**4.5 Stars**

The Boys of Summer series is back! Unlike the first two books in the series, this book has more of off field life of Boston Renegades Player Travis Kidd. I love this series by Heidi and Travis's story is one I have been looking forward too. Let me tell you, this book didn't disappoint! I loved everything about Travis and Saylor.

Travis Kidd is the resident womanizer of the Boston Renegades so when his extra curricular activities start to catch up with him you aren't sure whether to feel bad for him or think he deserves it. The more you learn about the situation though, you start to see this side of Travis you weren't prepared for! You see a man who wants to change for a woman who drives him crazy- his publicist Saylor.

Saylor has her hands full being a single mom and sports publicist. So when she finds one of her clients, Travis Kidd, in a situation that flat out sucks she is assigned to babysit him to make sure he stays out of trouble. What she wasn't prepared for was the attraction she has for him. She knows it's been there and has been there for a bit, but because he is a client she isn't able to do anything about it.

I LOVED Travis and Saylor's story. There was something about Saylor that brings out this side to Travis I wasn't prepared for. I loved watching them together. I loved watching Travis with Lucy, Saylor's daughter. But what I loved most about this story is Travis and Saylor coming together. Travis knew all along that he was in love with Saylor and watching him do some pretty amazing things to help protect her and Lucy flat out proved just how much he truly did love her.

I hope we get more from Heidi in this series. I love it and I want to see the others get their happy endings now as well.

I loved every second of this story - Travis and Saylor were fascinating and multi-layered, and their romance was perfect and realistic.

***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***

3.5 Stars

Heidi McLaughlin writes a book that almost always is a little darker than I am expecting. And, I like dark books, so that is not a criticism just a reality.

And, in this case, while I liked the book, i thought the darker and more serious story overshadowed the relationship a bit. This is a challenge when the romance is a little darker, a little more serious, like it was in this case.

And, in this case, I think it was that Saylor and Travis both had some pretty major things that they needed to get past. And, it is real life, I get it. I am just not entirely convinced that either of them would have been willing to get involved in the space they were in with their lives...and I did not believe in their chemistry enough to totally get past that belief. They had it, and they were good together, and the pacing of the story actually worked, it was just the fact that I never got totally over that "They must be together" hurdle.

That said, I enjoyed it. I thought the story was interesting, and well-written. And, I am guessing there will be a lot of people who don't have the issues I had with buying their relationship, as they are both great characters, well developed and well-written.

I recommend this book.

I read the first two books in the Boys of Summer series and thought they were just OK. However, this book? LOVED IT. It was so much more than baseball, it was mostly romance,with a nasty ex thrown in, and lots of legal drama thrown into one great book.
Travis and Saylor have a past. A past that is better left unsaid according to Saylor. However, Travis still can’t get her out of his mind. Neither can Saylor but she must put her priorities first...her daughter, Lucy. Saylor cannot afford to make any mistakes and a relationship with Travis could be detrimental to her career and life.
After a letter from an ex sends Saylor spiraling, she winds up at a bar where Travis happens to be. An exchange of words and knowing she needs to get as far away as possible, Saylor tries to flee the bar without Travis noticing. Unfortunately for her, Travis does and follows. And so does the girl he’s been flirting with all evening who didn’t take very kindly to being ditched.
When that woman goes to the police, the only person that can clear Travis of any wrong doing is Saylor. But at what cost? Saylor could and would lose everything coming forward and defending Travis. With women coming out of the woodwork and an entire town demeaning Travis, thinks are bleak for him.
“That’s really easy for you to say. You can clear my name, and yet you keep telling me that you can’t. If there is something wrong, then let me help.”
Can Travis be cleared? Will Saylor lose everything if she defends Travis? Can their relationship pick up where it left off?
I was in awe of the chemistry between Travis and Saylor. Their frustrations were ones shared along with the reader. I enjoyed the banter between the two, from the battling against each to the realization that they are a stronger force fighting demons together then they ever were apart. Travis had me laughing with his one liners and Saylor’s daughter Lucy had me smiling from ear to ear!
This book gives all of the feels and I loved it!

