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The Second Season
Ruth Devon starred for Georgetown Basketball back in college—until she injured her knee, married her coach, and found a new career calling games on the radio. Twenty years later, Ruth and her now-ex-husband, Lester, are two of the most famous faces in sports media. When Lester decides to retire from the announcers’ booth, Ruth goes after his job. If she gets it, she will be the first woman to call NBA games on national television.
For now, Ruth is reporting from the sideline of the NBA finals, immersed in the high-pressure spectacle of the post-season. But in a deserted locker room at halftime, Ruth makes a discovery that shatters her vision of her future. Instantly, she is torn between the two things she has always wanted most: the game and motherhood.
With warmth and incisive observation, Adrian brings to life the obsessions, emotions, and drama of fandom. The Second Season asks why, how, and whom we watch, while offering a rich and complicated account of motherhood, marriage, and ambition. Adrian’s character study of Ruth Devon illuminates a beautiful basketball mind—and the struggle of a woman who claims authority in a male-dominated world.
For now, Ruth is reporting from the sideline of the NBA finals, immersed in the high-pressure spectacle of the post-season. But in a deserted locker room at halftime, Ruth makes a discovery that shatters her vision of her future. Instantly, she is torn between the two things she has always wanted most: the game and motherhood.
With warmth and incisive observation, Adrian brings to life the obsessions, emotions, and drama of fandom. The Second Season asks why, how, and whom we watch, while offering a rich and complicated account of motherhood, marriage, and ambition. Adrian’s character study of Ruth Devon illuminates a beautiful basketball mind—and the struggle of a woman who claims authority in a male-dominated world.
300 pages, Hardcover
First published July 27, 2021
18 people are currently reading
3510 people want to read
About the author
Emily Adrian
7 books203 followersEmily Adrian is the author of Seduction Theory, Daughterhood, The Second Season, and Everything Here Is Under Control, as well as two critically acclaimed novels for young adults. Her work has appeared in Granta, The Point, Joyland, EPOCH, Alta Journal, Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Millions. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Emily currently lives in New Haven, Connecticut.
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December 8, 2021
4.5 stars
"When journalists write about Ruth, they seem to consult a thesaurus for synonyms of 'badass.' In print Ruth has been called confident, gutsy, and intrepid. She's a tough cookie, a tomboy, unflinching and formidable. In Ruth's mind, these words describe not her, exactly, but the kind of woman people assume she must be in order to do what she does." -- page 179
And just what does protagonist Ruth Devon 'do'? For years she has been an admired and successful sideline reporter for televised NBA (National Basketball Association) games, with a sincere knack for player interviews AND also possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of the game. Although she did not seek this career initially - she was a star athlete for Georgetown University (referred to as "that b**** from the District" by competitors) before a knee injury derailed her playing days and dashed her hopes of turning 'pro' - by the age of 42 she has made her mark in a male-dominated industry. Now Ruth arrives at a lifestyle crossroads for a few reasons. 1.) Her only child, an eighteen year-old budding model, is graduating high school and ready to start young adult life. 2.) The job position that Ruth covets - being the analyst in the TV broadcast booth - suddenly now seems within reach due to the pending retirement of a long-time colleague . . . who just happens to be her ex-husband, a man fifteen years her senior who was also her college basketball coach (!). 3.) An unanticipated health-related issue develops, throwing Ruth into a mental quagmire and causing her a bit of soul-searching.
Adrian's The Second Season, despite my uneven plot synopsis, is not a comedy or some dreary soap opera. Instead, I found it to be an insightful and low-key character drama about a woman who finds some difficulty balancing her treasured career with her personal life (motherhood, dating, etc.). Ruth Devon was an interesting principal - she is a hard worker, is clearly good at what she does, and has gained deserved respect in some quarters for her professional accomplishment. Yet there are the naysayers (social media excerpts are included in spots), and her own thoughts - about what she wants versus what the different aspects of society expect of a woman - do preoccupy her mind. The narrative shadows her for a week - she's 'on the road' covering the NBA championship - as she interacts with numerous supporting characters (her ex-husband, her producer, players from the opposing teams) and deals with complications that the plot throws in her way. I admittedly don't know very much about basketball - and probably even less about women - but this superb and engaging little book helped shed some light and/or provide food for thought on both subjects.
"When journalists write about Ruth, they seem to consult a thesaurus for synonyms of 'badass.' In print Ruth has been called confident, gutsy, and intrepid. She's a tough cookie, a tomboy, unflinching and formidable. In Ruth's mind, these words describe not her, exactly, but the kind of woman people assume she must be in order to do what she does." -- page 179
And just what does protagonist Ruth Devon 'do'? For years she has been an admired and successful sideline reporter for televised NBA (National Basketball Association) games, with a sincere knack for player interviews AND also possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of the game. Although she did not seek this career initially - she was a star athlete for Georgetown University (referred to as "that b**** from the District" by competitors) before a knee injury derailed her playing days and dashed her hopes of turning 'pro' - by the age of 42 she has made her mark in a male-dominated industry. Now Ruth arrives at a lifestyle crossroads for a few reasons. 1.) Her only child, an eighteen year-old budding model, is graduating high school and ready to start young adult life. 2.) The job position that Ruth covets - being the analyst in the TV broadcast booth - suddenly now seems within reach due to the pending retirement of a long-time colleague . . . who just happens to be her ex-husband, a man fifteen years her senior who was also her college basketball coach (!). 3.) An unanticipated health-related issue develops, throwing Ruth into a mental quagmire and causing her a bit of soul-searching.
Adrian's The Second Season, despite my uneven plot synopsis, is not a comedy or some dreary soap opera. Instead, I found it to be an insightful and low-key character drama about a woman who finds some difficulty balancing her treasured career with her personal life (motherhood, dating, etc.). Ruth Devon was an interesting principal - she is a hard worker, is clearly good at what she does, and has gained deserved respect in some quarters for her professional accomplishment. Yet there are the naysayers (social media excerpts are included in spots), and her own thoughts - about what she wants versus what the different aspects of society expect of a woman - do preoccupy her mind. The narrative shadows her for a week - she's 'on the road' covering the NBA championship - as she interacts with numerous supporting characters (her ex-husband, her producer, players from the opposing teams) and deals with complications that the plot throws in her way. I admittedly don't know very much about basketball - and probably even less about women - but this superb and engaging little book helped shed some light and/or provide food for thought on both subjects.
