Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Slow Pitch
AUTHOR: Amy Lane
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 202 pages
RELEASE DATE: May 19, 2020
BLURB:
Tenner Gibson has a job he enjoys, a prickly ex-wife, and an adorable daughter he wouldn’t trade for the world. With no romance, no sex life, and no other hobbies, a rec league softball team is as close as he gets to hedonism.
But life throws him a curveball when cocky Ross McTierney sets his sights on getting under Tenner’s skin.
One explosion of lust later, Tenner wonders what possessed him to have a quickie with Ross, and Ross wonders how to do it again.
Tenner has eight weeks to convince his tiny modern family that Ross is what’s best for him. Ross has eight weeks to get used to the idea that complicated doesn’t always mean bad. Their sex life is moving at the speed of light, and everything in their relationship is coming at them too fast….
But together, they might make a connection and knock it out of the park.
REVIEW:
Tenner has a job he likes, a boss who is great, a daughter he adores. And that’s about it. Aside from that, his life is a bit empty. Then his boss, Pat, asks him to play on a spring softball team so that they can have a league. He agrees – he played baseball in college and needs something for himself. What he doesn’t know right away, is that the team is not Pat’s and that frankly they are terrible. Tenner is the only one who seems to have a clue. But the carrot is that if he plays on this team in the spring, he can play on Pat’s team in the summer.
The first game is going OK, but then he’s completely annoyed by an obnoxious trash-talker who just happens to be Pat’s brother-in-law. Ross is a cocky SOB who has a great deal of fun getting under Tenner’s skin. But then, he REALLY get’s under Tenner’s skin after the lights go out 😉
Ross seeks Tenner out when Tenner is least expecting it and he also has his daughter with him – as he does most weekends. Piper is adorable and she likes Ross 🙂 Tenner kind of likes Ross too, but he’s not allowed to date. Or is he? Seems he’s had a rather acrimonious divorce after coming out to his wife 🙁 He also has some really awful parents. But maybe, just maybe, if he handles this the right way, he can find a way to move on from his lonely, celibate life and try to be happy?
Ross, for his part, can’t believe the connection he has with Tenner. He’s never had a relationship like this. He’s lived a bit of a vagabond life – doing field work, pursuing grants and taking local jobs in between. He’s enjoyed his flings and affairs, but right away, he knows this is different. He’s in town for 8 weeks before he has to head back to his latest project. He’s fierce in his work and that’s just a natural part of this personality. He really wants Tenner though and even more, he wants Tenner to live his life and be happy.
This book is such a perfect read in these uncertain and stressful times! It’s such a lovely and sweet story as only Amy Lane can write them. Tenner is such a lovable guy – although he seems to be the only one who doesn’t realize it 🙂 Thankfully his daughter, Ross, Pat and others do their best to convince him otherwise. He’s been living half a life after being rejected by his family and trying to do the right thing. He loves his daughter and he would like at least go back to being friends with his ex-wife, Nina. I thought in particular that relationship was so well written. While Nina had been hurt and angry about the divorce, time, distance and a rude awakening open her eyes to Tenner’s position. Ross is a cool guy – he’s much more comfortable with himself, largely because of a great supportive family. He adores his sister and his brother-in-law and their family and while he’s been a rolling stone, he’s ready to put down some roots and make a life now that he’s found Tenner. While this story takes place over just a couple of months, it didn’t feel rushed or improbable. Tenner and Ross just clicked. Their family and friends provided support, humor when necessary and also focus on what could be. I was rooting for Tenner and Ross from the get-go and I really loved seeing the whole dynamic of Tenner’s life and relationships change over the course of the story. Both men learned to trust in themselves and in each other. Just delightful! Highly recommended for those in search of a story that provides humor, tenderness, love in all its forms and a happy ending 😀
RATING: 
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