4-4.25 STARS

It started as a drunken night of unbridled passion and ended before it could develop into something so much more. But that didn’t stop Travis Kidd from wanting the raven-haired beauty that was Saylor Blackwell. In fact, it made him want her even more. As a public relations specialist for the agency that represented Travis, Saylor was totally off-limits. Still, Travis persisted in his pursuit of Saylor, ignoring her numerous attempts to keep his seductive charms at bay.

Despite the multitude of reasons for rebuking Travis’ advances, Saylor finds herself incredibly drawn to the Boston Renegade’s sexy left fielder. Topping the list, is their professional relationship. Succumbing to her desire for Travis, would most certainly put her job in jeopardy. With a young daughter to support, Saylor just can't afford to take that chance. And losing her heart to Travis is yet one more risk she refuses to take--for doing so, would only lead to more heartache and regret. Burned once before, Saylor is set in her resolve to never again let her heart overrule her head. But Travis is relentless and hell-bent on breaking down her sturdy, protective walls.

Complicating matters even further, is a false rape accusation filed against Travis from a jealous woman scorned. The question of his guilt is tried in the court of public opinion, crucifying Travis despite his repeated proclamations of innocence. The negative public perception tarnishes Travis’ reputation and threatens to ruin his professional career--especially when other women step forward to make similar claims of their own.

Much to her chagrin, Saylor was in the wrong place at the right time, able to back up to Travis’s story about the events that transpired on the night in question. But Saylor refuses to come forward, determined to keep hidden the secrets she’s desperate to protect. Telling the truth could cost her everything—her job, her freedom and even her daughter. No, Saylor would do her best to help Travis, but she wasn’t willing to sacrifice her own life in the process.

While Travis is hard-pressed to understand Saylor’s unwavering refusal to step forward, he doesn’t “out her” or force her to break her silence. But when the heat is turned up and he’s backed against a wall, Travis starts to question his allegiance towards the woman he loves but refuses to speak up. Still, when push comes to shove, Saylor does reveal all to Travis, who devises a plan that just might save them both.

Unlike the other books in this series, Travis and Saylor’s story takes place in the off season (and off the field), tackling a very real problem for those in the public light. Lack of evidence might ultimately prove such heinous accusations to be false, but the backlash from those accusations could be enough to soil someone’s good name and ruin their professional career. Yes, Travis Kidd was renowned for being a player, but that didn’t mean he deserved to be labeled a rapist, especially when that label was so far removed from the actual truth.

While I loved the overall story and the intense subject matter at hand, I hated that Saylor blamed Travis for much of went wrong. Rather than accepting responsibility by owning her mistakes and poor choices, she shifted the fault to Travis, using it as an excuse to continually push him away. If Saylor had been upfront and honest—especially with Travis—a lot of hurt and anguish could have been avoided. Still, she held tight to her secrets, compounding things even further.

As for Travis, I loved his devotion to Saylor and his commitment to make things right. He was steadfast in his desire for Saylor and easily made her daughter an integral part of his life. And even during his darkest moments, Travis maintained his faith in Saylor, just as Saylor maintained her belief in him. So despite the brewing scandal and threat of jail, Travis remained relatively optimistic. That is, up until some teammates and staff fell prey to the bevy of lies that seemed to be running rampant. It’s little wonder, then, that Travis found himself eventually losing heart.

As expected, the steam factor between Travis and Saylor was simply off the charts! Shoving my annoyance towards Saylor to the side, I desperately wanted this pair to find their happily-ever-after. And while it happened in a round-about, unconventional way, this unlikely couple finally came together and found the love and happiness they’d been searching for all along.

Grand Slam by Heidi McLaughlin is the third book in her The Boys of Summer series. We are once again back in the world of the Boston Renegades. This third installment brings us the story of Travis Kidd.

In the previous books, we knew Travis was the joker of the team and not always the most charming, but he was always good for the laughs. Now we get to see more of who Travis is and who he can be, especially when it matters to him.

Saylor Blackwell is part of Travis’ PR team for the Boston Renegades. She should be off limits, but he can’t stop thinking about her. She takes her job seriously and is determined to fight her attraction to one pesky baseball player. But some things are harder than they should be.

