Baseball romances are one of my favorite subgenera, and they are perfect for baseball season! I absolutely enjoyed The Double Play by Annah Conwell. I especially loved the little girl, June, who stole every scene she was in.

Emmett is our MMC, a single dad raising his young daughter and also the pitcher for the local Major League Baseball team. Hazel is hired as the nanny.

This was all the single dad/nanny, he falls first, grumpy sunshine tropes. Total slow burn, and I chuckled every time the relationship heated up only to be interrupted by June.

This is the fourth book in the More Than a Game series, but I read as a stand alone without issue. Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the audiobook!

Thank you Netgalley for my copy of this book!

This was a closed door age gap romance about a pro baseball player who falls in love with his nanny.
So this book was set in Nashville, which I loved. I love a local book!! However, this book really lacked substance for me. It felt like the author picked out her tropes (age gap, sports romance, single dad x nanny) and then wrote the story around it. The MMC was kind of a dick for no good reason and Hazel didn’t have much personality outside of being a nanny and taking care of her younger sister. This book is probably for somebody, but it didn’t really do much for me. 3⭐️

I thought Hazel and Emmetts story was so cute!! Hazel is adorable and I love the way she loves the kids and family's she nanny's for. Her love for her sister has kept her from following her current family she works for to a different state, meaning she needs to find a new job. Emmett, a single dad, is needing to find a new nanny for his daughter, June. His parents had previously watched her when he was traveling or at practice, however they've decided they are going to travel the world while they still can. His mom has taken over interviewing for a new nanny to take over watching June. After having an amazing referral and interviewing with his mom, Hazel has been given the job of watching June. June quickly takes to Hazel and they grow very close to each other. Over time, Emmett who trusts no one has to open himself up to this new person in their life. I love the way they bonded over their love of June and slowly began to lean on each other as well. Sometimes it's nice to read a slow build romance instead of a fast paced instalove.

I thought the narrators did a fantastic job bringing this book to life!!

The Double Play tells the story of Emmett, professional baseball player and single dad, and the nanny who has the power to warm his hardened, grumpy heart. I loved the single dad angle and the way Hazel so seamlessly fit into Emmett and June's lives. I have enjoyed the More Than a Game series, and the narration on this audiobook was fine, but ultimately there was nothing really that stood out to me with this book. For me, it was just another fine, vanilla closed door romance.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for gifting me with an ALC to review. All opinions are my own.

⚾️ Bookish Thoughts
The Double Play is a sweet sports romance. Grumpy MMC pro baseball player and sunshine nanny FMC!

While it was a bit too cheesy for my personal taste, I think readers who enjoy heartfelt, low-angst books will enjoy it.

The audiobook was great. I liked the narrator for the FMC more though.

💛 What to Expect
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Single Dad MMC
• Nanny FMC
• Baseball romance
• Found family vibes

🎧 Audio Score: 3.5 stars
🎙️ Narration Style: Dual
📅 Pub Date: June 24, 2025
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

The absolute cutest grumpy, single dad, falls for nanny book. Emmett and Hazel were the absolute cutest. Hazel loved his daughter, June as if she were her own. I loved watching the walls come down between Emmett and Hazel. They fought it but there was no denying the attraction and love that was between them. The hat gesture was the cutest. We need more clean baseball books and Annah once again did not disappoint!!!
The narrators did a great job bringing the story to life making you feel like you were right along with them experiencing the story for yourself.

Predictability and sugar sweetness usually doesn't bother me but the significantly short timeline did a bit. This was zero to 60 love and for two love skeptics, it was a lot of ignoring their own characterization. On the surface, this is a cute quick beachy romance.

4.25/4.5 ⭐️

I actually can't even tell you what this book did for me. I LOVE a single parent romance, as a single mom it cures something in my soul to relate to a parent who lives the life I live. This book will have you laughing, kicking your feet, giggling, crying, swooning, and everything in between!

Emmett Foster is a broody, emotionally unavailable MMC until it came to Hazel and BOY WAS HE SMITTEN. Emmett sees Hazel for exactly who she is. He is protective without it being weird or possessive, but also let's her be who she is. The way he immediately knew she would be his just had my heart SWOONING. Everyone needs an Emmett.

This was my first by Annah Conwell, and I LOVED it. I will absolutely be going back to read the previous books in the series. You can read this as a standalone, though. Her writing is so bingable and addictive. The book was quick and kept you invested from start to finish.

Audiobook was well done, and the narrators did a great job at bringing the story to life! Def recommend checking out the audiobook if you're an audiobook girly!

The Vibes:
-Baseball Romance
-Single Dad x Nanny
-He Falls Harder
-She Falls First

TW: alcoholism, Neglectful parents, divorce, cheating (off page, not with MCs)

I enjoyed this super sweet love story about Emmett, a professional baseball pitcher, and his new nanny.

The More Than A Game series includes different professional sports players who are all friends. The Double Play is the fourth in the series, but I have only read the second in the series about golfing. I'm interested in continuing the series, which is available on Hoopla and Kindle Unlimited.

The two narrators (Charlotte North, Tim Paige) did a great job!