July 2, 2023
At home a topic of late is what professions my teenagers are drawn toward. They have at times asked me if I didn’t choose my current life path, what would I have done. While I have a legit answer, I usually respond with two, unattainable dream jobs. The first is marine biologist studying dolphins in the Res Sea, the second is sports broadcaster. Growing up at a time when women were first starting to make inroads in sports and 99% of broadcasters were former athletes, I knew that broadcasting baseball games was not in my future. Thirty five years later, women’s sports leagues may not be as popular as men’s, but sports are televised, and the need for women as broadcasters, not just cute sideline reporters is evident. If one tunes into a WNBA, softball, or soccer game, at least one of the people in the booth is a woman, usually a former athlete who is knowledgeable in her field. The Second Season was not on my radar, but when I saw that a friend would be reading it and what the subject matter was, I knew I had to join in.
Ruth Devon is a former standout basketball player for Georgetown University. While in college, she fell for her coach who referred to her by her pet name Ruthie. In her last year with the WNBA a few years down the road and few professional opportunities available domestically for even the best women athletes, Ruth blows out her knee on a seemingly easy lay up try. Her career is over, with it the relationship between player and coach, freeing her to marry Lester Devon, keeping his name all these years later. Many female athletes who have male rather than female coaches have been known to view them as father figures, the relationship strengthened in high school or college with the athletes spending more time with their teammates and coach than their families. It would come naturally that a teenager would see their coach as a bonus father. A relationship were an athlete falls for her coach romantically seemed far fetched to me at best but was needed for character development and to further the storyline. For Ruth, being married to Lester means making constant choices to balance her career and motherhood with her husband’s.
Seventeen years later, Ruth and Lester are divorced. He wanted to be the successful parent who coached in the NBA and later broadcast games for ESPN. Lester desired that Ruth stay home and raise their daughter; he could not fathom her becoming the successful broadcaster that she is. For most of Adriana’s developmental years, Ruth was on the road more than she was at home, employing her mother and a myriad of housekeepers to raise her daughter. Lester states that only one parent per family is entitled to a platinum frequent flyer card, and, yet, both he and Ruth have attained that status. She would have to choose between him and being a full parent versus furthering her own career and smashing the glass ceiling. For Ruth, whose first love was basketball, the choice is easy. All these years later, with her and Lester working side by side broadcasting NBA games and Adriana about to graduate from high school, the chemistry is still there. Maybe, the choice was not so easy after all.
For a woman in any field, choosing between raising one’s children at home and working outside the home is never an easy one. Even the most successful women are still viewed as the parent who has to schedule appointments, juggle schedules, and take care of the housework. Nearly a quarter of the way through the 21st century despite women being in the position to make this choice, little has changed in terms of expectations in running a home. Ruth, while becoming ESPN’s top sideline reporter, is no different than women in real life who work full time and leave their children in daycare, missing milestones while carving out a place for themselves in society. Her character notes that ideally she would have loved to be a mom with five kids shuttling them around to basketball and ballet, baseball and gymnastics, but when given this job opportunity only a few years out of college, she knew that she had to jump on it. There might not be many other opportunities given that twenty years ago, male athletes still balked at the presence of a woman on the sidelines, in the locker room, or in the booth. Even Yankees radio announcer Susan Waldman makes a fictitious cameo during Ruth’s shining moment, and Ruth notes that she looks up to “Susan” as a role model and pioneer for all she went through during the beginning of her career. Today, women as sports broadcasters are commonplace, Ruth being one of many. In making the choice to advance her career, Ruth is a household name and known to sports fans as being the best. I could only gush.
Ruth Devon is modeled after Doris Burke, a real life booth announcer for ESPN. Burke is highly regarded as knowledgeable and well admired by her peers and the athletes that she covered. Emily Adrian has crafted a believable story about the choices that women make when being successful in the working world. This could be translated to any field, not just that of sports broadcaster. Some of the character development aggravated my personal views but within the storyline, these fit within Ruth as a she balances being a mom and a top ranked business woman. I do not read much sports fiction as I believe sports as a narrative tells its own story making fiction unnecessary; however, from time to time, it is refreshing to view the sports world from a fictional approach. As fans, we all have pipe dreams, and Emily Adrian’s in crafting a highly regarded woman as a sports broadcaster is spot on.
3.5 stars (for one story development I do not agree with) rounded to 4
Ruth Devon is a former standout basketball player for Georgetown University. While in college, she fell for her coach who referred to her by her pet name Ruthie. In her last year with the WNBA a few years down the road and few professional opportunities available domestically for even the best women athletes, Ruth blows out her knee on a seemingly easy lay up try. Her career is over, with it the relationship between player and coach, freeing her to marry Lester Devon, keeping his name all these years later. Many female athletes who have male rather than female coaches have been known to view them as father figures, the relationship strengthened in high school or college with the athletes spending more time with their teammates and coach than their families. It would come naturally that a teenager would see their coach as a bonus father. A relationship were an athlete falls for her coach romantically seemed far fetched to me at best but was needed for character development and to further the storyline. For Ruth, being married to Lester means making constant choices to balance her career and motherhood with her husband’s.
Seventeen years later, Ruth and Lester are divorced. He wanted to be the successful parent who coached in the NBA and later broadcast games for ESPN. Lester desired that Ruth stay home and raise their daughter; he could not fathom her becoming the successful broadcaster that she is. For most of Adriana’s developmental years, Ruth was on the road more than she was at home, employing her mother and a myriad of housekeepers to raise her daughter. Lester states that only one parent per family is entitled to a platinum frequent flyer card, and, yet, both he and Ruth have attained that status. She would have to choose between him and being a full parent versus furthering her own career and smashing the glass ceiling. For Ruth, whose first love was basketball, the choice is easy. All these years later, with her and Lester working side by side broadcasting NBA games and Adriana about to graduate from high school, the chemistry is still there. Maybe, the choice was not so easy after all.
