Reviewed by True
TITLE: Unwritten Rules
AUTHOR: KD Casey
PUBLISHER: Carina Press
LENGTH: 1077 kB
RELEASE DATE: October 12, 2021
BLURB:
Ex-teammates—and exes—reunite for a second chance in this delightful sports romance from debut author KD Casey.
Zach Glasser has put up with a lot for the sport he loves. Endless days on the road, playing half-decent baseball in front of half-full stadiums and endless nights alone, pretending this is the life he’s always wanted.
The thing is, it could have been everything he ever wanted—if only he’d had the guts to tell his family, tell the club, that he was in love with his teammate Eugenio Morales. Well, ex-teammate now. When Zach wouldn’t—couldn’t—come out, Eugenio made the devastating choice to move on, demanding a trade away from Oakland. Away from Zach.
Three years and countless regrets later, Zach still can’t get Eugenio out of his head. Or his heart. And when they both get selected to play in the league’s All-Star Classic, those feelings and that chemistry come roaring back.
Zach wants a second chance. Eugenio wants a relationship he doesn’t have to hide. Maybe it’s finally time they both get what they want.
REVIEW:
Alternating between when they meet for the first time, years ago, and the present where they meet again, we get to know Zach and Eugenio, where they are baseball players, lovers, and part of a family.
Bit by bit the picture unfolds before our eyes, what they’ve been through.
The consistency is strong, nothing escapes the author’s attention throughout the story.
Like Zach’s hard hearing, that he’s Jewish, his physics, every part of baseball, everything is present.
A lot of baseball business comes along, it’s the core, of course, the emotional and physical ups and downs of sportsmen.
Zach is aware of his every move, he can’t show the world how he feels about Eugenio, he can’t risk it for even one second. Zach doesn’t allow himself much, not even looking at Eugenio in a certain way. He’s strongly convinced staying in the closet is the best thing to do, even if it costs him the love of his life.
Even though there is love, they’re not really together. Eugenio doesn’t want to continue what they have. Zach doesn’t want to be outed, everything has to go in a sneaky way. There are a lot of sorry and promises coming from Zach. There isn’t any progress. Eugenio packs his bags and is gone.
After reconnecting Zach wants a second chance.
The slow burn is torturing slow, I’m so bad with it. Oh boy, Zach was exhausting, he’s so wary, I wanted to shake him, to wake him up. Eugenio was way too patient.
The story was not very romantic, I would have loved some more intense moments. While both men were kindhearted and mature, emotionally I couldn’t feel them all the time. Zach’s character was main here, Eugenio felt minor. The baseball is hugely present, every detail is on paper. For my pleasure, it was too detailed, and way too much, I was looking for the parts where there was interaction, of any kind, between both men. The last part of this story was more my thing.
Overall a largely and widely written narrative, captivating, entertaining, and nicely developed.
RATING: 
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