Tropes:
Baseball romance
Nanny and professional pitcher
Grumpy x sunshine
Age gap: 10 years
Single dad
Family trauma
No spice or language

Five year old, June, was in the story quite a bit and actually acted like a five year old. I think she was written well.

Why not 5 stars? My only complaint was that their relationship went too quickly once they were together and I didn't like the nickname.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media, Netgalley and Annah Conwell for the advanced listening copy.

I really wanted to love this one it sounded so good from the premise, but unfortunately for me the romance was too insta-love for me. It just lacked depth and they went from not talking to being in love, It felt unrealistic to me and I was not able to continue. I had to DNF.

I was really excited to read this one, but it just did not work for me. I really enjoy nanny/athlete romances, and I do think there will be people who absolutely love this one. Just for me. I was not invested in the characters.

I had the audio version, and the narrators did a great job!

I loved this story. It was one of the best single dad stories I have read in a while. I loved the characters and the pace of the story. I was fully invested. I also enjoyed how the MFC was a nanny for a football family before taking on this role for a baseball player and the comedy that came with her not knowing anything about baseball. Overall, a great listen! Would recommend.

`✦ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹ 4 stars 🌟 0.5 spice 🫑

audiobook arc review 📖

narrators: Tim Paige and Charlotte North 🎧

જ⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬

⚾️ baseball player mmc
⚾️ single dad
⚾️ nanny fmc
⚾️ grumpy x sunshine
⚾️ pining, loving and tension
⚾️ she falls first, he falls hardest
⚾️ Interconnected standalones

۶ৎ This is book 4 in the More Than A Game series. This is the third book I've read in this series but since they are interconnected standalones, I had no issues.

۶ৎ I love Annah's writing. She does the best closed door romances that are filled with longing, pining, yearning and tension. The romantic chemistry and connection between Hazel and Emmett is so living and tender, yet honest and realistic. Both characters make you feel like you're stepping into their life.

۶ৎ The audiobook we great! I really love these narrators and they did an excellent job as always. I can't fault them or Dreamscape.

𖹭 If you enjoy sports themed heart-warming romances, then this is for you. If you love audiobooks, then definitely try this series.

────୨ৎ────

⋆˙⟡ 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑁𝑒𝑡𝐺𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐷𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑒 𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑜𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝐴𝐿𝐶.

🌼Book Review🌼

4⭐ 1🌶️ 🎧

I'm really enjoying this series and this book is just as wonderful as other books in this series. The MMC is delightfully grumpy yet a cinnamon roll guy and the FMC is an absolute ray of sunshine. It was wonderful to read their fall and how the HEA came about.
I listened to this and I think both narrators, Tim Paige and Charlotte North, should be commended as they did a wonderful job. I also really enjoyed the way the author developed the characters and the journey they go on throughout the book. The amount of sport in the book was spot on. I sure hope Brock is next in the series! And I just found out that he is!!

Big thanks to Annah Conwell and NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook. This is my honest opinion.

Squee! I loved this book! With baseball, a single dad, a well organized and magical nanny, and a matchmaking mother, there was so much to love. One of my favorite things was seeing how Hazel made life more magical for June, and how that contributed to Emmett falling for Hazel. The baseball stories and traveling with the team added more depth to the story that I really enjoyed.

Overall, this is a fantastic book. The romance is clean, kept to kissing only. I would recommend this to teenagers and older who want to enjoy a romance novel without explicit content. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this audiobook. A review was not required.

I liked this audiobook. It was fast-paced and a fun listen for the summer months, which baseball is quintessential. I loved that it was wholesome, yet had the romance that is so swoony to read.

This is such a well-written, fun, quick romance read! I loved all of the characters, the writing style, the baseball backdrop, the slow burn. I had only read one other book by Annah Conwell before this and it was fine, but this book was everything I love in a romance written beautifully and read with excellent audiobook narration. I will definitely be checking out the other sports-themed romances in her More Than a Game series and anything else she writes in the future!

Just wonderful! I read this book on kindle, but hearing the voices just brought it to life, The story is magical and so sweet! Low drama and high swoon. I loved every single second of this story!

The Double Play by Annah Conwell

The Double Play is a lighthearted rom-com perfect for readers who love a guaranteed happy ending. It’s a sweet story about a nanny who’s hired to care for the daughter of a professional baseball player—and, as expected, romance soon follows. The plot is fairly predictable, following the familiar beats of falling in love, but it delivers on the cozy, feel-good vibes that fans of the genre often seek.

I listened to the audiobook version and, while enjoyable overall, I found some parts a bit far-fetched. In particular, the frequent emotional moments—especially the recurring references to crying—started to feel repetitive and took away from my connection to the characters.

That said, if you’re in the mood for an easy, uplifting story with charming characters and a satisfying ending, The Double Play is a solid pick.

I really enjoyed this book! I had downloaded it on KU, but once I got an ALC I jumped on the chance to listen to it, and I am so glad I did. The narrators brought this adorable story to life even more. Age gap, single dad and nanny, professional baseball player...all things I love. Even though this is book 4, it is the first one in the series I read and it worked fine as a stand alone. I may go back to read the other ones though as it seems they pop back up in this book a little.

This is not a spicy book, which is not a bad thing, but it did feel extra sweet and cutesy at some points. Some of it felt very cookie cutter when I think the potential for more was there. This lead me to take a star away.