Overall this book was cute, but it felt stuffed full of unnecessary details and what read like a stream of boring diary entries from the FMC despite the book being fairly short. the plot needed more meat

this was so cute and so fun. the pacing was amazing and the writing was a 10/10. the relationship between the mcs and the character growth was great. i loved it.

I didn't realize this was part of a series, but I didn't feel like any information was left out. So don't be afraid to read this before the rest!

Emmet is a single dad who was relying on his parents to help with his daughter while he plays in the MLB. But when his parents decide they want to travel, he has to hire a nanny for his daughter.

Hazel is just finishing up nannying for a family that is moving away, so when she gets an interview with Emmett's mom she is excited but a little nervous to nanny for a single dad. She also has the complication of bad parents and a younger sister who is in need of her help.

Single Dad
Boss/Nanny
Grumpy/Sunshine
Slow Burn

No spice

I received an advance review copy audio version. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for the opportunity to listen to this book. Tim Paige andCharlotte North did an amazing job narrating this audiobook.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

Such a wonderful palette cleanser, and take it from someone who, usually, would only like contemporary romances that have spice, this was just what I needed and to be honest I think adding any spice in would have taken away from the characters arcs and the narrative that the Annah was trying to portray.

Emmett is a pro baseball player and Hazel is a child educator that works as a nanny. When Emmett's parents decided that travel round Europe for 6 month, Emmett has to find a nanny who can take care of his daughter June, btw this kid is the cutest thing to ever exist,. Hazel's previous contract is up and she gets recommend to the Foster family to be Junes nanny.

Hazel immediately accepts the job but with just one complication, she is extremly attracted to her boss. Its forced proximity, boss x employee, age gap. What do we thinks going to happen! Obviously they're are going to fall in love, don't be stupid.

This was reallt cute and I would highly recommend if you are coming off the back of a high fantasy book, a book with heavier topics or a dark romance book.

“Jason is always going on and on about some phrase his old coach used to say. ‘Worth the risk.’ I know Hazel is worth the risk, so im gonna put aside my fears and commit.”

Okay I want to start this review of by saying this book is part of a series, which I did not notice when I requested the ALC. That is on me. I also have not read any other books by this author at all so that might affect my experience while reading.

I was initially going to give this 2 stars but after reading some other reviews and seeing how positive they were I was left a little confused. I truly think that because I did not read the first three books of the series, I might be missing some sort of important backstory so im giving this the benefit of the doubt and therefore 3 stars.

Now im going to be brutally honest about this. I think this book was too short. The characters were plain and boring. There was no backstory explained in the book. There was soooooo much potential for a better storyline! Like we had all the right starting points to make it a little bit more dramatic but they were never followed up on. This was supposed to be a ‘grumpy x sunshine’ trope but he was grumpy for 2 chapters and she was barely sunshine. Mostly she was rain??? She kept crying 75% of the time. There was a brief mention of a 10 year age gap???? HELLO?? But I guess we’re just going to ignore that because why wouldn’t we. This whole book happened in about a month. They fell in love within the first week of meeting, he proposed after 3 weeks and they got married a week after that. There was absolutely ZERO buildup to the romance. They basically fell in love instantly. I also really didn’t like any of the characters except June but she was not enough to safe it for me.

We barely get to know the characters. At around 80% the fmc mentions she likes to crochet in her free time. And during the proposal the mmc mentions how much he loves her loving to crochet. Like okay??? She never touched a single thread of crochet and besides that one mention we don’t even know she loves it. Neither of them had any personality. Like there was no depth of character. Yes the fmc had parent issues. Which was still barely talked about. The dad makes it into this book about 2 or 3 times. Mom ends up in the hospital which was supposed to be a sad scene I guess but because we had not at all been introduced to her, it just felt very flat. The mmc is scared to love because his wife left him after June was born. Sooooooo afraid to love actually that he falls in love with Hazel within a week???

I also would have liked a little more back story on the mmc’s parents. The grandma makes a brief appearance in the first 2 chapters and is never heard from again. For how close they are supposed to be I would have thought they would at least call or something. Sure they went to Europe but theres wifi in Europe? Not a single call or text was made. Maybe one?? But if there was it was so insignificant that I don’t even remember. Once they left they were just poof gone.

