4 1/2 Stars for this easy read!

After spending two years in jail all Connor wants is to play right field for the Charleston Thrashers again, but the team’s new General Manager has no interest in hiring him. When the new GM tries to fire Allison (the team’s PR person), she makes a deal with him ... if she can get Charleston fans to accept Connor back in the fold, that she gets to keep her job. Even though all the players call her “robot”, Allison starts to have feelings towards Connor as she works with him to improve his image.

I loved the characters in this book. Connor was quite grumpy at first, but it didn’t take long for his gruff exterior to evaporate. Allison is this badass that has all these tough baseball players scared of her ... loved it! And yet the relationship between Allison and her grandfather just melted my heart. The banter between all the characters was very realistic ... especially the grandfather ... he reminded me of my dad when he was in the nursing home. A great book that shouldn’t be missed.

I received an early copy courtesy of the author in exchange for a honest review.

Another great book by Ms. Keyes! I have waited patiently for months for Connors story. It did not disappoint! This book is about Connor and Allison. Connor was a baseball player who has been in prison for two years for insider taser. Allison is the PR Director for the Thrashers that Connor played for.

The book starts with Connor being released from prison. His best friend and star player for the Thrashers, Ty picks him up and takes him to his mountain cabin. Connor was grumpy and not very social before prison. After prison he isn’t any better and his only focus is training to get invited to spring training for the Thrashers.

Allison is the PR manager for the Thrahsers. She isn’t known for being all that friendly. She is feared by all the guys on the team. She is all business and when she tells the guys to do something they listen.

Allison shows up at Tys cabin with a plan to get Connor back in the community. She shows ups with a plan on how to get the support of the Thrasher fans. Connors first thought is his worst nightmare has came true. He has know Allison for 12 years and they’ve never been friendly. She did her job and he did his. Since she has arrived at the cabin with her bags they are living together and she is slowly breaking down Connors will to get on board with her plan.

This books is wrote with dual POV, with two strong willed people. This book has it all to me with funny parts, sexy times and self growth with both characters. I really enjoyed how Ms. Keyes included the other Thrashers players in this book and how they all supported Connor. It showed the true meaning of the word team to me. Read this book, you will not be able to put it down. You also won’t be able to not love Connor and Allison.

I received an advanced copy for an honest review.

I received this for an honest review!

My lord, did I love the back and forth between our characters I. This book. It was delightful reading their bickering and then more as it goes on. There is a few sad parts and I must say all deaths are sad, but this one did make me cry.
This author write about over co,omg a past that is anything but good and showing you how to come out ahead in the other side with determination and faith. It of course isn’t easy and doubts creep in as we read this but it all turns out.
This book contain death, love, friendship and a HEA!

Even though I have not read the first book in this series, nor am I a baseball fan, I really did love this book. In fact, when I finished reading it, I bought the first – Team Player. Bench Player is a standalone so it is not necessary to read the first. Wonderful characters with both mains having prickly personalities hiding a softer emotional center. Loved the banter between them too! Even the secondary characters were strong and likeable. While there were some sexy times, they seemed almost glossed over as they were not the in depth erotica of some romances. There were some emotional moments that made me have to wipe my eyes. It was wonderful watching the emotional growth of Allison and Tyler. Enjoy!

This is the second book in this series and just as good as the first. So again I encourage you to read it you will get a better understanding of this cast of characters. So we met Allison in the first book, she was the head honcho in PR, known as a tough woman and I am saying that nicely, I liked Allison because she stood by Gwen and even championed her so she won my loyalty after that. We also knew a little about Connor in last book since he was Ty's best friend, the one in jail. So Connor gets out and his goal is to make it back to the Thrashers but isn't having an easy time reentering society, then comes his nightmare in the form of Allison. Unfortunately for Allison her new boss is incompetent but he is the owner now since his father passed the reigns to him and he has no clue what he is doing so he fires her however she comes up with a plan to get connor to form proving how good she is and he allows it, not really having any intention of rehiring Connor. While they spend time together, yup you guessed it the sparks are flying and they give in to it, but what happens when Connor finds out the real reason Allison is helping? Grab a copy and find out and Enjoy!

I adored it. What an interesting and gritty romance. I loved him from the first few pages, he’s a great character. and Allison?! Wow love her.

I found the relationship with Ty a bit odd it didn’t feel right and I struggled a bit with the whole Kimball fiasco but the baseball was great and it’s a lovely read.

