5.0 ~Milkshake Dates, Dog Walks and Phone Calls~ Stars

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thoughts:
This is my formal request for more soft, cozy, heart-touching, slow and beautiful baseball romances. I say that, but truly this is more than just a romance. This is a story of grief and hope. It is about life and how peculiar of a thing it is. It is about how even as the world keeps moving on, it is nice to just stop and be still with someone.

Sometimes, with being a mood reader, the time and place you are at or in can affect the book and experience. The stars aligned with my first Cat Sebastian read, and it was the perfect time, place and book! The historical elements to the 1960s were absolutely spot-on as you see and feel the research behind it with the tone and setting being accurate. I can absolutely see that some may think this read dragged a little as there was no major conflict and some unnecessary details, but I ate up every extra page and paragraph. I felt no issues with it personally.

“And I don’t think I could have a single thought about you that’s wasted.”

I loved Mark and Eddie with all of my heart. The main characters were flawed and a tad broken but so lovely. Cat Sebastin fed us the sunshine x grump (aka golden retriever and black cat) trope in the best way, and their little tender moments made me squeal in delight and keep wanting more.

I look forward to reading many more works by CS soon!

P.s. I would instantly fall in love with someone who asked me to borrow my annotated books and then called me to talk all about it hehehe.

Would I recommend this and to who:
I know this book won’t be for everyone, but I think everyone should give it a chance. Our main characters are easily loveable, and I believe most will be surprised with how much they will end up enjoying it.
Paperback/Hardcover/Audiobook/E-book:
E-Book
Pace:
Slow
Cover thoughts:
So freaking cute!

Quotes: *SPOILER ZONE* I REPEAT *SPOILER ZONE*

“You usually take interview subjects out for milkshakes?” … “Only the handsome ones.”

‘Mark had been laughing along with him. Mark can’t remember the last time he laughed here.’

‘Eddie stealing glances at Mark’s mouth and Mark doing the same thing, and the fact that they aren’t kissing is taking up more space than any kiss possibly could.’

“I’ve been watching all your games.”

‘It’s not like he forgot what Mark looks like, He doesn’t think he could. He doesn’t think anyone could.’

“I thought you were beautiful! I couldn’t believe how beautiful you were.”

“I can’t stop thinking about you.”

‘He feels like an idiot, but Mark’s laughing, and he’d be okay with feeling like an idiot all the time as long as it made Mark laugh like that.'

“Mark, you’re not going to ruin my life. You’re the person I want to build my life around.”

“You’re lovely.”

“I will go literally anywhere you go.”

“So–tonight, should I call you at your number or mine? I mean–ours?” “Ours,” Mark says. “Call me at ours.”

Triggers:
Grief, Sexual content, Homophobia, Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Racism, Medical content, Ableism, Mental Illness, etc.

I have read several Cat Sebastian books now (mostly the Regencies) and what she brings to the table is a lot of character nuance and introspection rather than melodrama. This book is no different and certainly we get well rounded characters who are not perfect and just trying to live their lives in difficult situations. Those looking for high drama or prolonged romantic moments won't find them here and that's ok - this is a quiet and thoughtful tale set in the 1960s.

Mark works for the newspaper but is mourning the sudden loss of his boyfriend. Eddie is a baseball player just traded to a NYC team and very unhappy to have to leave his hometown in the Midwest. Mark is given an assignment to write a 'diary' about the once-great player Eddie who is now in a particularly nasty slump. Together, the two get to know each other and overcome their personal demons.

Mark is older, has been very closeted to ensure his politically active boyfriend didn't get exposed, and greatly mourning his boyfriend's sudden death. Eddie is 22, frustrated, hot tempered, and shot his mouth off one too many times, causing great disharmony and offense among his fellow teammates. Mark's articles could make or break Eddie's career. Worse, the two have found common ground and Mark fears that once again he could be the factor in destroying the career of a more famous boyfriend.

I appreciated that neither man was perfect and each made mistakes suitable to their different ages and backgrounds. Eddie dealing with his slump as well as the cold shoulder by teammates he insulted when learning of the trade was well written and compelling. Mark's emptiness and loneliness while living with everything that was his former relationship was also poignantly written. Both men felt like their ages.

The milieu was well researched - from pay phones you have to keep feeding to landlines always busy. Of course, the homophobia is there always hiding in the background ready to spring on anyone foolish enough to attract notice.

In all, a gentle read with pathos. Some readers may find it a bit slow because the drama is about character development rather than deus ex machina plot devices. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian.

In You Should Be So Lucky we follow Eddie and Mark. Eddie, a talented baseball player, finds himself thrust into a new team where animosity greets him due to past remarks. Mark, a columnist tasked with following Eddie's journey, grapples with his own inner turmoil as he navigates the loss of a former lover. What unfolds is a beautifully crafted romance that blossoms from friendship to something deeper, despite the challenges posed by the societal norms of the time period.

One of the standout aspects of the book is the seamless flow of the romance between Eddie and Mark. Sebastian skillfully portrays their evolving relationship, allowing readers to witness the genuine connection that forms between them. Mark's story is full of heartbreak and worry as he has had to hide his relationship with his former lover William to the point he is not even able to grieve publicly over his death. Eddie's support of Mark and his grief highlighted his love for Mark while Mark's constant concern over Eddies career and what an outing could do to it showed his.

Supporting characters play a crucial role in the enjoyment in this book. There were the characters who were obvious allies as they were part of the queer community but then there were the unexpected allies. Seeing Eddie and Mark become more comfortable with not just each other but those around them was one of the best parts of the book.

