Reviewed by Amber
TITLE: Force Play
AUTHOR: Elle Brownlee
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 200 pages
BLURB:
Professional baseball player Harmon “Hawk” Kiel was a rookie sensation with dazzling talent and an arrogant attitude to match. But he’s hit his sophomore slump, and his natural talent seems to have deserted him, along with the confidence of his team and the media’s approval. During the All Star Break he hits rock bottom, gets careless, and sensational pictures of him at gay clubs go viral. All at once he’s outed, and out of a job.
When he’s dealt to the Loggerheads, a worse-than-terrible expansion team in Charleston, South Carolina, he can’t imagine he’ll get a warm reception—nor does he particularly want one. But it’s the only chance at redemption he has.
There he meets Caleb Jackson, a former player who’s part of the Loggerheads organization, someone who tries to be the friend Harmon so desperately needs. But Caleb has a secret too, one more gut-wrenching than anything Harmon can imagine. Together they try to put the past behind them, rediscover their love of the game—and maybe even find the love of their lives.
REVIEW:
I always forget how much I truly love professional athlete stories. After reading Force Play, I am reminded and now I want to search my archive and reread as many sports stories as I find. Force Play was an unexpected treat. It was emotional and angsty but also incredibly touching and sweet. I loved watching these characters grow throughout the story.
Harmon Kiel is a professional baseball player with a pretty big secret. A drunken night out makes his secret very public. Outted and kicked off his team, Harmon has to navigate a new team all while being an out, gay professional athlete.
Caleb Jackson’s essentially Harmon’s new teams welcome wagon. Doing everything in his power to ease Harmon into his new team he’s unprepared for the immediate attraction.
Harmon is still very hurt about being traded due to his sexuality so he’s prickly and defensive on his new team. He doesn’t know who he can trust or confide in. To make matters worse he know his attraction to a teammate could cause him a lot more problems.
These two sniff around each other for a while. The flirting and the push/pull between Harmon and Caleb is adorable. Caleb totally won me over in this story. His patience, compassion, and understanding with Harmon melted me. I loved Caleb so much. You could feel his love for his team and his love for baseball in every interaction.
Like I mentioned before I really enjoyed this story. Anyone who loves to read about professional athletes finding love will enjoy this one.
RATING: 
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