it didn't quite resonate with me in others. You can be driven and not ignore those in your life. That's a choice. It is a choice some make, but it grated on me some that it was presented as the price of her fame.

What a fun and unique story! Set over the course of an NBA finals series (with some flashbacks), we follow Ruth as she navigates her complicated life juggling her job as a sideline analyst, her role as a mother, her younger boyfriend, and the desire to take her ex-husband's spot in the announcer booth after he retires next season.

There was a lot more introspection on Ruth's end than I was expecting. She talks through the clash of her professional and personal aspirations and it was surprisingly refreshing to hear. I also really enjoyed how detailed the descriptions of the game were. I could see how some readers would find it tedious, but I feel like it gave a great look at how Ruth's brain works cataloging every detail of the players.

Overall, an enjoyable read!

I loved this book! It’s the story of a woman’s struggle between being a mother and having a very public full time job. Ruth Devon is a well known former basketball player who is a sideline reporter for the NBA. She asks all the right questions, knows the players and the game of basketball. She wants to call games as an announcer in the booth, but it’s always been a man’s job.
She also has a daughter, and she struggles to balance basketball with her family. It helps if you know basketball when you read this book, there are a lot of detailed passages about the game.
4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.