OMG! The chemistry between Travis and Saylor dripped off the pages. They were so good together. But their journey was not an easy one. Travis enjoyed the perks of being an athlete. He was a player and enjoyed the life he led. Until the day it finally came back to haunt him. Saylor had responsibilities she took seriously and a daughter that was her priority. And when Travis’ life is turned upside down, the only person who can help him is not able to do so. The cost would be too high.

I enjoyed Grand Slam and loved connecting with the previous characters again, the new characters, and Lucy (especially with Travis) and just seeing the interactions between the team members again. And though Travis and Saylor went through so much together, the levity of the team gave us the laugh out loud moments we have come to enjoy in this series.

Heidi McLaughlin’s Grand Slam is a great addition to her Boys of Summer series. While it’s just as romantic and sexy as the previous two books, which are stand-alones and do not need to be read in order, this story is a little less baseball. It’s still has all the goodies of a sports romance, but there is less playing action since it is the off-season. There is some legal drama mixed with the love story; therefore, it is a layered and interesting plot.

Saylor Blackwell is a single mom, who works as an agent to professional athletes, and one of her firm’s clients is the devastatingly handsome and sexy Travis. He is a player and plays for the Boston Renegades, and they had a hot one-night stand two years ago. While neither forgot the night and both are both interested in each other, they’ve never repeated the experience, because Saylor could lose her job for getting romantically involved with a client, and her daughter comes first.

One night they run into each other at a bar, and both are tempted. Saylor doesn’t allow herself to go there, but when Travis is falsely accused of rape that night, she could be his only alibi. Her firm is helping him every step of the way and this puts them back in each other’s orbits making it harder and harder to deny their attraction. Of course, the case against Travis is serious and difficult, and both are trying to focus on getting him off the hook.

Travis might be (or have been) a player, but he is a sweetheart. He is adorable with Taylor’s daughter and being patient with her. Their chemistry was off the charts, and the romance is top notch. The legal storyline was interesting and suspenseful. Grand Slam is a romance that has it all.

I have to say out of all of the books from this series, this one is my favorite. You get your ball in it but you get the romance and the legal aspect more of it. These two together are scorching and I enjoyed every page. The banter was spot on as well as the character build!

I have really enjoyed the Boys of Summer series by Heidi McLaughlin. Grand Slam is a mix of single mom, man whore athlete, and second chance romance that will sizzle your kindle!

Saylor is a PR rep responsible for Travis Kidd. They had a drunken 1 night stand, and when Saylor realized she could lose her job over it, she fled Travis' house as fast as she could, resulting in wrapping her car around a tree. Now, 2 years later, she has done everything to avoid being around Travis but one night, their paths cross again. This night ends in a rape accusation against Travis and he must beg Saylor for her help, even though helping him could cost her more than just her job.

Saylor is a single mother whose 5 year old daughter, Lucy, is #1 in her life. Lucy's father, Saylor's ex, has never wanted anything to do with Lucy...until suddenly he reaches out and wants to get to know his daughter. Saylor is skeptical of his motives after 5 years of radio silence. After her car accident, she lost her license and was placed on probation. This event plays a big part in why she can't come forward to help Travis. As a reader, my heart hurt for her because you can understand the position she is in. She didn't do anything wrong (much like Travis) but telling the truth would violate her probation. And with Lucy's dad suddenly sniffing around...She could lose Lucy. But, there is a LOT of attraction between Saylor and Travis. He really wants a future with her and he isn't willing to let her keep pushing him away. While his life is falling apart around him, he decides that Saylor can't run from him any more and he is going to prove to her that she can trust in his love.

My biggest struggle was the angst factor. Its fairly angsty with all the drama going on and I struggle with angst. I love romantic suspense because the tension comes from outside forces and it usually avoids angst. But, for a lot of contemporary romances, that conflict and climax comes from angst. My life is giving me enough anxiety; I don't need it in my books.