Idk i just felt absolutely no chemistry between the characters. They were forced upon each other by a 5 year old and decided why not just get married. At not one point did I giggle, get butterflies or even anything remotely close. I just felt it was extremely boring.

One thing I did find very cute was that he calls her “Wildflower” and mostly his reasoning for it. I think that fits very well and is also a pretty unusual nickname compared to things like “sunshine” or “princess”. For those interested, this book has no spice which in my opinion was a plus. It would not have fit the style of this book.

Again I want to make clear this is the first book of this series I’ve read. This very possibly affected my experience and overall opinion!

This was such a cute read! I haven’t read the others in the series and don’t feel like that’s a problem at all. However, I am excited to work backwards and read them now! I listened to the audio book for this and the dual narration was really great!

I loved the family dynamics the struggle with kind of terrible parents vs having great parents. I loved this book. I loved Emmett’s grumpiness and I loved the way Hazel loves Emmett’s daughter and how she cares for her own sister amidst an impossible situation.

I laughed pretty hard at Hazel’s reaction to a certain school incident - mostly because I would have probably responded the same way. This is a must read!

4.5 ⭐️Adorable Story!

🌷I binged this! The narrators are absolutely amazing! They not only brought out the MMC and FMC but all the other side characters.

🌷I adore the MMC and FMC but let me tell you June (5-year-old) is amazing! She brings a whole new level of emotion to the story!

🌷This story definitely will pull at your heartstrings and make you cheer for their HEA! Also be warned you will swoon! 🥰

🌷Spice:0
🌷Language:0

She’s crushing on her boss. He’s sworn off love. Nanny + single dad = disaster…or is it? Guarded baseball star Emmett hires warmhearted Hazel to care for his daughter, never expecting to fall for the woman who’s slowly piecing his heart back together. But with his past looming large, can he let himself love again?

I loved this sweet, funny novel with a found family feel. It’s a slow burn, with strong chemistry between Hazel and Emmett. The audiobook narration is well done.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC

This was a fun sports, age-gap, single dad/nanny romcom. I have read this author previously, although a different series, so I knew I would be in for a cute, sweet and funny story that felt like I was watching a 90s romcom, and I was right. Tim Paige and Charlotte North were great as Emmett and Hazel, and made you fall in love with the characters as they were falling in love with each other. I now need to go and read the rest of this series.

Thank you you NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the ALC!!!
4.5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was amazing!!!
It had me smiling the whole time! I am a sucker for a nanny sports Romance book! This book was everything a book needs! The characters were perfectly written. The story line was fantastic!!
If you love
-single dad
- grumpy x sunshine
- slow burn
- nanny romance

This book is for you!!!
Highly recommend giving it a try!!

This is an adorable story between a stressed, single dad, baseball player in need of a new nanny and parentified, eldest daughter, nanny in need of a new job and a break. They are the perfect fit for each other and manage to not only solve each other’s immediate problems but to develop a relationship that makes them both happier.
The narrators did an amazing job, the voice acting was great and the characters felt alive. It was a great performance and a fun book.

That was cute. I love a good grumpy sunshine. I enjoyed it. Not very spicy but it wasn’t needed……three stars

4.5 stars! Really cute read with sweet characters and a predictable but enjoyable plot. Really appreciate that the narrator didn't do baby voices for June (it bugs me so bad when that happens).

I’m not usually a contemporary romance girlie and I think I read one sports romance before this. So, when I tell you that this book hit it out of the park (pun intended), you should know that I did not expect to be saying it. This book is funny, sweet, romantic, and left me wanting more of their story when it ended. This is a fantastic book and Ms. Conwell has won herself a new fan.

In The Double Play we are following Hazel Jones, nanny extraordinaire, who is saying goodbye to the family she has been working for over the last several years. She is very attached to their twins and this is difficult for her. Their mother, her employer, has become her best friend. Immediately, we learn that Hazel is a very competent and caring person who cries when she’s happy or something touches her. Hazel also takes care of her younger sister Raven because their divorced parents aren’t very parental. Hazel is now in the market for a new job.
Next up, we meet Emmet Foster, wealthy pro baseball player and single Dad to miss June Foster. June is loaded with energy and very smart for her age. She is taken care of by her grandparents but they have just told Emmet that they would like to travel the world in their golden years. His mother sets out to find him a nanny for June (and hopefully a wife). She meets with Hazel and adores her. Later she meets Emmet and then June and is hired on the spot to start the next day. 

