Reviewed by Roberta

TITLE: The Eskimo Slugger

AUTHOR: Brad Boney

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 230 Pages

BLURB:

It’s the summer of 1983, and Trent Days is Major League Baseball’s rookie sensation. Born in Alaska to an Inupiat mother, the press have dubbed him the Eskimo Slugger, but a midseason collision at home plate temporarily halts his meteoric rise to the top.

Sent back to Austin to recuperate, Trent visits his favorite record store, Inner Sanctum, where he meets amiable law student Brendan Baxter. A skip in the vinyl of New Order’s “Blue Monday” drives Trent back to Brendan, and their romance takes them into uncharted territory.

As Trent’s feelings move from casual to serious, he’s faced with an impossible dilemma. Does he abandon any hope of a future with Brendan and return to the shadows and secrets of professional sports? Or does he embrace the possibility of real love and leave baseball behind him forever? As he struggles with his decision, Trent embarks on a journey of self-discovery—to figure out who he really is and what matters most.

REVIEW:

So, let’s just start out by saying that I’m about to fangirl for just a moment….ready…..EEEEHHHHHH!!!!  I’m so freaking happy to read another of Brad Boney’s books!! I’ve read The Nothingness of Ben and The Return and HEARTED THEM SO MUCH!!  When I heard that he was going to write The Eskimo Slugger, I KNEW I was going to read this book.  I had to see how their relationship started, even with knowing the ending.  I just knew that there were going to be tears, but I had to read it.  I’m so glad that I got the opportunity to read and review it for you all.  What an Honor!!

Ok, now that’s over and I can give you my review.  Ready….let’s get into it!!

Trent Days is in his Rookie season playing for the Houston Astros.  Trent is a man whose life isn’t what he thought it’d be.  He’s already tired of the hype about him. He just wants to be normal.  I mean, he feels this expectation to play ball as he’s got this talent that seemingly came from nowhere.  Here he is a young man that lived in Alaska and the first time he picks up a bat at 15, he knocks it into a cornfield.  Trent has this secret that he’s not even told his best friend, he’s gay.  He’s used practice as an excuse for years as the reason that he’s single.  He even slept with a girl to throw suspicion from him.  Trent is the oldest child of 4 brothers and his family means the world to them.  He finds that fame isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be.  How to be who he really is, that it will be a career ending event.  Trent was put on the Disabled List and given 30 days to recover.  He goes back to his home in Austin and in doing that…he puts in motion the events that led to the best thing in his life.  Trent is this guy who is loyal, loving and really just wants to be normal.  He doesn’t have many friends other than his high school/College best friend, Kieran Harrison.  Yet, his life is about to add so much more.

Brendan Baxter is a law student living in the garage apartment on Bill Walsh’s property.  He works a record store and he wants to be a great lawyer. He wants to be a mover and shaker in New York.  He wants out of Austin and the attitudes of some of the people.  Brendan’s life has been focused on getting his degree and just making his life happen.  Brendan is also hiding a secret, he’s gay as well.  He feels that once he’s out of law school and Austin and in New York, he can be open about who he is.  He wants to find someone that he can hold hands with in public and just be with. Brendan has this habit of making things all about him and his wants and needs.  He gets into his head to much and sometimes he needs to be reminded that there is life happening around him.  His life changes the moment Trent walks into the record store.

The cast of characters that we meet, some for the first time and others…well, you know…glimpses into other’s lives.  Quincey, I just absolutely ADORED Him!!  I love the hippie, new-age vibe that he lives by. I loved listening to him talk and his ability to talk to you and impart knowledge and yet, will allow you to make the decision on what to do with the knowledge.  Such a great guy and a wonderful support to both Trent and Brendan, but more so for Trent.  Kieran, well I’m not sure how I feel about him.  He’s always had Trent by his side, so that’s his wingman, and yet, when faced with the truth…was a complete and utter jackass.  I really liked seeing Stanton and Hutch from The Return. I knew they were coming and I liked that their visit was expanded upon.  I see why Hutch fell in love with Texas and had his friends all wanting the very same thing.  Bill Walsh, Brendan’s landlord..wow!! It was great to see way more of him and see what kind of man he truly was while younger.

Now there was some sex in this book, however, I liked how they started off slow.  They were both virgins for want of a better term.  They took the time to really allow themselves the time to get used to being with a man and to find out about likes and dislikes.  But the moment they started having full on sex….WATCH OUT!!! I knew Brad’s work from his previous works and it was HAWT!!!

I really loved this book!!  I knew how the story ended, if you’ve read any of the previous books, you’d know as well, but still even knowing how it would end, it was such a great story.  Brad has had me hooked on his wonderfully thought-provoking and emotionally charged books.  I know that when I read his book, I’m going to go through lots of emotions and that there is no way for me not to be emotionally invested in his characters.  To read this story and see that it takes place over 10 days, you realize that your life can and often does change in an instant.

Having read The Nothingness of Ben and The Return prior and telling other readers about them and letting them fall in love with these characters is such a honor for me.  You get to know the characters that keep popping up.  Or you will know a character to come.

Brad has once again written a book that was thought-provoking, well written and one that just takes you on a sweet and tender love story.  Every time I think I can get a handle on my emotions, Brad seems to push for more and gets it. I would suggest reading Brad’s prior books as this book will make more sense as to who these characters are.  Play special attention to….wait…I’ll let you figure it out. This was a great addition to Brad Boney’s work and I can’t WAIT to read more.  Thank You, Brad for these AMAZING Characters that you keep bringing us!!  Keep Up The Great Work.

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Amazon.uk

ARe