McLaughlin writes complex characters that evoke many emotions in the reader. You feel sympathy, love, anger, and more for these characters and its all done while weaving a very thoughtful plot. Grand Slam is a home run in sports romance that you will want to add to your TRB for this summer baseball season!
Link live on 5/22/17

Wow!!! I am literally speechless after reading this incredible sports romance that had my emotions on such a roller coaster!!!
The characters, the feelings, the tension, the whole bloom just blew me away
I can only say that Travis Kidd is the most swoonworthy, gorgeous character that made my heart full, despite some awful things that he is judged for, you cannot help but want to hug him and hug him hard!!!! Saylor also struggles with being a single mum and her desires but life is never easy and she has learnt the hard way, she tries her hardest for her daughter and is just s beautiful person that I really felt for!
I cried, I laughed, I got angry at certain characters and I this book has made my week! I haven't read anything by the author before but I will definitely want to read more from her!
An absolutely fantastic emotional ride!

I couldn't get enough of this book and I devoured it.

This book was simply full of storyline, from the beginning right up until the end. There was never a dull moment and it literally had me on the edge of my seat.

So much going on with two stories really colliding with each other and at the centre of it all are two characters that I absolutely loved. If this were a movie or tv show I would be hooked watching each episode and dying for the next one.

Travis and Saylor have their fair share of drama and OMG it had me biting my nails wondering how it would all play out. My heart raced watching these two just trying to do what's best while the odds are stacked against them.

I got angry for them at the roadblocks in their way and they were definitely outside forces that had me cursing up a storm. I mean COME ON !!! Could these two catch a break !!!

This book is an absolute five star for me and wow I definitely will be reading more books by Heidi McLaughlin. As far as romances go she definitely hit it out of the park with this one. Grand slam five star home run!!!

Travis and Saylor = True Romance
These two just hit me right in the heart.
Boston Renegades resident ladies’ man, Travis Kidd, is no stranger to one night stands and kind of prefers them except when it comes to one particular lady; his PR person Saylor Blackwell. He and Saylor shared one amazing night and since then she wants nothing to do with him. So too dull the ache he sleeps his way through woman after woman; many of whom would love a repeat performance. Unfortunately for Travis, he’s turned away the wrong woman and she sets out to make his life a living hell. The only one who can save him is Saylor but she refuses to come forward, siting it will cost her, her job and so much more.
Single mom, Saylor Blackwell remembers that night with Travis Kidd for more than one reason. Not only was it the night of the most unbelievable sex but it is also the night that caused her to make the biggest mistake of her life. She is well aware of Travis’ attraction to her and as attracted as she is to him, he’s off limits. With the “no fraternization” policy her firm has in relation to their clients she and Travis can never be. So when she learns that Travis has accused of Rape, she does everything she can to prove his innocence short of providing the information Travis really needs.
I really liked these two together, but I have to say, I wasn’t really feeling Saylor. While I understood her reason’s for holding back to help Travis, I was annoyed with her at the same time. These two were so insanely attracted to one another that for me, it literally jumped off the page. The attraction went beyond the physical. I loved how they actually liked each other, how they spent time together. The entire dynamic of these two was just great.
I simply loved Travis. While he had a jerky moment here and there, but he was an overall good guy and he was so sweet. I mean c’mon the guy let a little girl dress him up like a princess (tiara and all)! The poor guy was lonely and never realized it. All the cards seemed to be stacked against him and the night he goes to Saylor wet and cold…...
”What are you doing here?” ”I had nowhere else to go”…..”What about your house?”.....”It’s crazy there. The press is camped out front. They’re always talking and have their lights flashing into my windows. People walk by and scream at me, calling names. I can’t do anything or go anywhere without them following me. I can’t even order food without it being on television.”
And right there is where I really start to get angry with Saylor. She could fix this so easily! There were so many moments when it was so clear that these two where in love with each other and I felt like Saylor was just going to say “to hell with it, I’m going to save my man.” But she didn’t.
So back and forth it goes, then throw in Saylor’s ex who has decided he wants to be a part of his daughter’s life and in turn just aggravates the paint of the walls and the angst is everywhere. But through it all Travis held out hope, so did I and eventually Taylor got on board and all was right with the world.
This is the third installment of The Boys of Summer Series and so far this is my favorite storyline and couple. Quick read with the perfect HEA

The synopsis of this book doesn't really tell you much and I wasn't expecting what I got. I'm not going to lie-this read stressed me out more than anything. I still couldn't put it down though. I was immediately hooked into Saylor and Travis's story. They have a history before the beginning of this book and it seems to be both of their downfall. They both have to deal with unfair circumstances and I got to a point in the book where I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. This couple seems to have everything stacked against them and it's so hard to see how they could possibly work everything out and end up together. But they do and it's really so simple. I loved the characters and the chemistry between them. Sparks fly from the beginning and I was rooting for them from the start. I think that's why I couldn't stop reading; I just wanted them to be together. A solid read, not for the faint of heart!

