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REVIEW TOUR: PLAYING FOR THE SAVE by RACHELLE AYALA

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading in 2017 new release challenge, 5 stars, Beck Valley Books, Contemporary Sports Romance, Men of Spring, Rachelle Ayala / 26 Comments




Title: Playing for the Save

Author: Rachelle Ayala
Series: Men of Spring #4
Publisher: Amiga Book Press
Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance
Format: eArc
Source: Author via Beck Valley Tours
Release Date April 30, 2017
Reading Challenges:2017 New Release




Veteran relief pitcher Ryan Hudson always saves the game for his team. He’s dependable, focused, and good at what he does.

Which is why he prefers to live alone and not have anything to do with women and all the noise and chaos they bring.

Noise and chaos is all single mother Jamie Rush knows. Working and taking care of her two boys is a full time job, especially since one of them is autistic and she gets no help from her ex-husband.is all single mother Jamie Rush knows. Working and taking care of her two boys is a full time job, especially since one of them is autistic and she gets no help from her ex-husband.is all single mother Jamie Rush knows. Working and taking care of her two boys is a full time job, especially since one of them is autistic and she gets no help from her ex-husband.is all single mother Jamie Rush knows. Working and taking care of her two boys is a full time job, especially since one of them is autistic and she gets no help from her ex-husband.

When her two sons win a day with ballplayer Ryan Hudson, they strike up an odd friendship with the reclusive pitcher. Jamie is wary of the baseball hero, but can’t help fantasizing about him.

Ryan is attracted to Jamie, but desperately tries to hide his past. The only problem, they’re made for one another.

They just don’t know it.

The Men of Spring Baseball Series can be read standalone, but are more fun when read together.

Book 1, Playing the Rookie

Book 2, Playing Without Rues

Book 3, Playing Catch

Book 4, Playing for the Save

Available to buy from…
Amazon Kindle    Barnes and Noble    Paperback


I loved this book.  It tugged at my heartstrings and left an indelible impression on me.  I had high expectations for this book based on my prior experience with the previous books in the series. I was not disappointed. In fact, this was my favourite of the series. It should be noted there is no need to read the books in any specific order as each can be read as a standalone.

Playing for the Save tells the story of Ryan Hudson veteran relief pitcher for the Phoenix Rattlers.  At 38 years old, he is not looking to retire, even though he had suffered back-to-back injuries.  He had no interest in being in a relationship as he feels that women bring noise and chaos and he loves peace and quiet. For him being alone was orderly and predictable, which was what he needed, but then he met Jamie Rush who would have him rethinking his views on women.

Jamie Rush is a thirty-two-year-old single mother of two boys, Ben (7 years old) and Drew (5 years old).  Life has not been easy for her. Her five-year-old is autistic, and she alone has to deal with the challenges that come with raising him, as her husband decided that he was not interested in raising a child he considered disabled.

The connection between Jamie and Ryan was intense. From the moment they met, it was clear they had chemistry. Relating to them as a couple was easy as I felt everything they were both going through. They struggled with their feelings for each other.  Each time when it appears they were taking a step in the right direction, something makes question their love for each other. Their relationship developed gradually which I appreciated, especially given their circumstances.

I adored Ryan. He is not the athlete to boast of his accomplishments. He is caring and thoughtful, which was demonstrated in his actions towards Jaime and her sons. The connection he established with her sons, especially Drew was captivating. He was keeping a secret, that he had no desire for anyone to discover, especially the media. He was afraid to tell Jaime for fear she may want nothing to do with him. It was not difficult to figure out the secret he was hiding. I was amazed at how he was able to keep it a secret for so long.

Jaime is a contradiction.  There were many layers to her character, which when peeled away revealed who she was an individual.  When it came to her sons ‘welfare, she would fight with her last breath to protect them. However, she allowed her ex-husband to control every facet of her life. She depended on him for the welfare of her sons and she accepted the poor treatment he dished out to her.  She felt the need to control how Drew was cared for, but never once tried to wrest control of her life from her ex-husband.  I loved that she evolved and took the steps needed to take charge of her life.  It is such a pity it took a neat tragic incident to open her eyes to what was taking place.

The secondary characters were well portrayed. I enjoyed reading about each of them. Their actions were typical of who they were. My least favourite was Jaime’s ex-husband, Andrew.  If you have ever imagined, while reading, to which into the book and punch the villain. Well, this how I felt in regards to Andrew.  He was pure evil.  I was glad to see him receiving what he duly deserved.