Hazel is immediately attracted to Emmet and he to her, though he wont’t admit it. He is so emotionally scarred from his failed marriage to June’s mother, that he has walked himself off and is generally very standoffish. He really only softens for his parents and daughter. We see that he is a very good father and clearly loves his daughter. His whole world revolves around her and her happiness. 

Hazel and Emmet start to appreciate each other and their shared love for June certainly helps. She breaks down his walls and he realizes he is in love with her. Once he makes that connection he is basically all in. But before that, we get to see him become protective, make sure she eats and rests, lets her bring her sister to stay with them. Takes her and June to New York where we see him scare off some random guys. It’s really just so much fun to watch them fall for each other. Such an abdolute joy! And June constantly popping up and being hysterical makes it even better!

This book is an absolute must read if you’re in the mood for a clean and wholesome romance. These characters are wonderful and I’m hoping to see them appear in other books (this is an interconnected standalone series). 

I do have 2 little nitpicks even though I know why they are there. First, the yellow cover. I understand it but normally I pass by yellow covers because it’s not my favorite. Second, I don’t think it’s necessary to start each chapter with the full name of the character. The reason was super predictable, but until we got to that, it was a mood breaker at the start of each chapter. Their first names would have been fine after their first POV chapters and you still could have thrown in the intended “thing” to the same effect towards the end. 

Overall, this book is amazing and I highly recommend! It is funny, sweet, light and really just everything you could ask for in a romance. 

I received a free copy of this audio book from Dreamscape Media through NetGalley and I am grateful for their generosity. All opinions are my own, and if I did not like this book, that is what this review would reflect.  

This is a copy of the review I left online at Amazon, Goodreads, Story Graph & Fable.

I don't usually read/listen to closed door romances, but The Double Play was a sweet and quick listen that kept me giggling and swooning!

This was such a fun, engaging sports romance with just the right mix of humor, chemistry, and emotional moments. I loved the dynamic between the characters—the banter was sharp, the tension was there, and their connection felt believable. The sports setting added a fun backdrop without overpowering the romance.

A few parts felt a little rushed, and I wouldn’t have minded a bit more depth in some of the emotional arcs, but overall, this was a really satisfying read. Perfect if you’re looking for something entertaining with a great balance of steam, sweetness, and sports.

The Double Play Honest ARC Review:

4.5⭐️

This was adorable and incredibly heartwarming! I really enjoyed it!! With small town romance vibe, this baseball romance is charming and entertaining.

Emmett, a star pitcher on a Major League Baseball team is looking for a nanny for his daughter June, after his parents inform him that they plan to travel. Hazel seeks a position as a nanny as she is a teacher who enjoys working with children.

Emmett is bitter as his ex wife and June’s mother cheated on him. Hazel dreams of having a family one day and looks forward to caring for June.

⭐️Grumpy Sunshine
⭐️Closed Door Romance
⭐️Sports Romance
⭐️Plenty of Chemistry
⭐️Heartfelt


Thank you so much for sharing this ARC with me. I really enjoyed it!

This was a bit cute
Emmett a single dad and hazel needing a job. It’s the very predictable story. But not in a bad way!
It’s what you want from a cosy easy read that predictable happy ending where he swoops you off your feet and gives you all the feels.

It was all that and more!
Would I recommend……. If you need a relaxed read that dosent require you to put much effort into it they 100%.
This arc came at the right time after a very heavy fantasy read I needed something f that wasn’t going to require a bucket of brain power.

I enjoyed every second thank you netgalley for the arc

This is a nanny/ sports romance. And I loved it. Hazel and Emmett were not ready for romance but it found them anyway. 5 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first experience with this author, and it also marked my first experience into the world of baseball romance. I appreciated that the story could stand alone, allowing me to dive right in without prior knowledge. The love story unfolded steadily, captivating me with its charm. I found the audiobook to be a delightful escape, perfectly suited for when I wanted something lighthearted. The romance felt sweet and gentle, maintaining a closed-door approach that added to its allure. However, it's important to note that the book addresses sensitive themes such as alcoholism, parental neglect, and maternal abandonment. These topics are not the main focus.
I received a complimentary audio/copy of this book and listened to it with pleasure. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review. Thank you, Dreamscape and NetGalley. #TheDoublePlay #netgalley