Grand Slam is one of those books that will draw you in and not let you go until the very end. It has you feeling all the emotions from laughing, swooning, crying and screaming at your kindle. Grand Slam is my favorite out the series, I just loved every word of it.

Baseball player Travis Kidd thoroughly enjoys what he does, and the perks that come along with it... maybe a little too much! Being an athlete he draws a lot of attention from fans, it comes with the territory of course, and so he has come to expect that his every move is being monitored, even when there moves that could shine a bad light on him! It's a good thing he has a good publicist to cover up the stuff he doesn't want the public to get a hold of, but this time someone is out to get the star player, and no amount of cover up is going to keep him out of trouble. Now everything in his life is stuck in limbo, and the one person who can save him is the one woman who wants nothing to do with him!

To say that Saylor Blackwell's life is a little complicated is an complete understatement, everything in it hinges on one simple mistake she made a few years ago, so she feels like she is constantly walking on eggshells, waiting for them to break at any second. The one bright spot in her life is her daughter, and while being a single mother is tough, she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, being a mother is the one thing she has done right. So, when she finds herself in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and witnesses something she wished she hadn't, she can't help but panic a little that it is going to be the one thing that finally cracks those egg shells. Seeing her ex Travis again was excruciating, mainly because she has never really gotten over him, and now he is standing before her asking for another chance... a chance she isn't so willing to give him!

The moment my eyes landed on the page and I met these two I was completely absorbed into their little world, and immediately taken with their touching story. They both had so much to lose, and to watch them find their way out of the little mess they wound up in was quite inspiring... and a little hot at times too!! The story line was inventive, intense, passionate, thought-provoking, heartbreaking, and filled with many moments that had my toes curling... I just can't say enough about how much I loved this one!! If you like second chance romances, loaded with the feels and steamy sexy times than I highly recommend you give this one a try, you will not be disappointed!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.

Publisher's Description:

Win the game. Lose your heart.
Everyone knows who I am and that I could have any female fan I want. That's supposed to be the "perk" of playing left field for the Boston Renegades. But I don't want just any woman; I want her.

She should be just another face in the crowd, but I can't stop thinking about the one night we spent together-and her look of regret the morning after.

Because Saylor Blackwell is the kind of woman who haunts a man. Smart, sexy as hell, and one of the best managers in the business. She's every ballplayer's dream woman. And I'd do anything to make things right with her.

I'm done sitting on the bench when it comes to Saylor Blackwell. Time to swing for the fences.

My Thoughts:

This book is written totally in first person dialog. It switches the viewpoint from chapter to chapter. Having never read a book totally devoted to the thoughts of the characters alternating from one to the other, I at times got lost as to which character was telling the story.

Travis is a star player in the major leagues for the local baseball team and can pretty much have any woman he wants. His obvious attraction to the female population in general has landed him in very hot water.

Saylor is his publicity agent and a single mother with a problem. She is more than just attracted to Travis. She has a contract which forbids her to fraternize with clients.
That is only one issue that she faces, another being her ex lover and the father of her daughter who suddenly after five years shows more than a passing interest in their child.

Will the problems that these two face culminate into a lasting relationship between them?

I gave this book 4.25 of 5 stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 4.5 of 5 flames. I had problems keeping up with which character was telling the story or I would have given it a higher rating.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I have voluntarily reviewed.

Throughout The Boys of Summer series there has been one character that has left me intrigued time and time again. One character that I needed to know more about. One character that had me laughing immensely with his clever yet hilarious one liners.