For a woman in any field, choosing between raising one’s children at home and working outside the home is never an easy one. Even the most successful women are still viewed as the parent who has to schedule appointments, juggle schedules, and take care of the housework. Nearly a quarter of the way through the 21st century despite women being in the position to make this choice, little has changed in terms of expectations in running a home. Ruth, while becoming ESPN’s top sideline reporter, is no different than women in real life who work full time and leave their children in daycare, missing milestones while carving out a place for themselves in society. Her character notes that ideally she would have loved to be a mom with five kids shuttling them around to basketball and ballet, baseball and gymnastics, but when given this job opportunity only a few years out of college, she knew that she had to jump on it. There might not be many other opportunities given that twenty years ago, male athletes still balked at the presence of a woman on the sidelines, in the locker room, or in the booth. Even Yankees radio announcer Susan Waldman makes a fictitious cameo during Ruth’s shining moment, and Ruth notes that she looks up to “Susan” as a role model and pioneer for all she went through during the beginning of her career. Today, women as sports broadcasters are commonplace, Ruth being one of many. In making the choice to advance her career, Ruth is a household name and known to sports fans as being the best. I could only gush.
Ruth Devon is modeled after Doris Burke, a real life booth announcer for ESPN. Burke is highly regarded as knowledgeable and well admired by her peers and the athletes that she covered. Emily Adrian has crafted a believable story about the choices that women make when being successful in the working world. This could be translated to any field, not just that of sports broadcaster. Some of the character development aggravated my personal views but within the storyline, these fit within Ruth as a she balances being a mom and a top ranked business woman. I do not read much sports fiction as I believe sports as a narrative tells its own story making fiction unnecessary; however, from time to time, it is refreshing to view the sports world from a fictional approach. As fans, we all have pipe dreams, and Emily Adrian’s in crafting a highly regarded woman as a sports broadcaster is spot on.
3.5 stars (for one story development I do not agree with) rounded to 4
April 5, 2021
An unexpected hit!
This book blew me away. I was not expecting that at all. I went into the book blind, not knowing much more than this is a book about basketball, sports reporting and a woman. First, let me admit that I LOVE being transported into worlds I will never be a part of. That is exactly what this story offered me. A glimpse into the world of basketball and sports reporting/announcing. I was caught up in all of it in such a good way!
The female lead, Ruth, is a strong, ambitious and totally likeable former-basketball player who has parlayed her love of the sport into becoming one of the first and only female sideline reporters. Her dreams for her future involve much more than she has so far accomplished though. She intimately shares that basketball comes before anything else. Even as she knows it shouldn’t. It is a part of her. I loved how she continually wrestled with her responsibilities to her family and to her career.
Ruth was an up and coming college basketball player before a devastating knee injury. She ended up marrying her coach and starting a family. As her husband’s career takes off, she too tastes success. Her husband’s expectation is that she will retreat from her career in order to take care of their daughter. As one can imagine, this does not sit well with Ruth and her ambition does not wish to be tamed. They end up divorced, yet are never far from each other in that they are both entwined in the game of basketball. The book follows their career while their daughter grows up.
As expected, being a female in a male dominated industry is fraught with stress, over-examination and doubt. I don’t follow basketball religiously, and there were a lot of basketball games being discussed, but the author did an awesome job of writing those scenes so that fans at any level could understand and enjoy them.
To me, the main story was the female struggle between following your career dreams and being a Mom. And the fact that it is a female only struggle. It’s just not the same for males. Either way, something has to suffer. I adored the inner dialog of Ruth throughout. I appreciated all the nuances that the author highlighted in her struggle for success.
The ending was superb to me. I don’t really enjoy perfect endings. This one left me thinking about the costs of success and what we are willing to compromise on.
I loved every second of this book. Definitely recommend.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for gifting me an advance copy to read and review.
This book blew me away. I was not expecting that at all. I went into the book blind, not knowing much more than this is a book about basketball, sports reporting and a woman. First, let me admit that I LOVE being transported into worlds I will never be a part of. That is exactly what this story offered me. A glimpse into the world of basketball and sports reporting/announcing. I was caught up in all of it in such a good way!
The female lead, Ruth, is a strong, ambitious and totally likeable former-basketball player who has parlayed her love of the sport into becoming one of the first and only female sideline reporters. Her dreams for her future involve much more than she has so far accomplished though. She intimately shares that basketball comes before anything else. Even as she knows it shouldn’t. It is a part of her. I loved how she continually wrestled with her responsibilities to her family and to her career.
Ruth was an up and coming college basketball player before a devastating knee injury. She ended up marrying her coach and starting a family. As her husband’s career takes off, she too tastes success. Her husband’s expectation is that she will retreat from her career in order to take care of their daughter. As one can imagine, this does not sit well with Ruth and her ambition does not wish to be tamed. They end up divorced, yet are never far from each other in that they are both entwined in the game of basketball. The book follows their career while their daughter grows up.
As expected, being a female in a male dominated industry is fraught with stress, over-examination and doubt. I don’t follow basketball religiously, and there were a lot of basketball games being discussed, but the author did an awesome job of writing those scenes so that fans at any level could understand and enjoy them.
To me, the main story was the female struggle between following your career dreams and being a Mom. And the fact that it is a female only struggle. It’s just not the same for males. Either way, something has to suffer. I adored the inner dialog of Ruth throughout. I appreciated all the nuances that the author highlighted in her struggle for success.
The ending was superb to me. I don’t really enjoy perfect endings. This one left me thinking about the costs of success and what we are willing to compromise on.
I loved every second of this book. Definitely recommend.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for gifting me an advance copy to read and review.
August 11, 2021
The Second Season is a very interesting story about a woman in a male dominated field, working with her ex-husband and finding the balance between her career and motherhood. Adrian does a great job drawing the reader in and connecting them to Ruth. Since I work in a male dominated industry, I understood some of Ruth's troubles. Every time something good happened to Ruth it seemed like something bad happened. Ruth has to decide what is most important to her. I am not a big sports fan but still enjoyed The Second Season. This is a character focused story. I recommend The Second Season to sports fans and fans of novels about family and working mothers.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Nicol Zanzarella and thought she did a great job bringing Ruth's character to life.
Thank you Blackstone Publishing, Blackstone Audio and NetGalley for The Second Season.
Full Review Coming Soon: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com/
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Nicol Zanzarella and thought she did a great job bringing Ruth's character to life.
Thank you Blackstone Publishing, Blackstone Audio and NetGalley for The Second Season.
Full Review Coming Soon: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com/
August 20, 2021
A Slam Dunk!