There were a few typos but it’s arc so that’s expected

This was a really fantastic read. I am definitely fan of the author and appreciate how she crafts well written romances with interesting and realistic characters. Baseball player Connor is a grumpy hero (and we all know I love those) who has just gotten out of jail after two years for insider trading. He has no family and no real friends outside of the Thrashers organization so he desperate to reclaim his spot on the team. Allison needs to help revamp his taciturn image in order to save her own job with the Thrashers so she foists herself on the unsuspecting Connor with a 71 page game plan. The story is well balanced with humor, tears, and some serious heat as two characters who are very used to being on their own learn to open up to another person. I loved all of the relationships in this book especially any time Biff was on the page. I am so glad I still have the first book in this series to go back and read because I can tell this is a series I am going to love from start to finish.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the first book in Ms. Keyes newest series, and I wasn't sure how she could redeem a jailed/surly/seemed kind of dick secondary character, so I was a teensy eensy bit worried about book two. But I had faith. Also, Allison was super badass and I loved her, so...

Anyway, my faith was amply rewarded with this absolute sexy and smart charmer of a book. I think I liked it better than Team Player? Don't hold me to that; I'm re-reading it right now. First off, I don't know who that cover model is, but he's sexy as hell and I was prepared to love him no matter what. Fortunately, he turns out to be a great guy who made a really bad decision that nearly destroys his life.

In Team Player, Tyler Ashe spends the first part of the book pining for his best friend/brother from another mother/Charleston Thrasher teammate, Connor Whitman. Readers soon learned that Connor is in jail; after pleading guilty to insider trading, he's serving a two-year sentence behind bars. He refuses to have any contact with Tyler, or any of his former teammates/friends, and makes it extremely hard for a reader to like him.

Bench Player kicks off with Connor determined to regain the life he lost by making a supremely big mistake. In his defense, he didn't understand he was committing a crime when he traded on insider information, but what's happened is done, and he just wants to move on. Connor has a fairly simple vision for his future: regain his position in the Thrasher line-up. To that end he plans to train, and train, and train some more. Fortunately, he still has Tyler on his side; Tyler picks him up from jail and deposits him at his mountain retreat. Unfortunately, Tyler (and his adorable girlfriend Gwen and her corn) are determined to help him. They've read all about how to best support Connor post-prison, but all Connor wants is space. So he tolerates their well meaning efforts to support his reintegration into society, pretending all their efforts to support him are helping, and then he practically pushes them out the door for a planned Mexican get-away. He thinks he's in the clear to proceed with his train, train, train plan. Until the doorbell rings.

Allison Whyte is the badass PR manager for the Charleston Thrashers. Players fear her. Co-workers fear her.
But she gets shit done, and she loves her team. But when Bench Player begins, Allison is desperate. The newly installed General Manager (son of the former head honcho) wants to clean house. He fires her. Allison, an expert in finding solutions to tricky problems, doesn't panic. At least, not visibly. She makes a deal with her boss - promising to rehabilitate the image of Connor Whitman, their ex-con former player, and use the image makeover to generate bigger tickets sales. IF she can do it, she can save her job. The GM doesn't plan to add Whitman to the roster - but Allison hopes that if her plan succeeds, he'll have to anyway.

Bench Player is smart and sexy and funny from start to finish. Connor and Allison struggle to find any common ground right from the get-go; he doesn't want her help, and doesn't even understand he needs it, and Allison can't tell him the truth about his chances with the team, but has to convince him to accept her help anyway. They butt heads and trade hilarious insults and argue...and it's all delicious foreplay for what's to come once Connor finally gives in and lets Allison 'do her thing.'

I liked both of these characters very much, and once they team up, the novel shines. Team Player gave readers a glimpse of who Allison and Connor 'might' be - but Keyes kept the details deliberately vague. I don't want to spoil the story, but suffice it to say, she does a marvelous job proving both of these characters deserved a chance at principal characters, and that those grumpy/tough personaes are simply the masks they wear to keep others at a distance. Allison is a wonderful surprise, and her relationship with Biff, her feisty grandfather, is a highlight of the novel. Connor is similarly well-realized, and his emotional growth and maturity as a player/teammate/boyfriend/friend feels organic to the story. He's extremely likeable when he's not being a grumpy, stubborn jerk, and your heart goes out to him every time he struggles with his re-entry into society. His fears and anxieties and trust issues felt authentic to the character and the story.

But let's get back to these two as a couple. From the moment Allison rings Tyler's doorbell (that sounds pervy doesn't it?), it's clear these two have chemistry. True, they sort of resent/hate each other, but it's chemistry. I love that the transition to lovers happens suddenly - like, wait a minute, did that just happen? suddenly - but in Ms. Keyes capable hands, things don't immediately go weird and awkward. Instead, they act like adults and admit they're attracted to each other. Yes, it causes all sorts of other problems...but admitting they like and admire and desire each other isn't one of them. The Big Problem, when it finally comes, is totally expected, and no less devastating when it does. I digress. Connor and Allison are a super hot couple, and this combination worked for me on every level.