Travis Kidd, is the jokester of the Renegades. He's also the man whore. His teammate has told him time and time again that he needs to settle himself down or one day the man whoring is going to get him into trouble, but Travis Kidd just shrugged his shoulder. Travis Kidd wakes up after a night of getting turned down by the 'one that got away' and he is faced with rape accusations by a woman scorned and a DA that is looking to make an example out of a major league baseball player.

Saylor gets called on his case by her boss who is also Kidds manager. She's in charge of making him look good in the public eye. But what the public doesn't know is, Saylor holds the keys to Travis's freedom. All she has to do; confess what she saw that night. But in confessing to Travis's innocence, she's also admitting to her own guilt and looking at a jail time sentence.

I really enjoyed this novel, unlike the other novels in this series, this one did not take place on the diamond. This one took place when baseball season was over and the renegades were on a break. This one was also a shade darker that the previous novels. There were so many times I wanted to slap Saylor in the face, even though I completely understood why she kept quite. I felt for Travis, my heart broke for him time and time again. He didn't deserve to get dragged through the mud. And the DA,,,,,Someone needs to fire his ass. Because frankly I have never felt more rage with any other book character than i felt with that smug S.O.B.

I absolutely adored Saylor's 5-year-old daughter, Lucy. I loved the moments between Lucy and Travis. Those moments easily made up for the rage i was feeling brought on by the DA. I'm not going to talk to much about their cuteness just so you can enjoy it firsthand for yourself, just know they are freaking adorable together.

This is a great novel, be warned it is different from the previous novels, but it is still great. I loved the difference and the notion that not everything in the sports world is million dollar paychecks and finding the one. This novel has a realism about it that is unlike any other sports novel I have read.

This is another entry in the series and it works. What is interesting is all the behind the scenes information about the baseball industry during off season. It approaches the groupies and how they can manipulate things to look a certain way...
Well done.

Great story!! It was real and different for a sports romance. That is one of my favorite things about this book in the series. I have seriously loved every book in this series and this is definitely a great addition. Heidi always writes men that never fail to make me swoon.

This book had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen to the characters. Was there going to be a happy ending? Would everything work out? She had me so involved in this story that I was dying to know the outcome. I absolutely cannot wait for more!!

Heidi McLaughlin brings it home with the third book in the ‘Boys of Summer’ series! Definitely a grand slam! This has been my favorite book in the series! The book can be read as a stand-alone. However, you can really get to know Travis and the other players by reading the first two books.

The angst is slow and almost tortuous. The focus in Grand Slam is on Travis Kidd, left fielder for the Boston Renegades, and Saylor Blackwell, his PR agent. We are also treated to appearances from Cooper & Ainsley, and Ethan & Daisy and Branch Singleton.

As I have said in previous reviews for this series, you are in for a treat if you love baseball. Not only is this a baseball sports romance, but the story is also filled with lots of baseball language. I have a feeling that Heidi McLaughlin channeled a lot of her love and knowledge of baseball that she learned from her dad into this series as it is mentioned in her dedication.

Travis Kidd is known for his practical jokes and fun loving nature. As his PR agent Saylor has to turn these jokes into something positive and fun. An example is when he started a “kissing booth” and she turned it into a fund raiser for the children’s hospital. It was a long season for Travis and he wanted to spend the winter in Boston to decompress.

It’s the off-season, and technically I shouldn’t be here. I usually head south for the winter but opted to stay home this time.

Things don’t turn out so well for Travis after he bails on a potential one night stand. His manager as well as his PR rep aka Saylor have to step in. This brings Travis and Saylor together. Saylor is a single mom and an extremely hard worker. Her daughter Lucy is an adorable 5 year old who is sweet and funny. I loved reading about her. Travis hits it off with Lucy and uses this to spend more time with Saylor.

…Do you want to have breakfast with us?

“Breakfast sounds great. I’m starved.”

…I know I should’ve told Lucy no, but who in their right mind can say that word to a little girl who looks like a miniature version of the woman you want to get to know?

The story has many layers to it. There is so much at stake for all involved. Choices have to be made. We watch Travis go through a really tough time. We see Saylor who is also caught in an impossible situation. Together they make their way to each other. It was brutal at times (but not in an awful way, just angst). I loved watching them transition into their relationship, each growing and leaning on one another.

I just loved it!