This was 2.5 ⭐ for me. I really liked the characters, their backstory, and their relationship (fake dating that was never really fake). My problems were with the writing, particularly the continuity and dialogue. I feel like all the parts were there, they just didn't get there in the best way. Also, I'm irritated by the title because the MMC was not a first baseman and there was no talk about first base in regards to their relationship. The title felt like "oh, this would be a cute play on words for the first book in a baseball romance series!" I see potential with this author, though, so I would give her another shot.

3.5

First Base follows Maggie who works as a photographer for a baseball team the Cougars. Tommy is a baseball player for the Cougars. This is his last shot in the MLB. One night before the season the team and all the people that work for the team go out. A photo of Maggie and Tommy from that night blows up all over. Maggie and Tommy agree to fake date for the sake of the team. But is it really fake? They start to fall hard for each other.

I thought this book was super cute. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes. I am also a huge baseball fan so I loved this. I like how this book had some serious moments along with a lot of lighthearted ones. This is a closed door romance but that didn’t take away anything from the story. This was just a cute lighthearted romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ally Wiegand for the ARC of this book!! I was hooked from the beginning and did not want to put it down. Maggie and Tommy’s story is so heart warming; it made me giggle, smile, tear up, and feel all the emotions. Watching these two push each other to be the best versions of themselves while also trying to move on from their past made me love them even more. This is the perfect book for spring and I can’t wait to continue this series. Ally Wiegand you knocked this book out of the park (see what I did there) and the fact that it is your debut novel is shocking. I need the second book in this series now and it better be about Olivia!!!

This was entertaining and the romantic elements themselves were chef’s kiss perfection; I honestly want to read it again it was so wonderful and captured my heart so quickly. Loved it

I was really hoping J would love this book, but unfortunately it really fell a bit flat to me. I was really intrigued by the main characters and their backstories, but I didn’t feel like there was much conflict or action, it was just perfect perfect perfect and nothing interesting happened.

I really, really liked this book. I really enjoyed the story itself - romance tropes galore and they were used so very well. The story moved pretty quickly, almost too quickly sometimes, and was an easy read. I’m generally not a fan of the dual POV but for this book it was great. It was sporadic, but just enough to give the MMC’s perspective right when it provided the greatest impact. It was so cleverly done. I loved all the characters, every single one of them. Maggie and Tommy had a good depth of character and I liked the way that they grew and healed, separately and together. I want their best friends to be my best friends - we love supportive besties! I also really liked the author’s writing. Sometimes it was a little repetitive, but there were some truly beautiful passages that speak to the author’s talent with words. The end was satisfying - I love a good epilogue. My only complaint is the spice was too tastefully written. It wasn’t full closed door, more so fade to black? But it could have been more descriptive. Overall, I’m honestly stunned this is the author’s first published book - it’s that good. Sequels please!! ASAP!!

I absolutely adored this book from start to finish. The romance was stunning and sweet, showcasing two people that had been through trauma bringing out the best in each other. This should be on the TBR of all sports romance lovers!
Thank you to NetGalley and 8th Note for the review copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

When the new Chicago Cougars shortstop, Tommy, is caught by paparazzi walking his team’s photographer, Maggie, out of a bar, the media begins to lose it. With the help of Tommy’s agent, the two agree to fake date to help his reputation. I think the fake dating trope was done so well in this story. It made their relationship progression feel more natural.

This book is on the shorter side so it does make for a quick, easy read buttttt… I found myself wanting more. More chapters from Tommy’s POV, more planned events for the two, more details on their feelings. And because of this, some of the writing felt a little immature for me especially during the intimate scenes.

And don’t let a shorter book fool you…this story was packed with gut punches and watery eyes. It dealt with heavier topics but their character growth was 📈📈. I am not a fan of miscommunication so I found myself rolling my eyes at the third act breakup. I know it needed to be there to push Maggie to get her closure, but she was so good at listening to Tommy throughout the story that I don’t understand why she couldn’t in this particular case.

Overall, this was a cute debut novel! I would recommend this for any of my baseball romance girlies. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review. 🫶🏻

This was a cute, easy to read sports romance. The romance aspect was fade to black so it makes it a perfect book for all readers. I very much enjoyed the sports part of this book. This book is very much insta love. If that is something you like that you should definitely read this. There was a bit of miscommunication that I wasn’t a fan of and could’ve easily been resolved but other than that I definitely recommend this book.