This story is about Ruth Devon who was a college basketball star from Georgetown. An injury had her in the sidelines, announcing games on radio, and married to her coach. Fast forward twenty years, now divorced, and Ruth vying to be the first NBA sports announcer on national television.
No one writes books about motherhood and the complexities of unconventional women’s roles like Emily Adrian does.
The writing was masterful and deeply engrossing, where I was transported into the world of sports broadcasting and professional basketball. The heart of this novel was about ambition and motherhood, passion and strength, in a warm and poignant story.
This story is about Ruth Devon who was a college basketball star from Georgetown. An injury had her in the sidelines, announcing games on radio, and married to her coach. Fast forward twenty years, now divorced, and Ruth vying to be the first NBA sports announcer on national television.
No one writes books about motherhood and the complexities of unconventional women’s roles like Emily Adrian does.
The writing was masterful and deeply engrossing, where I was transported into the world of sports broadcasting and professional basketball. The heart of this novel was about ambition and motherhood, passion and strength, in a warm and poignant story.
June 11, 2021
Following a career-ending knee injury ended her college basketball career, Ruth Devon married her college coach and pursued an uber-successful career as a basketball commentator and sideline reporter for the NBA. During the NBA Finals, something happens to force Ruth to figure out what she wants for her future. It's about a woman who is unabashedly in love with her career, but also raising a daughter. It's about a woman working in a male-domainated profession and having to figure out what she wants in life. And, it's darker and a lot more substantive than I expected! If you loved Charlotte Walsh Like to Win, you might love this one! Note: there is a lot of basketball talk.
December 29, 2020
Put this winner on your summer TBR list. Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone for the 5⭐️ exciting, page-turning read. This book will appeal to sports fans, especially basketball, and fans of strong women characters and mothers navigating careers in male dominated industries as they wrestle with the sacrifices they're making elsewhere in their lives. And while purely fiction, was so fun to consider which real life players, analysts and coaches (Doris, Pop, etc.) inspired certain characters. The book reminded me of another one of my favorite books, Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win (elections, politics). This is my first book by this author. It won’t be my last.
August 28, 2021
I keep breaking my own rules for basketball books and then I keep being let down. I really try to avoid books about women who are in their 30s/40s and having issues with their lives because it makes me anxious about my future. But, I wanted to read this one because I love basketball.
Sadly, I was not a fan.
First of all, I just had a hard time following this book. I had such a hard time tracking the timeline of this book. We flashback and even forward once without notice and maybe in the finished copy they differentiate more, bc wow I had a hard time following the timeline. I also had a hard time tracking all the characters. We have players, Ruth's family, Ruth's coworkers/bosses, and other people. At one point I literally forgot the name of her boyfriend. I also realized that I can only follow basketball if I'm watching it. The detailed descriptions of the games confused me (the jumping around did not help) and I generally just did not know what was happening at any time.
I did like the discussion on being a career driven woman versus focusing on one's family and how that pulls at a person. I wish these moment had been more reflective rather than flashbacks and Ruth in her own head. Most of this book she is in her head and it was not my favorite place to be. Even though I liked these discussions, I don't feel like the author fleshed them out enough for them to impact me.
There is also a mention of Taylor Swift posting about coming to a game and clearly the author does not understand anything about celebrity culture because people as famous as Swift would not post about their location for safely. Plus, Taylor rarely posts personal stuff on IG anyways. This reference just felt dated and out of touch and as a Taylor fan, annoyed me.
I hate to say it since this was the reason I picked up the book, but it had too much basketball. I wanted to see more moments between Ruth and her boyfriend, her ex-husband, her peers, and her daughter INSTEAD OF FLASHBACKS, but instead we got a weird plot line between two players that I did not care about.
Overall, I sped through this one, but was not a fan. I would recommend it if you like nonlinear timelines and books about sports.
*thanks to the publisher for an eARC; all thoughts are my own*
Sadly, I was not a fan.
First of all, I just had a hard time following this book. I had such a hard time tracking the timeline of this book. We flashback and even forward once without notice and maybe in the finished copy they differentiate more, bc wow I had a hard time following the timeline. I also had a hard time tracking all the characters. We have players, Ruth's family, Ruth's coworkers/bosses, and other people. At one point I literally forgot the name of her boyfriend. I also realized that I can only follow basketball if I'm watching it. The detailed descriptions of the games confused me (the jumping around did not help) and I generally just did not know what was happening at any time.
I did like the discussion on being a career driven woman versus focusing on one's family and how that pulls at a person. I wish these moment had been more reflective rather than flashbacks and Ruth in her own head. Most of this book she is in her head and it was not my favorite place to be. Even though I liked these discussions, I don't feel like the author fleshed them out enough for them to impact me.
There is also a mention of Taylor Swift posting about coming to a game and clearly the author does not understand anything about celebrity culture because people as famous as Swift would not post about their location for safely. Plus, Taylor rarely posts personal stuff on IG anyways. This reference just felt dated and out of touch and as a Taylor fan, annoyed me.
I hate to say it since this was the reason I picked up the book, but it had too much basketball. I wanted to see more moments between Ruth and her boyfriend, her ex-husband, her peers, and her daughter INSTEAD OF FLASHBACKS, but instead we got a weird plot line between two players that I did not care about.
Overall, I sped through this one, but was not a fan. I would recommend it if you like nonlinear timelines and books about sports.
*thanks to the publisher for an eARC; all thoughts are my own*
December 29, 2021
MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
I really wanted to like this book. As a working mom in a male dominated field, I was expecting this to be a major hit. Unfortunately, it drastically missed the mark for me. First of all, the writing was all over the place and jumped from future to past without any warning. Second, and the major reason for the bad review was that the main character who was supposedly supposed to be juggling work and motherhood actually did a terrible job at being a mother. I know that's harsh, but a couple examples: she missed her daughters graduation even though her daughter was begging her to go and SHE DIDN'T LEAVE WORK WHEN SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD BE MISCARRYING. That last reason alone was enough for me to leave a one star review, especially when the author seemed to act like prioritizing a job over your CHILD'S LIFE and your HEALTH is somehow remotely admirable when it's actually TRASH. This book made me incredibly angry if you can't tell. Please do not read this.
Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to like this book. As a working mom in a male dominated field, I was expecting this to be a major hit. Unfortunately, it drastically missed the mark for me. First of all, the writing was all over the place and jumped from future to past without any warning. Second, and the major reason for the bad review was that the main character who was supposedly supposed to be juggling work and motherhood actually did a terrible job at being a mother. I know that's harsh, but a couple examples: she missed her daughters graduation even though her daughter was begging her to go and SHE DIDN'T LEAVE WORK WHEN SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD BE MISCARRYING. That last reason alone was enough for me to leave a one star review, especially when the author seemed to act like prioritizing a job over your CHILD'S LIFE and your HEALTH is somehow remotely admirable when it's actually TRASH. This book made me incredibly angry if you can't tell. Please do not read this.
Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2024
Emily Adrian’s The Second Season delves into the complexities of ambition, identity, and relationships. The story centers on Ruth Devon, a trailblazing sports broadcaster at the top of her game but faces unique challenges as a woman in a male-dominated industry. Against the backdrop of professional basketball, Adrian portrays Ruth’s love for the game, her professional struggles, and her internal conflicts about motherhood and her place in a rapidly changing world.
However, while Ruth’s professional journey is compelling, the narrative sometimes feels uneven. Some emotional beats, particularly in her relationships with her son and mentee, lack the depth to resonate fully.
However, while Ruth’s professional journey is compelling, the narrative sometimes feels uneven. Some emotional beats, particularly in her relationships with her son and mentee, lack the depth to resonate fully.
March 28, 2022
I didn't really enjoy reading this book. Quite frankly it was way too real most of the time. But damn did it probe into things I think are worth thinking about. So five stars for that. And five stars for a sports novel about a woman. There is an absolute drought of those. And I've already recommended this to three friends so it deserves five stars.
This book highlighted being a woman in a male-dominated (read--sports) field. It talked about relationships, relationships-ending, divorce. It discussed motherhood-- from all angles. Wanting to be a stay at home mom & then changing her mind. Guilt. Some of her sentences just made me stop, breathe, and close the book for a second.
Those who don't like this in the reviews seem to fall in a few camps-- they didn't like how fertility was discussed & miscarriage and abortion. In one particular scene--she thinks she's miscarrying while she's on air. And another reviewer took serious fault with that because she doesn't leave the air. She just stays and rides it out. How anyone responds to potential miscarriage is valid. And honestly, the portrayal in the book felt real to me. Should she have had to have stayed? No. But that was the reality. And to pretend like people always have choices and should act in a certain way is demeaning. Others who don't like the book seem to find it to 'ripped from the headlines' but I still found it really enjoyable.
This is an author I'll be keeping an eye. More sports novels by women & for women please!! We like sports too.
This book highlighted being a woman in a male-dominated (read--sports) field. It talked about relationships, relationships-ending, divorce. It discussed motherhood-- from all angles. Wanting to be a stay at home mom & then changing her mind. Guilt. Some of her sentences just made me stop, breathe, and close the book for a second.
Those who don't like this in the reviews seem to fall in a few camps-- they didn't like how fertility was discussed & miscarriage and abortion. In one particular scene--she thinks she's miscarrying while she's on air. And another reviewer took serious fault with that because she doesn't leave the air. She just stays and rides it out. How anyone responds to potential miscarriage is valid. And honestly, the portrayal in the book felt real to me. Should she have had to have stayed? No. But that was the reality. And to pretend like people always have choices and should act in a certain way is demeaning. Others who don't like the book seem to find it to 'ripped from the headlines' but I still found it really enjoyable.
This is an author I'll be keeping an eye. More sports novels by women & for women please!! We like sports too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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September 8, 2021DNF-I felt like there was a lot of writing and nothing was happening. I wanted to like it but just wasn’t excited to read it.
January 8, 2021
Ruth Devon is a sidelines sports reporter for the National Basketball Association. At 42, she's fiercely passionate about her profession. She started out as a basketball player herself until a game-ending knee injury. She married her coach, Lester, and they had a daughter, Ariana. Ruth is the absolute best at what she does. With a true interest in the players and the sport, and a near-photographic memory for stats, anecdotes, and personal tidbits, she's achieved celebrity status herself, stalking the players in high heels and pencil skirt, occasionally dribbling an errant basketball, much to the delight of the fans. But it didn't come without sacrifice; she and Lester are divorced, and Ruth's mother virtually raised Ariana, a fact that weighs heavily on Ruth. But is it enough to change her life's trajectory, at this moment when the greatest promotion of all looms in front of her?
This was a fascinating story, one that I can't stop thinking about after finishing the book. Ruth's play-calling, the smart, savvy jargon, is captivating. Her descriptions of the athletes, their moves, their challenges--it's just masterful. So interesting, and I don't watch basketball. I even wondered if "Emily Adrian" was a pen name for Doris Burke, the famous real-life NBA reporter this book is so clearly modeled after. But there's a photo of the author in the book, and Adrian tips her hat to Burke in the Acknowledgements. So the author did this all herself. Astonishing.
Ruth's emotional conflicts will resonate for any woman who has followed her passion and paid a heavy price, and yet, if she had to do it all over again, would probably not change a thing. Ruth's love for the game and the players is almost palpable. What other choice does she have?
Because she's dedicated to her work, conflicts arise. Joel, her boyfriend, a wealthy younger man who founded a record label and now owns a network of luxury hotels, isn't a basketball fan. He wants her around more. Says he's okay not having kids, but Ruth knows he's making the best of things.
Her daughter, a budding model, is about to graduate high school. She wants to skip college and pursue her passion, and she's a good businesswoman, obviously getting something from her mother! Yet the profession is fraught. It parallels the high risk/reward dynamic of the young athletes Ruth reveres. Shouldn't Ruth be there to guide her? Would Adrian even let her? (Empty nest alert!)
I would suggest the theme of this book is the resilience of love. Even though Ruth and Lester are divorced, they seem like best friends, always supportive of each other. And although Ruth wasn't present for many of her daughter's big moments, her love for Adrian seems to have translated into a strong and self-assured young woman. Even the two main players, Darius and Emory, are bound by a brother-love friendship that prevails over their on-court battles, continuing the theme.
There's so much to love about this book. I'm thrilled to have been given the opportunity to read it.