Bench Player deals with heavy subject matter, but Keyes shows a deft hand balancing these issues with lively, funny dialogue, like-able principal and secondary characters, and lots of humor and heat. Her love of baseball shines through Connor and Allison and this story, and nearly convinced me I might like baseball, too. I don't. FTR.

Loved it. 5 stars.

The story of Connor and Allison.

She is trying to help him out, and also save her own job in the process. Soon she gets to know who he is as a person, and is falling for him.

Great read, looking forward ot reading the rest of the series.

REVIEWED BY SUNNY

After loving TEAM PLAYER (Book 1 in the Charleston Thrashers series), I was super excited to get a chance to read BENCH PLAYER. Connor was so mysterious and Allison was so unlikeable, so I was curious to see how Julianna Keyes would pull off their romance. She didn't disappoint!

Connor's character worked for me. He was remorseful for the naïve mistake that put him jail for two years. He understood his baseball career wasn't going to be handed back to him on a silver platter. The perspective he gained while serving time and realism drove him to work hard! The painful journey back into the real world made Connor vulnerable. All these things made him a perfectly flawed character.

Allison's unlikeable character in TEAM PLAYER showed up again in BENCH PLAYER, but her antics made more sense in the second book. Not only was she trying to save herself, she was trying to save Connor. This softened her character for me. She was dealing with a difficult study in Connor, and I loved the challenges it presented her with professionally. Allison's personal life, including the house falling apart and her Grandpa Biff, really made Allison sparkle. Every scene with Biff made me smile, and their relationship made Allison more relatable.

Connor and Allison early on were like oil and water. As they learned more about each other and were working toward similar goals, their relationship started building into something special. It was hard until it was easy. I loved that evolution!

I am a big baseball fan! Because she "gets" baseball and writes great baseball romances, I am a big Julianna Keyes fan as well! More Charleston Thrashers, please!

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

This book had me from the very beginning. I loved the grumpy Connor and the tough Allison. Their chemistry is undeniable and the plot moves quickly.

Following you can find the German review of this book. The review will be published on sites likes amazon.de


Schöne Baseball sports romance (4,25 Sterne)

„Bench Player“ ist das zweite Buch in der Charleston Thrashers Serie (sports romances rund um ein Baseball Team). Vor einigen Wochen habe ich das erste Buch in der Reihe gelesen und da es mir gut gefallen hat, war klar, dass das zweite Buch folgen würde.

Allison und Connor, die beiden Hauptcharaktere im Buch, werden schon im ersten Buch der Reihe eingeführt. Ich denke, dass es Sinn macht, das erste Buch vor dem zweiten zu lesen, da ansonsten einige Scherze keinen Sinn machen und etwas an Hintergrundwissen fehlt.

„Bench Player“ hat sich als sehr unterhaltsamer, teils emotionaler, teils sexy Roman herausgestellt. Von der ersten Seite an waren meine Emotionen beim Lesen involviert und ich habe es genossen, die beiden Hauptcharaktere nach und nach besser kennenzulernen. Die Ausgangssituation der Geschichte ist schon recht besonders und vor dem Lesen hatte ich so meine Zweifel, wie ich vor allem mit Connor zurechtkommen würde. Meine Sorgen waren glücklicherweise unbegründet, Connor, und auch Allison, haben sich als Charaktere herausgestellt, die mir wirklich sympathisch waren und denen ich eine schöne Zukunft wirklich gegönnt habe.

Die Beziehung der beiden hatte einige Höhen und Tiefen, natürlich auch das eine oder andere Hindernis, das überwunden werden musste. Dabei wirkte nichts aufgesetzt oder konstruiert, sondern ganz natürlich und als musste sich alles genauso entwickeln, wie es passiert ist.

Ich habe beim Lesen viel gelacht, einmal geweint und mich zufrieden und glücklich gefühlt, dafür bekommt das Buch 4,25 Sterne. Ich freue mich schon auf das nächste Buch in der Reihe.

I should start by saying that what I know about baseball would fit on the back of a stamp and still leave room for a margin. It seems to be a bit like rounders but played seriously by adults and it's not cricket. That's all I know. That didn't stop my enjoyment of Bench Player though. This is actually a story about two people sorting out what is important in life and rethinking their priorities.
I liked both Connor and Allison. They were both characters who have to prove who they really are, as opposed to the image that those who work with them see them. They are both passionate about what they do and the Charleston Thrashers and I think that it is this shared love that helps them to see beyond the preconceived ideas they have about one another. Both characters grow as the story progresses and I think that really added to the romance element of the story
I didn't know how this one was going to work out. Obviously, one of the many reasons that romances are popular is that they offer a happily ever after. That's not to say that this one doesn't, but I did wonder for a while there what form it would eventually take as it seemed impossible for everyone to get what they wanted.
I enjoyed this read and would be more than happy and keen to read more in the series. It didn't matter that I have no baseball knowledge, but I think that someone who does enjoy the sport would enjoy this book just as much as someone like me who doesn't.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.5 Stars!
After reading Team Player, I was excited to hear there was going to be a second book in the Charleston Thrashers series. Bench Player was a great sports romance read. It had an almost enemies vibe going on at first, which then turned into a sort of forbidden lovers thing. Both of those tropes were done well and made the romance all the more fun.

