A League of Her Own
My Rating: five-stars
Published by: Harlequin on December 1st 2014
Genres: Adult, Contemporary
ISBN: 0373367031
Pages: 386
Also by this author: , His Hometown Girl, His Kind of Cowgirl
He was attractive, talented…and way off limits.
Heather Gadway may have been a world-class college pitcher and a top university coach, but she's a rank amateur when it comes to managing the Falcons, her father's struggling minor league team. And when it comes to managing her aggravating attraction to Garrett Wolf, their talented new pitcher. It's going to be difficult enough to make it as the first female manager in the league and prove to her overly critical father she's worthy. No distractions. No missteps. And certainly no romances with players. Everything stands between them—including their troubled pasts—even as Heather's world falls apart and Garrett's the one who's there to catch her…
Romance, Baseball, Rivals to Lovers, Contemporary Romance
I was so excited when I was scheduled as a stop on Karen’s blog tour. Not only is she a gifted storyteller, she’s a sweet friend. I was originally supposed to post my review on the 9th, but family problems got in the way. Karen was so gracious and understanding. She told me family, of course, came before book reviews. And, although she is correct, I still want to share some of my thoughts on her newest novel in the “Heartwarming” series by Harlequin, “A League of Her Own.”
“A League of Her Own” is a touching look at the dynamics of human relationships, from family, to romantic. It explores how these relationships mold and shape one’s life and attitudes, all the while entertaining the reader with a well-written, thoroughly enjoyable story.
Anyone who reads my blog knows my biggest rule: never, ever, talk about a book’s plot. I don’t give a rehash of the story in my review. You have to read the book yourself to get the full emotional connection the author intended. However, it’s so hard for me to keep my own rule with this review!
There are so many levels in this story, so many different relationships and stages of those relationships. I’d love to outline them all, dissect each, and tell you what I think about the characters’ relationships and how they weave into the fabric of the story, intersecting with the other relationships. It was incredibly well written and thought out and I found myself getting so wrapped up in the dynamics of the story that hours felt like minutes. Before I knew it, my kids were asking about dinner and I thought, “Dinner? It’s only one o’clock.” Um, nope. Try five o’clock and I’d read more than half the book.
The story is full of beautifully, richly written characters, which seemed three dimensional. In other words, not just words on a page. The characters in “A League of Her Own” walked across the pages, playing out the scenes, and the reader isn’t a mere spectator, but an active participant. Writing that pulls the reader so far into a story is rare and a true gift. It is something every author strives for, and this book shows Karen Rock’s talent of taking a reader from their favorite reading chair, to a world of Karen’s creation.
I suppose one reason I was so drawn to “A League of Her Own” is because I could relate to the main character, Heather. Alcohol had always played a part in her life in some way. It was like a living, breathing thing that skulked around corners and darted from bush to bush following her—never leaving her in peace. And with it, it brought its friends: Deceit, Self-doubt, Suspicion, and the meanest of all, the inability to let people in. To truly open yourself up and let them into your life. Because once you did that… you opened yourself up for alcohol’s other friends: Pain and Loss. I could see myself in Heather. I read my life on the pages of the book. And parts made my heart ache, and parts showed me the hope I carry with me now. But all of it was a story that needed to be told. That needs to be told more often.
Deceit. Loss. Pain. Self-doubt. Suspicion. Alone. They are the faces of alcoholism and they touch everyone.
Bottom Line: An engaging story. The plot was well thought out, the pacing was steady throughout the book. The characters were flawed, making them real and likable. I think this is one of my favorite of Karen’s books. I highly recommend it.
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