I requested this title back before my blogging break. I have ended up with a number of titles that are overwhelming to catch up on now I am back from my blogging break. I am regretfully not going to be reading and reviewing this title, but now I am back from my blogging break, I am looking forward to reading and reviewing some of your future titles. Thank you so much for the opportunity and apologies.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Spencer Hill Press for the advanced reading copy of Play On by Michelle Smith.

This is a young adult sports romance about a small town boy named Austin who lives for baseball and falls for the new girl Marisa. Marisa is a smart and easily likeable character who helps Austin improve his grade in chemistry in order for him to continue playing baseball for his high school team.

What started out as an endearing friendship became something more when they confided in one another with their deepest secrets and supported each other through their hardships.

This was a great debut novel that I would recommend to readers of Emma Mills and Jenn Bennett.

I'll be honest; I wasn't sure that I would enjoy this book. But, like with a few contemporaries lately, I was pleasantly surprised. Especially because anything relating to sports isn't remotely in my area of interest.

There's really only one thing in this book I didn't like, and that's the reason that my rating isn't a four or four-point-five: I wasn't invested in Marisa and Austin's relationship. I felt like, as the reader, we were being told, almost forced to like their relationship. It was only towards the last half of the book that I could really see why they liked each other and why I should root for them. Before that, my feelings were more... indifferent towards them. However, this is my only gripe with Play On.

The writing and the plotting was great. I liked that the book could go from funny/amusing to serious/sad. Not many books (or authors, for that matter) can make their reader laugh out loud on one page, and then feel sad for the characters ten or so pages later. That's what Michelle Smith managed to do and it's probably my favourite part of Play On. Even if I wasn't interested in the main characters' relationships, I still was invested in the story itself.

You can always tell a book is good when even its secondary characters are engaging and interesting. I loved all of Austin's friends and I felt invested in their lives - especially the romance between a certain couple of Austin's friends. It was also really interesting to see a secondary love story between two guys in a book that's set in a small town.

Basically, the synopsis of Play On doesn't convey just how magical the story of Play On is. Michelle Smith's writing makes you feel things. I actually felt my heart swell in the last scene of the book. It touches on the themes of love, depression, the way the two sometimes intermingle and how high expectations can lead to lots of pressure. I really would recommend this book to anyone who loves contemporaries, even if they aren't necessarily sports fans. Play On is so much more than that. It might definitely go on my list of favourite books this year.

So on the surface this was a super cute, super enjoyable, 90's vibe teen romance, but I thought the portrayal of depression was handled really well, and really added an extra layer of depth to this book.

This book reminded me of the cutest 90's/00's chick flick (see She's All That, A Walk to Remember, etc.). You've got your baseball all-star who needs help from the super smart homey girl with a crazy past. She's torn up and leaves him in the dust and there's the moment where he stands in the road all crushed and confused...you see in in your mind too, yeah? And don't you just love it? I do.

But really that's just the surface. Play on actually had more depth than your average chick flick and that's truly why I loved this book. It deals with depression and suicide and living with these thoughts on a daily basis. Not only that but learning to love someone and love ones self through the suffering. The author did an excellent job of making the characters relatable and lovable, while putting them in this whimsical real-life story line. Life goes on despite the issues and its great to see a book that really shows that, rather than be a complete buzzkill (sorry to put it like that, but its sort of true these days).

A very insightful (and important) look into depression that could come in handy for someone trying to understand why a loved one acts a certain way.

This book was not what I expected, but in a very good way. I loved the southern charm of Lewis Creek, SC and the role that baseball played in this fun and heart wrenching story. Austin is a wonderful character who has his ups and downs. I loved reading about his background and seeing him grow throughout the book. Marisa was such a complex character with so many layers. I was shocked by what she was dealing with, but as a friend who's gone through the same ordeal I think it was handled perfectly. Jay, Brett, and Eric also hold a special place in my heart. These supporting characters were amazing. They added depth to the story and I was so happy reading about their lives as well.