This was a fascinating story, one that I can't stop thinking about after finishing the book. Ruth's play-calling, the smart, savvy jargon, is captivating. Her descriptions of the athletes, their moves, their challenges--it's just masterful. So interesting, and I don't watch basketball. I even wondered if "Emily Adrian" was a pen name for Doris Burke, the famous real-life NBA reporter this book is so clearly modeled after. But there's a photo of the author in the book, and Adrian tips her hat to Burke in the Acknowledgements. So the author did this all herself. Astonishing.
Ruth's emotional conflicts will resonate for any woman who has followed her passion and paid a heavy price, and yet, if she had to do it all over again, would probably not change a thing. Ruth's love for the game and the players is almost palpable. What other choice does she have?
Because she's dedicated to her work, conflicts arise. Joel, her boyfriend, a wealthy younger man who founded a record label and now owns a network of luxury hotels, isn't a basketball fan. He wants her around more. Says he's okay not having kids, but Ruth knows he's making the best of things.
Her daughter, a budding model, is about to graduate high school. She wants to skip college and pursue her passion, and she's a good businesswoman, obviously getting something from her mother! Yet the profession is fraught. It parallels the high risk/reward dynamic of the young athletes Ruth reveres. Shouldn't Ruth be there to guide her? Would Adrian even let her? (Empty nest alert!)
I would suggest the theme of this book is the resilience of love. Even though Ruth and Lester are divorced, they seem like best friends, always supportive of each other. And although Ruth wasn't present for many of her daughter's big moments, her love for Adrian seems to have translated into a strong and self-assured young woman. Even the two main players, Darius and Emory, are bound by a brother-love friendship that prevails over their on-court battles, continuing the theme.
There's so much to love about this book. I'm thrilled to have been given the opportunity to read it.
October 9, 2021
Rating: 3.75/5
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Thank you to Blackstone and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Second Season is out now!
I was really excited to read this book, I’m a major fan of a breaking the glass ceiling vibes and this book was fantastic but also, I really don’t like basketball and this book was all about basketball. Take my rating with a grain of salt because of this. The Second Season was delightfully feminist, honest and did an excellent job navigating the journey of a working mother. Ruth was a strong female lead in this fast paced book and a great read for anyone navigating a ambitious career in 2021.
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Thank you to Blackstone and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. The Second Season is out now!
I was really excited to read this book, I’m a major fan of a breaking the glass ceiling vibes and this book was fantastic but also, I really don’t like basketball and this book was all about basketball. Take my rating with a grain of salt because of this. The Second Season was delightfully feminist, honest and did an excellent job navigating the journey of a working mother. Ruth was a strong female lead in this fast paced book and a great read for anyone navigating a ambitious career in 2021.
January 1, 2021
Well written
Story of a female bball reporter
Story of a female bball reporter
May 23, 2021
Read for Booklist. I love Emily Adrian's writing!
July 27, 2021
There's so much to love in this fictional tale of Ruth Devon, a sideline reporter hoping (gunning?) to become the first woman to call NBA games on national television.
I read The Second Season practically in one sitting, switching between the text and the audio. I could have put it down around the halfway point but honestly, I just didn't want to. As a woman who's long felt a love of sports and journalism in my bones, this is very much the sort of book I'd find easy to love... or throw across the room in frustration. (I'm delighted that my feelings while reading were generally the former.)
The book mostly takes place over the course of the NBA Finals (between the Cincinnati Wildcats and the Seattle Supersonics). I so enjoyed following Ruth on the job -- where her ex-husband also works -- as well as in her personal life. She has a daughter about to graduate high school and a boyfriend who wants to get married. Much of the writing was visceral: I could feel the action as if I were watching a real game, feel Ruth's experiences as if I were having them myself.
There is one odd scene in which it's implied that boyfriends are watching the last game of the finals, while their girlfriends ask who they're seeing on screen and need to infer what it means to call the games. In a book that otherwise seemed to bat down misogyny around women in sports, it seemed out of place and more than a little off. (Ideally, it'll have already been rewritten and won't appear in the published text.)
That and a few clunky spots aside, I loved my reading experience so much I'm rounding up from 4.5 to 5 stars. And because author Emily Adrian really stuck the landing.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a free e-arc and ALC of this title for review.
I read The Second Season practically in one sitting, switching between the text and the audio. I could have put it down around the halfway point but honestly, I just didn't want to. As a woman who's long felt a love of sports and journalism in my bones, this is very much the sort of book I'd find easy to love... or throw across the room in frustration. (I'm delighted that my feelings while reading were generally the former.)
The book mostly takes place over the course of the NBA Finals (between the Cincinnati Wildcats and the Seattle Supersonics). I so enjoyed following Ruth on the job -- where her ex-husband also works -- as well as in her personal life. She has a daughter about to graduate high school and a boyfriend who wants to get married. Much of the writing was visceral: I could feel the action as if I were watching a real game, feel Ruth's experiences as if I were having them myself.
There is one odd scene in which it's implied that boyfriends are watching the last game of the finals, while their girlfriends ask who they're seeing on screen and need to infer what it means to call the games. In a book that otherwise seemed to bat down misogyny around women in sports, it seemed out of place and more than a little off. (Ideally, it'll have already been rewritten and won't appear in the published text.)
That and a few clunky spots aside, I loved my reading experience so much I'm rounding up from 4.5 to 5 stars. And because author Emily Adrian really stuck the landing.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for a free e-arc and ALC of this title for review.
Want to read
September 24, 2021I was sold on Emily Adrian's writing when I devoured her 2020 novel, Everything Here Is Under Control. I felt totally connected to the characters and storyline and found the pacing of the writing to be spot on. Her ability to swept you away into a book that covered the complexities of motherhood, trauma, friendship, and womanhood was exceptional. So when I saw that she had a new book on the horizon, The Second Season, I couldn't wait to dive in.
The Second Season offered an extremely interesting (and much less common in my reading experience) premise of a female working in the male dominated profession of sports. Ruth, a past collegiate athlete has worked tirelessly for two decades in pursuit of her career goals of being an NBA sideline reporter while also juggling being a woman and a now a mother.
What I appreciated most about Every Here Is Under Control is how Adrian described the complexities women face with the idea of wanting it all, and the reality of what that really looks like. While the premise of The Second Season combined with Adrian's nuanced storytelling felt like the perfect mix, I really struggled with this one.
