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Fielder's Choice (Tavonesi #3)

Pamela Aares

Why we're reading this: The third book in Pamela Aares' the Heart of the Game series.…more
[close] The third book in Pamela Aares' the Heart of the Game series.

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May 25, 2014 Kanoko rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Note: I received a complimentary from the author. It does not colour my views in any way.

It was a strong, solid read…until I read what happened in the last chapter. Eep. Jumping the gun, much?

There isn't a lot of dialogue, but the prose is quite engaging. I love the passionate language; it reflects the raw, searing attraction between Alana and Matt and expresses in more than words just how much they got under each other's skin. These two characters are at different stages of their lives, and I d Note: I received a complimentary from the author. It does not colour my views in any way.

It was a strong, solid read…until I read what happened in the last chapter. Eep. Jumping the gun, much?

There isn't a lot of dialogue, but the prose is quite engaging. I love the passionate language; it reflects the raw, searing attraction between Alana and Matt and expresses in more than words just how much they got under each other's skin. These two characters are at different stages of their lives, and I dig the way their nature (well, more like Alana's) is a big conflict. Matt could use some air—a little breather, a little release—while Alana could use some earth—ground under her feet, stability.

While Alana tries not to make apologies for her free spirit, she recognises the consequences of her actions and isn't completely flippant about them. I don't believe she's ignorant or irresponsible; it's just that she hasn't had the chance to be actually responsible for something before, and now she has a ranch with dozens of employees and their families to answer to. In addition, Matt's six-year-old daughter Sophie has taken a liking to her, making her every move monumentally consequential with respect to the kid's affections. Everything is understandably off-kilter for such a young woman, still struggling to find her place where she seemingly doesn't belong, suddenly burdened with responsibilities—ones that affect lives—she never asked for. But just as she makes mistakes, she learns from them and accepts her shortcomings. Honestly, I don't appreciate how she's unfairly judged by some people for living her darn life. It's her development as a character that makes this such a great read for me.

I do like Matt and acknowledge the hardships of his being a single father, and I am overwhelmed by how his connection with Alana is so intense, so palpable. Matt takes a leap and makes a choice, one that is not risk-free but with possibilities of a bright, happy future. The right woman is worth all the hard calls, after all. I like that he balances his decisions with both his daughter and himself in mind, that he doesn't deprive himself but also doesn't neglect Sophie and her best interests.

All of the Heart of the Game series ends with an engagement, but I can't say I'm comfortable with that here. It's, I don't know, too easy, too quick. In a lot of ways, Alana is still growing, and I just don't think she's ready to be tied down. That proposal feels too much like a curveball thrown her way, but what the heck. Who am I get in the way of a couple's HEA? :p

This is a smartly written story with lots of heart and heat, a good amount of detailed and informed baseball plays, and a well-executed plot line. That parallel between the prickly neighbour's relationship with his estranged sister and Alana's own relationship with her family is particularly clever. I like Aares' kind of sports romance. Her heroines are smart and self-assured, if with a few insecurities and not-conductive-to-relationship flaws. Her heroes are not all-important baseball players who make the plot, but are simple people who just happen to be baseball players and have their stories to share—really outstanding stories when in the hands of Aares. ...more

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May 19, 2014 Lady Literary rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sky-s-the-limit-club

Fielder's Choice tells us the story of socialite Alana Tavonesi, who has just inherited her grandmother's ranch and is forced to leave Paris and return to California to decide the fate of the ranch. She meets All-Star shortstop Matt Darrington, a widower with a feisty six year old daughter who wants nothing more than a stepmother.

This story was extremely interesting to me because it really showed the struggles of a single father with a thriving and time consuming career as Major League Baseball Fielder's Choice tells us the story of socialite Alana Tavonesi, who has just inherited her grandmother's ranch and is forced to leave Paris and return to California to decide the fate of the ranch. She meets All-Star shortstop Matt Darrington, a widower with a feisty six year old daughter who wants nothing more than a stepmother.

This story was extremely interesting to me because it really showed the struggles of a single father with a thriving and time consuming career as Major League Baseball Player. Being a single parent is never easy, and sometimes it seems more difficult as they get older, especially in Sophie's case because she really wants a mom, and she clings onto Alana almost instantly. This scares Matt, and understandably so, it's very easy for a little girls heart to be broken if she got attached to someone and they left. His character development was interesting to me because he was hardened again love from his marriage and the loss of his wife, but it runs deeper that that. He is an extremely passionate man but he can't give himself over entirely to a woman because he does have responsibilities career wise and most importantly with his daughter.

Alana is another very interesting character to me because she lives the elite life, she went to art school and now lives in Paris for most of the year. We don't get too much of a look into her life in Paris besides her relationship with Marcelle. She doesn't do commitment or relationships beyond sex which at her stage in life is totally understandable. And I think that is the big obstacle in the book. She thinks she is not ready to settle down and be a wife and stepmother, because she still sees herself as a socialite who should be galavanting around Paris and living that life. Owning her grandmothers ranch is not something she ever saw herself doing so she really has to undergo and huge transformation and become a responsible business owner. And that scares the living daylights out of her. And understandably so. For me that was the most interesting part of the story is change in Alana's personality, and realizing that she is more than she thinks she is.

There was one major sex scene in the book and holy crap was it hot, Pamela Aares knows how to write some a good romp, my only critique is I wanted more, especially because of how well she writes it. But the story really won't have allowed more due to how their relationship developed and how much time they fought their attraction to each other. So I understand that there really couldn't have been more sexy scenes than there was, but it doesn't mean I wouldn't have enjoyed some more nookie.

Plus don't you just love those couples who instantly connect and think that they won't fall in love, that hot sex will be enough. Because we all know it never is, and I just love that happy ending factor. There is something about it that makes me all tingly inside.

And honestly I just love how the author writes, I don't think she could really write a bad book. Technically speaking her writing is flawless, no grammatical errors, no dull moments, perfect balance between description and dialogue and internal dialogue. The story progressed at a good pace and it was just brilliant. I cannot rave enough about her writing.

Another huge technical part of Pamela Aares that always gets a huge thumbs up from me is that she doesn't skirt around the baseball. She actually goes into detail and uses the technical terms. I feel like every time I read one of her books I learn a ton about America's favourite pastime. I'm not really much of a sports fan beyond UFC and the odd European Football or Rugby match. But these books make me like baseball and understand how much skill is involved in it. And if you are going to write a book, especially a series I expect the author to give accurate detail, and the author goes above and beyond expectations every time.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my review! I hope you enjoyed it, tell me what you think about Pamela Aares books!

The lovely Pamela Aares was kind enough to send me an ARC for book four Love On The Line. I am reading that currently and will post my review very soon!

Peace, Love and Olives ;)

- Lady Literary <3 ...more

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