A sweet and spicy romance, with a touch of magic and a little bit of suspense. Rowdy is an ex-pitcher for a big league team, trying to come to grips with the end of his career. He's been asked to write his autobiography, and has a couple motivations for doing so. To do it, he's going to need a ghostwriter. Enter Breeanne, a self-professed baseball addict, writer, and huge fan of Rowdy's since she was a kid. With the help of a magical hope chest, she gets the chance at the job of her dreams.

Breeanne is a young woman who is ready to start living. After spending most of her life with a heart defect, enduring many surgeries, she is finally healthy. She is also ready to get out from under the overprotective umbrella of her family. A chance encounter with Rowdy at an estate auction gets her fantasies going, and a wish for a writing job brings them together.

I loved their encounter at the auction, as sweet and innocent Breeanne is totally flummoxed by Rowdy's assistance when she gets hit by a baseball. Rowdy is drawn to her and doesn't understand why, as she's nothing like the women he's always pursued. When she shows up to interview for the ghostwriter job, he has every intention of turning her down, but ends up hiring her instead. That scene is really funny as he uses her appearance to get rid of the other applicants.

Rowdy has an agenda in writing this book, dealing with the general manager of his former team, his injury, and some other reason that is hinted at but not explained until the end of the book. The problem is that he really doesn't want to talk about any of the things that will be included in the book. Instead, he uses his attraction to and fascination with Breeanne to distract her.

I loved the two of them together. Rowdy easily sees that Breeanne is an innocent, and once he finds out why, is determined to help her have some fun in her life. He doesn't treat her as if she's fragile, instead he sees her as a strong survivor. As for Breeanne, she wants to do right by the book, and knows she has to get Rowdy to open up to her. Because of the pain she's had in her own life, she can see that there is something that is haunting him. She pushes at him when she needs to, backs off when she sees he's reached his limit. She also has no problem standing up to him when he's being a jerk. I liked the way that they became friends first, before anything else happens.

The romance itself was good. Rowdy doesn't do commitment and makes sure that women he gets involved with know that. He doesn't expect to find himself wanting more out of his developing relationship with Breeanne. Even though she puts the moves on him (a really fun scene), he doesn't want to take advantage of her. His "Rookie Rules" were really sweet as he tries his best to do right by her. Breeanne knows that she's probably going to fall in love with him and get her heart broken, but she can't imagine being with anyone else that way. His insistence on taking things slow frustrates her, but she can't deny that she enjoys it. I loved seeing the changes they went through, thanks to the caring they experience from each other. It's all going great until something happens that drives them apart. Rowdy behaves like a jerk, and though he regrets it right away, making amends doesn't happen immediately. I loved his big moment at the end, as he did a fine job of groveling.

The suspense of the story centers around Rowdy's scumbag of a general manager. A little bit is revealed at the beginning, with more exposed as Rowdy's trust in Breeanne grows. Rowdy is a man who is caught between a rock and a hard place, as he wants to do what is right, but he also wants to protect those he cares about. The tension built as he got closer to confessing all to her. What happened next was something that could be seen coming, though the method was a bit of a surprise. Once it was out there, Rowdy had decisions to make, and what he did was very satisfying. Breeanne also had her moment to shine as she confronted the person responsible.

Family relationships also play an important part in the story. I loved Breeanne's family and their obvious love for each other. Though she often feels smothered, Breeanne knows that they love her and will support her in whatever she does. Each of her sisters has a unique personality and I'm looking forward to their stories. I also liked Rowdy's brother, though he definitely has some growing up to do. ( )

This is the first book in Lori Wilde's Stardust, Texas series, which features daughters from the Carlyle family of the mythical East Texas town of Stardust, and baseball players from the mythical Dallas Gunslingers team.  I read the second book in the series, Rules of the Game, about six months ago.

Wilde has woven fewer romance tropes (which I've italicized) into this story than some of her others I've read.  Billionaire athlete playboy Rowdy Blanton is a tortured hero, essentially having an office romance with Breeanne (who he hires to ghostwrite his autobiography), a virgin with physical scars from numerous operations for a heart condition.

Perhaps for that reason, I liked this story a little better.  Oh sure, I knew everything would work out in the end, but it was a little less predictable.  Some of the events in the story were a bit unrealistic, but it was a fun, light read.

This time I stuck with the audio version performed by actress C. J. Critt.  Her reading was fine although a bit slow, and I enjoyed her giving characters appropriate Texas accents.

© Amanda Pape - 2015

[This audiobook was borrowed from and returned to my local public library. This review can also be found on Bookin' it.] ( )

I enjoyed this book very much and I am excited for the rest of the books coming in this series. I love the way Lori Wilde weaves a bit of the magical into her stories and she didn't let me down in this one. Breeanne Carlyle has had rough times in her life but she is ready to spread her wings and really live now. With her medical problems in her past she wants to hopefully get on with her career as a writer. Her first job, being a ghost writer for hometown hero Rowdy Blanton. Big league baseball player who had to abruptly leave the game he loved. The story definitely turns into much more than she ever hoped for.

This is a fun read and one I definitely recommend. ( )

Contemporary Romance

Stardust, Texas

Rowdy Blanton is looking for a ghostwriter that is female, a baseball fan and happens to have a great pair of legs. He is an ex-pitcher that has yet to find a woman he couldn’t conquer or a team he couldn’t beat. Now that his field days are past he is ready to tell everything about when he played the field. He chooses Breeanne Carlyle for the job. She has the right requirements but more importantly and even better she makes him want to be a better man.

Breeanne is convinced there is a lot more to Rowdy than just a wicked smile, good fastball and a tight pair of pants. Breeanne is tempted to find out. Always being the good girl has been boring and Rowdy dares her to be a little bit bad. The stakes are definitely high. This time though win or lose Breeanne is going to break all the rules by playing the game of love.

This is the start of another series by an author that proves just how much fun small town living can be. Including all those characters that are determined to help by butting into everyone’s business. With just this one book the start of this series is great and will have readers eagerly awaiting the next installment from this small town. This is a sweet story that is hard to put down once the reader starts it. The town comes to life for the reader with each description of the town and businesses and people that occupy it. It will also have readers wishing they could visit it themselves.

Received a review copy ( )

Back In The Game by Lori Wilde
Stardust, TX a new series! Story is about a pitcher who we learn has just lost his career due to a misunderstanding and lots of alcohol.
Also follows a woman who runs a bookstore and is a writer. He wants to write his story and hires her, after interviewing when there are others to apply for the same job.
They spend a lot of time together and we learn all their secrets, well not all of them. Especially liked how he drew her out of her comfort zone. I feel in a way, like her as I've not experienced a lot of things and they are on my 'to do' list, someday.
Ziplining sounds really fun and with a tandem it would even be shared with a loved one. When we learn he wants to stop the book in process she doesn't cave in and they continue with the writing. Hot steamy sex scenes.
Love family events and how the others in the family come to her support. Love the story of the treasure chest and the hidden compartments and am happy to learn it continues in the next book. Love a mystery and the treasures that are hidden deep within.
The impossible happens and the team now hires his brother to pitch and it comes with a price and he has to make ends meet by tying up all loose ends. The story is very believable and I can really see things happening. Wish there had been more details of baseball during the telling. Loved all the stats.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
0062311263 ( )