Review: Go, Team Clare!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 3, 2013
4.5 stars. Clare's a curvy girl who's long had a crush from afar on NY baseball player Antonio Ramirez. Of course, he would never look her way - he's always being photographed with slender model-types, AND he plays for another team.But when he accepts a long-term contract with the Dallas Mustangs - the team Clare's uncle manages, and for which she plays organ during the season - it turns out he's not so fond of toothpicks after all.Tony WANTS Clare, and he's determined to sweep her off her feet, whatever it takes. He has a hard time convincing her that his interest is not just another cruel practical joke, as Clare has been thoroughly bullied and shamed by a local model-type, Jessica Roach (and she makes the reader want to stomp on her).I had two personal peeves with this: 1) There's in a scene during a couples massage where Tony believes Clare's masseur is coming onto to her, and he turns semi-violent. Red flag; violent jealousy/possessiveness =/= sign of love/affection, and even though he goes through changes and learns to share, even, I didn't like it. 2) Ending with the engagement ring - they have NOT known each other long enough, IMO for it to be presented or accepted, especially with the massage incident.But obviously I believed in these characters deeply enough to worry about their future happiness, and that doesn't happen for me in every book. I liked Clare, totally "got" her finding validation in playing Bases Loaded, and would be delighted to let Tony put his bat in my rack, anytime. Nice humorous touches, hot, hot sex, but it does involve more than these two, so if that's an issue for you, you may not enjoy this as much as I did. This is part of a series, but works well as a standalone. Highly recommend.