He’s home to recover …and rekindle a romance with his first love
After a hitting streak propels him onto a major league roster, Nate Ramsey lands on the injured list. The one bright spot in a frustrating summer is returning home to Last Stand, Texas – until he’s tasked with confronting Keely Harper, an old flame whose business is running roughshod over his grandfather’s farm. Nate accepted it when she ended things five years ago, but he won’t overlook a slight to the rest of the Ramseys. What game is she playing?
Keely has always carried the weight of responsibility for her dysfunctional family, so she can’t regret the way she ended things with Nate. Cutting him loose to pursue his dreams was the kindest thing she could have done for a man with talent to take him far beyond Last Stand. Except now he’s back, and the fireworks between them haven’t faded a bit. If she gives in to the temptation of a kiss, will she be able to let him go again once his injury heals and baseball wants him back?
Titles in the Texas Playmakers series include — The Perfect Catch – Game On –
This series is part of the Last Stand, Texas group of connecting series. (think Marietta, Montana– Tule Publishing’s other large set of series set in a fictional town) For a look at the other series that connect centered around this town please visit our Last Stand, Texas page.
Title: Game On
Series: Texas Playmakers #2
Author: Joanne Rock
Genre: Romance
Published: August 8, 2019
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
GAME ON is the second story in the Texas Playmakers series, part of several series that all connect in Last Stand, Texas. While we do have an injured baseball player, Nate, returning home this story is more of a Second Chance Romance than a Sports Romance.
Keely and Nate were once young, in love, with the future ahead of them – perhaps. Yet, Keely has always felt the weight of her father’s reputation as an alcoholic bearing down on her shoulders. She was determined to not let her family reputation bring down the man she loved, so when baseball called she let him go without putting up a fight. Or at least one that Nate could see. Now he’s home again, just to recover until his career calls again, or for good, she’s not sure — and finding out, letting him into her heart once again is something she’s afraid to do because this time his leaving without her will break her into pieces.
From Nate’s viewpoint, Keely let him go too easily so that taking on the baseball career that he’d been pushed into since childhood became a done deal almost before he knew it. His heart’s been broken by Keely once, is he willing to take that chance again?
While I enjoyed GAME ON, there were parts where I really felt Keely’s taking on the world, all the time, and her vision of the sacrifices she’s made for her family took a bit of my like for her away. Yes, she’s sacrificed but that doesn’t give her the right to dictate how others react to her actions. But, again, it’s not my story to tell so I liked Nate and Keely together for the majority of the time.
Secondary characters often make or break a story for me and the next couple we’ll be meeting certainly brought this story to life with their addition to the action.
I had fun, I enjoyed another side of Last Stand, Texas and would not hesitate to recommend GAME ON to any Romance reader.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Available for the Kindle