The story, which was well written, was mainly writing in the 3rd POV. There were some minor areas where it was written in the first person POV. I had a difficult time putting this one down. This is not just a story of a romance between the main characters. It is a story of unconditional love and embracing each other differences.  It touched on issues of abuse and bullying. It highlighted how intolerant persons were towards those who are different from them. This book gave me a brief look into the effects autism not only on the child but on the parents as well. I learnt that it is possible for persons with autism to live normal lives if they receive the necessary help from an early age.

Verdict:

I cannot say it often enough ‘Playing for the Save was a book I absolutely loved. This is by far my favourite book for 2017.  I cannot recommend this enough.




Amazon reviews from Men of Spring Baseball Series

“It’s not every day you find an author that can so easily wrap her words around your heart until they become your world, force your heart to beat, and make your soul sing with joy. If you love to feel the stories as you read them, then you don’t ever want to miss one of her books!” – Playing the Rookie


“Playing Without Rules is such a beautiful story.  A beautiful family story with heartaches in the past which leads to forgiveness. You will laugh, cry and will love this story. My hat off to Ms. Rachelle Ayala for another amazing book.”
“Intense, deeply moving, and romantic are the three phases that come to me when I think about Playing Catch.”

Also Available

Playing the Rookie (A Baseball Romance) (Men of Spring Baseball Series Book 1)

Jessica Song is tired of being a good girl, staying in a relationship well past closing time. Fresh from a breakup, she takes a walk on the wild side as a sports events intern.

Baseball rookie Jay Pak Ahn has been burned one too many times by good girls, especially his cheating ex-fiancée. When he meets wild Jessica, he throws away all caution to enjoy her to the fullest.

Jessica and Jay agree to a week of enchanting, starry-eyed dates and wild, unrestrained sex to get their exes out of their systems.

Their pasts collide, exposing the secrets in Jessica’s heart and threatening Jay’s position on the team. Jessica must leave her disappointment behind while Jay has to decide whether Jessica comes before baseball. What will they sacrifice to turn their fling into true love?

0.99 on Amazon 

Available to buy from…

Playing Without Rules (A Baseball Romance) (Men of Spring Baseball Series Book 2)

A ballplayer’s girlfriend hides his daughter from him because she fears he’s like his abusive father.

Marcia Powers wants nothing to do with ballplayer Brock Carter, especially after she told him to go away and pursue his dreams. She has more than she can handle with an elderly father, a business to run, and a four-year-old daughter posing as her baby sister.

Brock Carter’s back in town to rekindle his romance with Marcia, and this time, he’s not letting her run him out of town. Marcia is unable to resist Brock, but determined to keep her secret.

Brock’s already lost his heart to Marcia once. Will he lose every dream, including baseball, when he discovers the real reason Marcia sent him away?

Available to buy from…
Playing Catch (A Baseball Romance) (Men of Spring Baseball Series Book 3)

On the field and off the field, bartender Jeanine Jewell plays, collecting one-night stands like baseball cards. She doesn’t need a man, except to curl her toes and make her scream. She’s learned the hard way that love is about control and manipulation—and the last thing she can handle is letting herself be vulnerable, or having anyone discover her shameful secret.

Scoring women is easy for catcher Kirk Kennedy—they don’t call him “Catch and Release” for nothing. He never goes back for a repeat performance. Being traded to a new city is an opportunity for new adventures—until he runs into Jeanine and she refuses to go home with him.

Intrigued, Kirk is determined to catch the elusive blonde and keep her to himself. When he proposes a wingman-to-wingwoman, friends-without-benefits relationship, he’s surprised she accepts.

The no-benefits clause soon falls by the wayside when neither Jeanine or Kirk can resist their explosive chemistry. Despite the sparks between the sheets, they both refuse to acknowledge they’re anything more than friends.

Everything changes when Kirk discovers someone from his past is the one Jeanine is hiding from.

Trigger Warning: The heroine was sexually abused by her foster father and has flashbacks.

Available to buy from…

About the author

Rachelle Ayala is a bestselling author of dramatic romantic suspense and humorous, sexy contemporary romances. Her heroines are feisty and her heroes hot. She writes emotionally challenging stories but believes in the power of love and hope.

Rachelle is an active member of the California Writer’s Club, Fremont Chapter, and a volunteer for the World Literary Cafe. She is a very happy woman and lives in California with her husband. She has three children and has taught violin and made mountain dulcimers.

Sign up for her NEWSLETTER to get a FREE surprise book and her latest book news HERE!

Visit her Reader’s Guide HERE

Find the author on the following sites…
Website   Website   FacebookTwitter      Pinterest   Google+  Goodreads    Amazon Author Page

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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

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