Review: Wonderfully written relationship
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 5, 2012
I'll start by saying I stayed up until 2am to finish this book. The main characters of Iggy and Matt faced a whole host of issues, any one of which could have been spun into endless angst, let alone the combination of them all. The 13 year age difference;Iggy being the star rookie and Matt being the aging, injured future hall of famer; having a relationship as co-workers; ultimately having a long distance relationship; "work" being playing on a major league baseball team, and oh yes... being closeted gay men playing a major league sport. Thankfully,rather than an angst-fest, the author takes us on a realistic, emotional journey over several years in the lives of these two men.When I started this book I wasn't sure if the focus was going to be on how the aforementioned issues were handled in the relationship between Iggy and Matt, or on the fallout from the public upon learning of the gay players. While it was a combination, I was pleased that it focused mainly on the relationship. The author gives us full insight into what both characters are feeling and I love that they worked through the difficulties they faced together, rather than Matt pushing Iggy away as he originally thought would be best. It's really especially nice to see a younger character such as Iggy portrayed as sensitive, patient, wise and loving. Both men also had great supportive friends who played important roles.I love how their issues were resolved by the end of the book, including how supportive their ball team was in the end. What the author didn't explore in much depth was reaction from media and fans, however some negative and quite a bit of positive was evident. I have a feeling that the climate is swinging quite a bit to the positive in real life. I certainly hope so. Thanks for the great read Kate!