I loved Allison. She was tough as nails, but also had a softer side. I loved her relationship with her grandfather. It was adorable! It might have almost been sweeter than her relationship with Connor...

Connor was a character I haven't read before  in a sports romance. Sure, I've read about players who need some sort of image overhaul, but I don't think I've ever read the ex-con angle before. I loved how it changed him. He was standoffish at first and had every reason to be. I loved seeing his character growth over the course of the story, and how his relationship with Allison changed how he saw a few things.

Allison + Connor = Fire! I loved their banter and chemistry. They seemed too opposite to make sense at first, but then that was what made them make sense together. I loved the ups and down they went through to get to their finish line.

The only thing I didn't like in this book was something close to the end. It made me sad. I just wish the story hadn't gone there. I felt like it maybe it didn't need to.

Other than that one thing, I loved this book. I'm really hoping this series continues as there are a couple more players I would love to see get their own story.

Bench Player is the second book in Julianna Keyes Charleston Thrashers and tells the story of a Public Relations Manager trying to rebuild the reputation of a tarnished player, while he tries to rebuild his life. The story is complex, but regales readers with wonderful characters and an entertaining plot. Allison’s grandfather adds something special to the storyline, and Connor’s comeback is documented with emotion and realism. I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

I love everything about this book. This is a beautiful and emotional story of a baseball star trying to fit into life after serving a prison sentence. We .follow his reflections, fears, inner turmoil. We feel his insecurity and fear of facing ordinary people. We understand his need to isolate himself. But behind all this is an ordinary man eager for love, attention and understanding, which only a strong woman will make happy.

Julianna Keyes is a new author for me.
This is her first book I have had the opportunity to read, and I can say I am delighted. I like her writing style and I will definitely read other books she has written.

This book deserves 5 stars,
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this opportunity, I enjoyed it and this book made my weekend,

Bench Player follows the emotional journey of Connor and Allison. We met Connor in the first book in this series as the disgraced baseball player in jail for insider trading. Allison is the ice queen PR rep that scares everyone into submission.
The author does an amazing job of sending both main characters on a journey of self-discovery. Connor is fresh out of jail and trying to acclimatize to 'real" life while working to realize his dream of playing baseball again. Allison is dealing with her aging grandfather, a house that is falling apart, and some major drama at work. The strength of this book is in these two characters. Both individual stories are real and authentic.
The connection between the two characters left me wanting more. They each had their own stories, but I would have enjoyed seeing a stronger connection between the couple. Overall, a great read!
Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC - #benchplayer #juliannakeyes

This was anew author to me and I enjoyed her writing style. I will check out the first book in this series. I like both characters and I liked how their relationship progressed, a slow-burn, but not too slow. I did find the premise hard to believe, who doesn't know the very basics about insider trading?

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book!! Thank you to netgalley for the ARC! Allison was a great character and I loved her grandfather as well. Connor was complex and not your average baseball player. This was a great comeback story plus a love story. My only gripe is a few editorial things. 4 stars.

The new General Manager of the Charleston Thrashers is a total ass. He's more concerned about focus groups and the bottom line than baseball. He tries to sack Allison Whyte, the head of PR, after a bad season (because obviously it's the PR that's to blame) and in a desperate attempt to save her job Allison volunteers to rehab the public image of former baseball legend Connor Whitman who has just been released from prison after serving two years for insider trading. She just won't tell Connor that the GM won't give him a place on the team no matter how good the PR.

Connor Whitman just wants to train and get back on the team. he doesn't want to see anyone or talk to anyone. But when the scary Allison puts her mind to something no man on earth can dissuade her.

First off, I love sports romances and the cover was super sexy with a slight Charlie Hunnam vibe so I jumped at the chance to get an ARC and I wasn't disappointed. But this wasn't just a cookie-cutter enemies to lovers sports romance, I really enjoyed the interactions between Allison and her grandfather, Biff, himself a former baseball player. I also enjoyed the camaraderie between Connor and his team mates, and the sparky interactions between Connor and Allison. The plot felt more grown-up, which is suited to Connor's more mature age (34), sure there's still the obligatory 'big scene' but it felt more realistic than many others I have read.

After I finished this I checked and I had also read the first book in the series, not only that, I made similar comments. Apparently Julianna Keyes is a lifelong baseball fan and it shows.

I'm fascinated to know who could be the next player to find romance ...

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.