The pacing just felt off, and while I appreciated that Ruth's feeling were honest and relatable, I hard a hard time connecting with the overall storyline. The writing felt choppy and. the jumps back in time made me more confused than adding details I was hoping for and ultimately, a lack of a reading rhythm. Ultimately, I really loved the premise but struggled with the execution. 3/5 stars.
As always, I appreciated having the opportunity to read and review this book and share my honest opinions. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for my gifted copy.
The Second Season offered an extremely interesting (and much less common in my reading experience) premise of a female working in the male dominated profession of sports. Ruth, a past collegiate athlete has worked tirelessly for two decades in pursuit of her career goals of being an NBA sideline reporter while also juggling being a woman and a now a mother.
What I appreciated most about Every Here Is Under Control is how Adrian described the complexities women face with the idea of wanting it all, and the reality of what that really looks like. While the premise of The Second Season combined with Adrian's nuanced storytelling felt like the perfect mix, I really struggled with this one.
The pacing just felt off, and while I appreciated that Ruth's feeling were honest and relatable, I hard a hard time connecting with the overall storyline. The writing felt choppy and. the jumps back in time made me more confused than adding details I was hoping for and ultimately, a lack of a reading rhythm. Ultimately, I really loved the premise but struggled with the execution. 3/5 stars.
As always, I appreciated having the opportunity to read and review this book and share my honest opinions. Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for my gifted copy.
August 26, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up!
"The Second Season asks why, how, and whom we watch, while offering a rich and complicated account of motherhood, marriage, and ambition."
Synopsis:
Ruth Devon starred don't the Georgetown Women's Basketball team in college. That is until a knee injury ended her career. Ruth subsequently married her former coach and they had a daughter together. Ruth and her now ex-husband Lester are two of the most famous faces in sports media. Ruth is vying for Lester's job as an NBA analyst once he retires, but there are many hurdles she will have to jump and decisions she will have to face to achieve one of the most respected jobs in the NBA- a man's world.
Thoughts:
I LOVE sports-related books, and The Second Season definitely hit the spot for me! Adrian delivers a character-driven book on the complexities of motherhood and ambition. We get to explore the costs of following your dreams as a female in a male-dominated industry, while also balancing a career and being a "good" mother. There are plotlines in this book that I think were underdeveloped and could have been explored further, but I also enjoyed the focus on Ruth's career and her personal character development.
Bottom line, I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected to, and I would absolutely recommend it to any sports fan, or individual looking to read a female success story!
Thank you to #NetGalley and #BlackstonePublishing for the #ALC of this book!
"The Second Season asks why, how, and whom we watch, while offering a rich and complicated account of motherhood, marriage, and ambition."
Synopsis:
Ruth Devon starred don't the Georgetown Women's Basketball team in college. That is until a knee injury ended her career. Ruth subsequently married her former coach and they had a daughter together. Ruth and her now ex-husband Lester are two of the most famous faces in sports media. Ruth is vying for Lester's job as an NBA analyst once he retires, but there are many hurdles she will have to jump and decisions she will have to face to achieve one of the most respected jobs in the NBA- a man's world.
Thoughts:
I LOVE sports-related books, and The Second Season definitely hit the spot for me! Adrian delivers a character-driven book on the complexities of motherhood and ambition. We get to explore the costs of following your dreams as a female in a male-dominated industry, while also balancing a career and being a "good" mother. There are plotlines in this book that I think were underdeveloped and could have been explored further, but I also enjoyed the focus on Ruth's career and her personal character development.
Bottom line, I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected to, and I would absolutely recommend it to any sports fan, or individual looking to read a female success story!
Thank you to #NetGalley and #BlackstonePublishing for the #ALC of this book!
January 17, 2021
** I received a free ARC via Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing in exchange for my honest review **
First of all, I have to say, it’s only January and this book doesn’t publish until July, but I’m going to make a bold statement: it is one of my favorites of the year, perfect for fans of “Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win.”
“The Second Season” explores female ambition through the story of NBA sideline reporter Ruth Devon.
Ruth’s standout collegiate basketball career ended with an injury; she married her coach, became a young mother, and worked her way up to one of the most respected (fictional) women in sports media, frequently the subject of longform magazine profiles.
Lester Devon, Ruth’s ex-husband and a famous NBA announcer, is retiring at the end of this season. Ruth wants nothing more than his job — or does she? As her daughter’s high school graduation nears — and the girl’s fledgling Instagram modeling career shows actual promise — Ruth has to figure out which wins: motherhood or her own ambitions.
“The Second Season” is a raw dissection of the price of female ambition and the infuriating patriarchy that women with goals must navigate with care. Ruth has the level of ambition and career aspiration that most find polarizing; I find it refreshing. Honestly, I would be all in for a sequel.
First of all, I have to say, it’s only January and this book doesn’t publish until July, but I’m going to make a bold statement: it is one of my favorites of the year, perfect for fans of “Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win.”
“The Second Season” explores female ambition through the story of NBA sideline reporter Ruth Devon.
Ruth’s standout collegiate basketball career ended with an injury; she married her coach, became a young mother, and worked her way up to one of the most respected (fictional) women in sports media, frequently the subject of longform magazine profiles.
Lester Devon, Ruth’s ex-husband and a famous NBA announcer, is retiring at the end of this season. Ruth wants nothing more than his job — or does she? As her daughter’s high school graduation nears — and the girl’s fledgling Instagram modeling career shows actual promise — Ruth has to figure out which wins: motherhood or her own ambitions.
“The Second Season” is a raw dissection of the price of female ambition and the infuriating patriarchy that women with goals must navigate with care. Ruth has the level of ambition and career aspiration that most find polarizing; I find it refreshing. Honestly, I would be all in for a sequel.
August 5, 2021
The main character of this novel, Ruth Devon, was a successful college basketball player who, after a career-ending injury, married her coach and had a baby, but then became an NBA sideline reporter and analyst. Most of this book is set during the NBA finals when Ruth’s daughter is about to graduate from high school, and Ruth is pursuing a job as the very first female NBA announcer while at the same time grappling with thoughts about how her career has affected her motherhood and other relationships.
Ruth is a terrific character, not perfect by any means but feels very real, and this book really explores interesting themes regarding the balance between pursuing a demanding and successful career and being a mother - would make a great book club book. The basketball games and commentary also came very much to life, though I think this book could also be enjoyed by someone who is not a sports fan.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ruth is a terrific character, not perfect by any means but feels very real, and this book really explores interesting themes regarding the balance between pursuing a demanding and successful career and being a mother - would make a great book club book. The basketball games and commentary also came very much to life, though I think this book could also be enjoyed by someone who is not a sports fan.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2021
This book examines the choice between motherhood and career. The characters felt complex, multidimensional, and very real. The relationships were messy, even when filled with love.