I'm a huge baseball fan, especially for my hometown team. So when my love for reading and baseball collide, I'm all in.
Maggie are fmc is a sports photographer, who hasn't dated in 4 years since Luke.
Tommy is the "bad boy" of baseball who is giving his last chance with the Chicago Cougars after no other team would have.
After a night out before season opener, while innocently giving Maggie a ride home, they are caught my the paparazzi, they both get called into the office. Hoping that Maggie would do good for his image, they sign a contract to be in a fake-relationship.
While this book wasn't my favorite, it was definitely a book I would pick up for a quick read, or a palette cleanser between books. I loved the book was dual pov but felt the story was a bit rushed and wished it was a little longer.
3.75 stars
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This was cute.. BUT

Needs more sentence variety and showing over telling “I blushed, I watched, I saw, etc” used a lot more than descriptive writing.

I wish there was more description of the scenes overall. Like there’s a red carpet scene and it seemed way too short it just cut and was over, the rest of the night forgotten.

I’m not a fan of the cover.

This was conflicting. I liked the plot and the concept but it wasn’t captivating enough for me to be interested and want to pick it up without putting it down. Reading it became a chore because the writing was so repetitive. It felt like she just took a bunch of romcom tropes and mashed them together in one book. I’m really sad because I wanted to like it, but I’ve read better.

Thank you Netgalley for sending us an early e-arc of this book!
This was the PERFECT time to start this book since that was the setting.

Synopsis: The team’s photographer finds herself in a FAKE RELATIONSHIP with the star player. She has trauma from her past that made her swear off love and he has to clean up his image.

Review:
I gave this one a generous rating. I thought it would have been better with more details since the book is on the shorter side. That would have made the short, quick changes in plot more stable and realistic. Also I don’t know how this couple is able to sit in silence a whole car ride home while upset so often. I’m way too chatty for that!

I loved this!! It was so cute and such an easy read. I could not put this down!! The fake dating trope was captured so beautifully. Also, how could you not love the one bed trope?? I love how the main characters had their own grief they were dealing with. Maggie’s development was so rewarding and had you hooked from the very beginning of the book. I have so much love for Tommy and Maggie. This was by far one hof my favourite ARCs I had the privilege of reading. Thank you NetGalley and Ally Wiegand for allowing me to review!

This was the cutest book!! I have been looking for a baseball romance for a while, so when I came across First Base I knew I had to read it! I love the complex characters and the accurate baseball information. The fake dating trope was accomplished perfectly. I have so much love for Tommy and Maggie’s relationship.

Read if you like:
-rom-coms
-fake dating
-he falls first
-dual POV
-MLB ⚾️
-sports photography
-a Chicago setting
-closed door fade to black

Tommy is our MMC, who is a professional baseball player. Maggie is our FMC, who is a sport photographer. They meet at practice one day, get themselves in a little pickle, and are forced to sign a contract to pretend to be dating to save Tommy’s career. Sparks fly….Just read it, ok?!

WHAT A PHENOMENAL DEBUT NOVEL OMG 😭

Well, I flew through this in one sitting. This was so freaking good. It was light (for the most part), fluffy, fast-paced, and adorable. I was immediately drawn to it because of the cover, especially Tommy (MMC) on the front with 2 full sleeves of tattoos on his arms. 🥵 If you’re looking for a spicy sports romance, this is NOT one. If you’re looking for a sports romance with plot & romance, this is the book for you. Either way, I feel like everyone will enjoy it. And you’ll definitely shed a few tears. I know I did. And you will catch yourself smiling often.

The writing was fantastic. I had absolutely no idea that this was Ally’s debut novel until I RAN to her DMs to scream about how much I love this book. It was easy to follow and it flowed so well. Tommy and Maggie are literal GOALS. I just love them so much and they are so relatable. They both have their struggles, but they balance each other out and it’s the sweetest thing ever! T & M will stick with me forever.

*Heads up there’s a little bit of miscommunication, but it’s executed so well.*

I’m so happy that this is the first book in a series! I cannot wait for book 2!

If you’re looking for a binge-worthy baseball romance, add this one to your TBR!

In the author’s note, Ally says that “her dream is to make readers happy, make them sad—but, most importantly, feel something.” Well, Ally your dream came true because I felt EVERYTHING.

Thank you to Ally Wiegand, 8th Note Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest voluntary review!

4.1 rounded down to 4/5.

