Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Relief Pitcher
SERIES: Tap That Brewery (Book 3)
AUTHOR: Lee Blair
PUBLISHER: Bosta Books
LENGTH: 339 Pages
RELEASE DATE: October 18, 2023
BLURB:
I thought I was helping him get his groove back. Turns out, he’s helping me fall in love.
Tyler
I have one rule when it comes to matters of my hormones: one and done. Consensually, of course. Fun with no complicated romantic feelings. Not that I’m built to experience those, anyway.
After my car breaks down on a remote road, I follow a lumbersnack back to his creepy cabin for the cell service. When a tree falls and blocks my car, I make the most of it. What’s more casual than riding out a storm in bed?
Except it stops being casual when I get hit with Big Feelings™ that equally terrify and thrill me. I’m a sure bet as a good time but high risk when it comes to caring for someone’s heart.
Cooper
I’ve been kind of a hermit since my husband died. Lately, though, I’ve been toying with the idea of putting myself out there again.
So when a hot guy with a fondness for d1ck jokes and a heart of gold offers to “clean out my pipes,” I grab it—and him—with both hands.
I know Ty doesn’t sleep with the same guy twice. So, after our unexpected weekend together, I focus on being grateful and moving on. But when he ends up as the relief pitcher for my rec softball team, the time we start spending together makes me want him even more.
Except after living through one massive loss, I’m not sure I’m brave enough to risk my heart again.
—
Relief Pitcher is a low angst, sweet and steamy MM contemporary romance with a demiromantic awakening, lacy underthings, unintentional arborist slander, plus size representation, and crows. A lot of crows. It’s book three in the Tap That Brewery series, which follows best friends who run a brewery together in a small town you’ll wish you could visit. Each book can be read as a stand-alone, but the jokes hit better if you read them in order.
REVIEW:
I know we have all been waiting for jokester Tyler’s story and it’s a whirlwind and surprise for sure!
Tyler knows love is not in the cards for him. It’s just not how he is wired. He has his close friends that they all opened the very successful Tap That Brewery together. And he has his parents and now even his wandering younger brother is back too. And Grindr helps keep him satisfied with his “one and done’s”. He’s just not looking for romance and love ever after. But his car breaking down during a huge storm is about to change his life forever…but is he ready for that? Or is Cooper?
I can honestly say that I never saw this one coming and it totally surprised me. I actually learned a new term even…demiromantic. But now it makes total sense. The need for an extremely deep connection and friendship that blooms into feelings. It would be very confusing to a man in his thirties who thought he wasn’t “wired that way”. Tyler simply didn’t comprehend the concept of romantic feelings of love. He loved his family and his close friends and would do anything for them. But the idea of being tied to “his one” evaded and confused him. When his friends started finding their true loves he was baffled. But they all knew that wasn’t him but didn’t know why. I loved that it was Sean, Tyler’s demisexual little brother, that turned on the light so Tyler could finally understand who he really was. The joy of discovering that he wasn’t broken and what was to come for him and Cooper was touching.
I will be honest and say that I was worried for Cooper. He had been struck a hard blow with the sudden death of his dear husband. Connecting to Tyler could have resulted in even more heartbreak. But Cooper’s patience and understanding, plus his trust in Tyler, made all the difference to finally allow Tyler to become friends and allow his friendship to bloom. They really were the perfect match.
One of the treats in the early part of the book was Tyler’s visit to what I assume is the Tillamook Cheese factory and his grabbing their highly desired squeaky cheese. This has been a family treat for us for over 40 years. Being back in Oregon visiting family has made me want to make a run to the coast for some of this yumminess after reading that!
The epilogue provides some clues of more love to come. I can’t wait for Dom’s story and what’s up between him and Hayden. And then there is sweet Sean. I have a suspicion on who he winds up with but will have to wait and see. I love this wonderful series and still wish Dahlia Springs was real. Although I’m more of a wine drinker I would especially like to try a couple of Austin’s autumn creations and get to sit in their new outdoor area feasting on Caleb’s culinary treats 💕 I highly recommend you read this series in order to get the total experience of Dahlia Springs and the men at Tap That Brewery.
RATING: 
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