Without spoiling anything, I will say trigger warning for discussion of abortion. Overall, a good quick read that also tackles being a woman in a male dominated field. I do wish the ending was less rushed and the basketball players more fleshed out- Emory and Darius have such an interesting relationship that would’ve been cool to analyze. I also would love a deeper look into the past of when Ruth played.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!
Without spoiling anything, I will say trigger warning for discussion of abortion. Overall, a good quick read that also tackles being a woman in a male dominated field. I do wish the ending was less rushed and the basketball players more fleshed out- Emory and Darius have such an interesting relationship that would’ve been cool to analyze. I also would love a deeper look into the past of when Ruth played.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!
August 31, 2021
I did not start following Seth Partnow for his literature recommendations. No, I followed him because he was doing interesting things with data in sport and that's just something I'm fascinated by.
But when I saw him recommend a fiction novel? And I saw that fiction novel was classed as chick lit on Goodreads? And that it was set around sports?
Boy was I in! It was actually great too. I was hoping for a little more sports drama, a little more romance, so one star deducted. But still. Good book.
But when I saw him recommend a fiction novel? And I saw that fiction novel was classed as chick lit on Goodreads? And that it was set around sports?
Boy was I in! It was actually great too. I was hoping for a little more sports drama, a little more romance, so one star deducted. But still. Good book.
September 29, 2021
If you like basketball, Doris Burke, parenthood, the travails of balancing all the different parts of your life, you’ll love this book. Emily Adrian is such an incredible writer. I’m so blown away at how deftly she moves back and forth through time, in a way that isn’t confusing but is always directed.
tbh I want a The Third Season (not that the story necessarily warrants a sequel or that Adrian needs to do it!).
tbh I want a The Third Season (not that the story necessarily warrants a sequel or that Adrian needs to do it!).
August 24, 2021
pretty good book but sometimes it was impossible to separate the characters from who they were inspired by
January 19, 2023
Very interesting take on the difficult balance of a career and motherhood. Some interesting relationships but I enjoyed her thoughts/inner monologue.
June 16, 2021
Full review to come
July 27, 2021
Thank you @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for the advanced copy to read and review. I never liked the idea that sports belong to men or that women can only enjoy sports superficially, so as a passionate NBA fan this was such a treat.
Follow my Book Instagram for more reviews and recommendations https://www.instagram.com/bookshelfbyla/
‘The Second Season’ is a great for those who love strong women characters, honest conversations around motherhood and being a women navigating careers in male dominated fields.
Ruth (inspired by the legend Doris Burke 🐐) starred for Georgetown Basketball until she had a career- ending knee injury. She married her coach and pivoted to a new career as a basketball commentator and sideline reporter. Fast forward two decades, Ruth and her now-ex-husband Lester, are two of the most famous names in sports media.
The book mainly takes place during the NBA Finals where Ruth is faced with battling motherhood and her ambition to become the first woman to call NBA games on national television.
I loved how you are transported into the world of basketball and it was so fun to see the comparisons and inspirations to real life players, coaches and celebrities (Hi Drake).
Ruth is honest, ambitious and strong-willed which I admired. She is also beloved by the players and respected among true fans. She is honest in her admission of how basketball and her career are her number one priority but she reflects and shows remorse at some of her shortcomings as a mother.
I appreciated the dialogue and transparency Ruth had with herself and her commitment to fiercely fighting for her ambitions. The discussions around the price of female ambition was honest and I loved the plot around the players as well.
“That Ruth is a woman who understands basketball should not be remarkable, basketball is a sport that women understand”
There were a lot of basketball plays and depictions shown in the book but even if you have never watched a single game in your life, you will still be able to follow.
Overall, loved the story and looking forward to reading more by Emily.
Follow my Book Instagram for more reviews and recommendations https://www.instagram.com/bookshelfbyla/
‘The Second Season’ is a great for those who love strong women characters, honest conversations around motherhood and being a women navigating careers in male dominated fields.
Ruth (inspired by the legend Doris Burke 🐐) starred for Georgetown Basketball until she had a career- ending knee injury. She married her coach and pivoted to a new career as a basketball commentator and sideline reporter. Fast forward two decades, Ruth and her now-ex-husband Lester, are two of the most famous names in sports media.
The book mainly takes place during the NBA Finals where Ruth is faced with battling motherhood and her ambition to become the first woman to call NBA games on national television.
I loved how you are transported into the world of basketball and it was so fun to see the comparisons and inspirations to real life players, coaches and celebrities (Hi Drake).
Ruth is honest, ambitious and strong-willed which I admired. She is also beloved by the players and respected among true fans. She is honest in her admission of how basketball and her career are her number one priority but she reflects and shows remorse at some of her shortcomings as a mother.
I appreciated the dialogue and transparency Ruth had with herself and her commitment to fiercely fighting for her ambitions. The discussions around the price of female ambition was honest and I loved the plot around the players as well.
“That Ruth is a woman who understands basketball should not be remarkable, basketball is a sport that women understand”
There were a lot of basketball plays and depictions shown in the book but even if you have never watched a single game in your life, you will still be able to follow.
Overall, loved the story and looking forward to reading more by Emily.
January 20, 2022
I couldn't get invested in the story but it was nice to read (hear) about a woman working to make her way to the top, no matter the cost (even tho it was hella rough bc she's a woman and society is garbage). it also made me sad that there aren't more women in this field
April 5, 2022
3.5/5. This book was not at all what I was expecting. It tells the story of Ruth, a former college basketball player who suffered a career ending injury. She then enters the world of basketball reporting and we follow along as she struggles to gain respect as a woman in a male dominated industry. The author also chronicles Ruth’s internal struggles over whether or not she’s a good mother to her 18 year old daughter. I suppose I appreciated that the author detailed a lot of the challenges career-driven women face in today’s society, but it just missed the mark a little for me. I felt like there were some unfinished plot lines and I just wasn’t wowed. BUT it was still interesting and unlike any other story I’ve ever read, so I’m glad I read it all in all
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