"First Base" by Ally Wiegand delivers a heartwarming and enjoyable romance that hits all the right bases. With a blend of sports, fake dating, and heartfelt emotion, this novel offers a delightful escape into the world of baseball and budding love.

Maggie Redford, a talented baseball photographer, finds herself unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight when the team signs Tommy Mikals, a notorious playboy player with a troubled past. Forced into a fake romance to save their reputations, Maggie and Tommy embark on a journey filled with unexpected twists and genuine emotions.

Wiegand's writing effortlessly captures the chemistry between Maggie and Tommy, making their fake relationship feel surprisingly genuine. While the fake dating trope is a familiar one, the author infuses it with fresh energy and emotions, keeping readers hooked from start to finish.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, each grappling with their own insecurities and past traumas. Maggie's journey of self-discovery and healing is particularly poignant.

Although the story could benefit from more depth in certain areas, such as Tommy's involvement with the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, the overall pacing remains brisk and engaging. The inclusion of emotional moments, particularly those involving Maggie's past relationship with Luke, adds depth and resonance to the narrative.

While the third-act breakup and miscommunication trope may feel predictable to some readers, Wiegand handles it with sensitivity and skill, allowing the characters to confront their fears and insecurities before finding their way back to each other.

In conclusion, "First Base" is a charming and heartfelt romance that will appeal to fans of sports-themed love stories. With its endearing characters, sweet romance, and emotionally resonant moments, this novel is sure to hit a home run with readers.

First Base is a fake dating, sports romance centered around Maggie, a photographer for a Chicago MLB team and Tommy, the new star shortstop. After losing her fiancé, Maggie is closed off from love or even dating. She throws her all into her job and her friends, but hasn’t even considered a relationship in years. Tommy entered the big leagues young and made some bad choices with his fame and money early on. After having his heart broken, he decides to turn over a new leaf, but it might be too little too late as his bad boy image got him dropped from his team. He gets picked up by the Chicago Cougars, the very team Maggie photographs for, but under a very strict contract. He offers Maggie a ride home from an opening day celebration one night, and a photograph of the two of them in the car together hits tabloids the next day, breaching Tommy’s contract. To save Tommy’s image and spot on the team, the team’s PR department decides to have Maggie and Tommy fake a relationship. The two become friends, and feelings start to develop as they share their past relationship trauma.

I thought First Base was cute, and I love a baseball romance. I thought the premise worked well, and the characters had well-fleshed out back stories that were well developed. However, it felt like most of Tommy’s growth had already happened prior to the start of the book since he had already renounced his “bad boy” persona a full year prior to the start of the book. While he was still dealing with the ramifications of that, it felt like there wasn’t much more for him to do. Maggie has a much more full character arc, thought it felt a bit rushed for her to go from absolutely no dating for years and not even considering it to being ok with it pretty much instantly. I wish there had been more follow through on Tommy’s interest in working with the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago as that storyline was pretty abruptly dropped and could have been part of the needed character development for Tommy to commit to something other than a relationship.

Overall, this was a fun, quick read. I always enjoy fake dating, and this was no different.

Thank you to NetGalley and 8th Note Press for the ARC of this book!

This was a cute book overall. Being closed door/fade to black, it is an accessible romance novel I could recommend to my seniors. I loved how the main characters had their own grief they were dealing with, Maggie with the loss of her fiance at a young age and Tommy with dealing with his bad decisions from the past. I like how Tommy can show your past decision don’t have to define you and that you can change.

A couple of things I had Issue with though…
-the MMC was supposedly tattooed yet it never talked about them except one time.
-WHY WOULD SHE NOT CASH THE CHECK. I know Romances aren’t “supposed” to always be realistic but come on. This bothered me the most. It just felt morally righteous. No one in their right mind would just give it back. You signed a contract and that was part of the deal, feelings or not.
-the third act conflict gave me whiplash. Did Tommy resent Sutton but then he was grateful and hugging her? It came out of left field.

i didn't want to put this book down! i LOVE sports romances and found this one to be so cute/wholesome. this was seriously such a good fake dating book and it was so easy to read.

i cannot wait to read more of ally's books in the future! thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!!

I could not put this book down!! I’m a sucker for a good sports romance! I literally devoured the book. The plot was so good. Maggie’s development throughout the book was so rewarding it had you hooked from the very beginning. I absolutely loved this book! One of my favorite reads of the year!