Perfect Game
by Collette West
Publication Date: March 13, 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports
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For New York Kings' first baseman Scott Harper, scoring women is easy. He's ready to get naked anytime, anywhere. But when a hacker leaks his nude selfies, he's unprepared for the scrutiny his full-frontals receive.
Carrie McKenzie has a love-hate relationship with her body. No longer the fat chick guys can ignore, she wins the job as the Kings' clubhouse reporter. With her svelte new figure, she nabs an exclusive interview with Scott to get his take on the scandal.
However, the two are already on a first-name basis after Scott came on to her in the hotel bar, and she woke up in his arms. The problem is that Scott doesn't do relationships and Carrie doesn't date jocks, yet the way they burn up the sheets is deserving of more than just a one-night stand.
Scott shows Carrie that he has a sweet, caring side beneath all the swagger. But can she really trust her heart to the biggest player in the game?
Excerpt
I
turn around, and my eyes zero in on the door. My heart starts
hammering in my chest because Scott is standing there looking
absolutely incredible in a crisp, white shirt and tight, black
pants.
"Oh my God, he came alone,” I mumble, hardly
believing it to be true as my heart skips a beat. I thought for sure
he’d want to show me up by draping some rail-thin model on his arm.
“Damn it. Why does he always have to look so amazing?”
"'Cause
he's Scott Harper,” Grey chuckles.
Chase
is waving Grey over, and she gives me a wry grin.
“Poor
Jake never stood a chance, did he?" She gives my hand a quick
squeeze before moving through the crowd to join her husband.
I
turn my back to the revelry and face the wall, trying to collect
myself. This is going to suck so bad. Yeah, I accepted Jake’s offer
just to piss Scott off because I'd thought he’d bring one of his
past flames in a surefire tit-for-tat move, but he didn’t. Now, I
feel like an idiot. I thought Scott didn’t want to be seen with me
in front of his teammates because I don’t quite measure up to the
standard he’s used to. But this is a couple’s party, and he
flouted the rules and came here stag, willing to be the odd man out,
just because of me.
He'd
asked me to go with him and I'd said no, but he hadn’t asked anyone
else either. He'd been serious. He hadn't just offered me some
secondhand invitation because his friend had beat him to it. He
really wanted to go with me, and I messed it all up by coming with
Jake.
Damn
it.
I feel myself start to shake, but then a familiar hand
grazes the exposed skin on my back, making me shiver.
"Hey,
Care Bear.”
I glance over my shoulder, and Scott’s face is
so close that I can almost taste the velvety softness of his lips.
I’m lost in the moment as I find myself turning into his strong,
hard frame, loving how his hand never leaves my body. Instead, his
fingers skim the curve of my waist, following my every movement. His
gray eyes are stormy with desire when we finally come face to face.
He wasted no time in coming over to me, and my heart flutters at the
thought. He’s sending a clear message: He’s here because of me,
and he doesn’t care who knows it.
"Oh my God, he came alone,” I mumble, hardly believing it to be true as my heart skips a beat. I thought for sure he’d want to show me up by draping some rail-thin model on his arm. “Damn it. Why does he always have to look so amazing?”
"'Cause he's Scott Harper,” Grey chuckles.
Chase is waving Grey over, and she gives me a wry grin.
“Poor Jake never stood a chance, did he?" She gives my hand a quick squeeze before moving through the crowd to join her husband.
I turn my back to the revelry and face the wall, trying to collect myself. This is going to suck so bad. Yeah, I accepted Jake’s offer just to piss Scott off because I'd thought he’d bring one of his past flames in a surefire tit-for-tat move, but he didn’t. Now, I feel like an idiot. I thought Scott didn’t want to be seen with me in front of his teammates because I don’t quite measure up to the standard he’s used to. But this is a couple’s party, and he flouted the rules and came here stag, willing to be the odd man out, just because of me.
He'd asked me to go with him and I'd said no, but he hadn’t asked anyone else either. He'd been serious. He hadn't just offered me some secondhand invitation because his friend had beat him to it. He really wanted to go with me, and I messed it all up by coming with Jake.
Damn it.
I feel myself start to shake, but then a familiar hand grazes the exposed skin on my back, making me shiver.
"Hey, Care Bear.”
I glance over my shoulder, and Scott’s face is so close that I can almost taste the velvety softness of his lips. I’m lost in the moment as I find myself turning into his strong, hard frame, loving how his hand never leaves my body. Instead, his fingers skim the curve of my waist, following my every movement. His gray eyes are stormy with desire when we finally come face to face. He wasted no time in coming over to me, and my heart flutters at the thought. He’s sending a clear message: He’s here because of me, and he doesn’t care who knows it.
Review
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
This was a book that I enjoyed reading as Carrie and Scott work to overcome their insecurities to be together. The world of competitive sports and baseball don't make it easy for them to do this, especially when the rules say no fraternizing between reporters and players. It becomes even more difficult when the player is a player of women as well and his naked conquests are broadcast for all to see. With someone on the team out to get and ruin his hitting streak, it is difficult to know who to trust.
I will say that I did struggle with some of the descriptions of the games and some of the baseball terminology but that is because I know nothing about the game. That being said, the story wrapped around of the world of baseball was enough to keep me hooked and see how their story unfolded.
Carrie, in her role as team reporter, is trying to be someone she is not to keep her job and is uncomfortable in that role and somewhat uncomfortable in her own skin. Her sassy, outward persona is hiding insecurities but Scott sees right through this. Scott has been a player, which has come back to haunt him. Most of his actions are down to macho bravado rather than bad behaviour and Carrie sees right through this, but trusting him will not be easy. I loved the verbal sparring and interplay between Carrie and Scott. It was what made this such a great read for me.
About Collette West
Collette West grew up as somewhat of a jock-nerd hybrid. Entering the world three weeks premature, her dad nearly missed her birth because he had seats behind the dugout for a sold-out, highly-anticipated match-up between two of baseball's biggest rivals. Not to be outdone, her book-loving mom taught her how to read by the time she was three. A love of the game coupled with an appreciation for the written word were instilled in Collette's impressionable brain from a young age. No wonder her characters believe in the philosophy: sports + romance = a little slice of heaven. Splitting her time between the Pocono Mountains and Manhattan, Collette indulges her inner fangirl by going to as many games as she can from hockey to baseball and downloading every sports romance novel in existence onto her iPad. When she's not clicking away on her laptop, she enjoys walking her dog in Central Park, satisfying her caffeine craving at the Starbucks on Broadway and keeping an eye out for Mr. Right. But above all, she loves dishing with her readers. Email her at collette_west@yahoo.com. She is the author of NIGHT GAMES and GAME CHANGER.
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