The appearance of familiar faces, Andy and Nick from We Could Be So Good was such an added bonus. It was great to see them again and see where their relationship had progressed. Once again Cat Sebastian does a wonderful job of creating a beautiful romance set in a time where being oneself meant hiding who you truly are. This is a definite must read.

I don’t even have words for how much I loved this book. It was hilarious and poignant and painful and hopeful all at once. It’s a beautiful ode to baseball, a tribute to coming back to life after losing a partner, and a testament to what love - both romantic and platonic - can accomplish. I absolutely adored it, and I think it’s going to be a lifelong favorite. Now I’m off to read all of Cat Sebastian’s older books!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was (I’m pretty sure) my first Cat Sebastian book, and I really enjoyed it! In general, historical queer romance is my shit, so I’m surprised I haven’t read Sebastian’s stuff before. I will say that I didn’t feel the time period very strongly in the narrative. My mind kept wanting to put it all earlier than 1960 (in fact, I just went and looked up the summary again to make sure I knew what the time setting was). But then again, I don’t know much about the early 1960s, so maybe that’s partially on me. Either way, it didn’t really affect my overall enjoyment of the book. I love a sports romance on top of loving historical romance, so there was a lot that was going to be a home run (get it?) for me right off the bat. The two main characters, Mark and Eddie, were both well-developed and had great chemistry with each other. Mark is still struggling with the loss of his late partner, and Eddie has found himself traded unexpectedly to a city he doesn’t know and to a team who hates him. Perfect set-ups for all kinds of angst. The side characters, as well, contributed a lot to the story. Eddie’s baseball team had several notable characters that stood out, but I do wish we’d seen a more of Mark’s queer friends on page. They’re talked about plenty, but only involved a few times. For the time period, the book definitely takes an optimistic view of how people would react to finding out a professional baseball was gay. Eddie never ‘comes out’ publicly in the way we think of it today, but there’s quite a few characters that you do find out, and there’s little to no hesitation from any of them on offering support. The book acknowledges the general homophobia of the time period, but none of it is ever played out, so if you’re worried about triggers or excessive trauma, don’t. My one other criticism is that, for me, it was just too long. The last 50-75 pages really dragged for me. Mark and Eddie had their moments with no real definitive ending. Perhaps Sebastian did this on purpose, but it didn’t work for me.

Being set in 1960, being queer isn’t something to do publicly. But Mark is tired of living a secret. And Eddie doesn’t want to keep secrets, but he is a public figure. Mark tries to resist Eddie, but his golden retriever personality makes that impossible to do. So they have to figure out how to be together quietly instead of secretly.

Historical romances about queer folks always make me a little sad, because they cannot yell about the love they’ve found. But these guys have a core group of queer friends they can be more open around.

The book does deal with lasting grief for a partner, and a side character slowly losing a battle with heart disease.

I want to thank the publisher and net galley for the amazing arc!
This is not the type of book I typically reach for, but I am so glad I did. The characters are so dense and well-written! Cat Sebastian does an amazing job at writing, and I cannot wait for her next release. This is now one of my new auto-buy authors.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and Cat Sebastian for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This story is beautiful, soft, cozy, and never rushes through a moment or scene. It gives you characters to root, hope, and feel for. It focuses on the details and the moments of both good times and bad through both the grief and the romance.
In that way the baseball backdrop pairs gorgeously with this story - a slower paced game that is all about the details where no matter their record you cheer on your team and feel the wins and losses in your heart.
Eddie and Mark will live in my mind and heart for a long time.

Cat Sebastian just rocked my world once again. I’m just so in love with Mark and Eddie and their beautiful story.

You Should Be So Lucky brings us Mark Bailey, a reporter we meet in We Could Be So Good and who’s grieving the loss of his partner, and Eddie O’Leary, a baseball player freshly traded to NY who’s initially having the worst luck with his game. The pair of them a bit of a mess, honestly. Both struggling with different things, and both queer in a time that being queer in public wasn’t a possibility.

There were so many things I loved about this book that it’s hard to choose one or two to talk about. I guess, firstly, I just want to say how beautiful and brilliant Cat’s writing is. Her words flow so well and every single line makes you FEEL. This book made me laugh, giggle, cry; it made be giddy and want to throw my kindle away (or throw it at the wall) at time just trying to subdue all the emotions, while at the same time wanting to feel and absorb all of it.

Here we have a naturally grumpy and now grieving man who had to hide a loving relationship for almost a decade and suddenly got all that love taken away from him, leaving no space for him to grieve other than in private. Then, we have a good natured, even if with a short fuse, young man with easy smiles and who’s almost incapable of hiding all his feelings and is in the public eye. They’re both so easy to love and the need to fold them up, tuck them in and care for them forever is stronger than I can explain.

One thing that caught me unawares by how relatable it was and kinda broke me a bit, was the struggles both these men go through. They have very different problem, and yet quite similar. Eddie, a professional hiccup with a batting slump where he wasn’t finding his way back to where he used to be. Mark, the death of a partner which left him untethered and adrift, a complete change that could never go back to the same way it used to be. Realising that your world changed, that you may have changed, then building a new reality where things start to make sense again and, above all, accepting all the new things that come with it and accepting that you might never be the same again…my heart almost can’t take all the truth I can see in all of this. Yet, this book was healing in a way that only books that make you profoundly happy can be.

So, You Should Be So Lucky is another phenomenal book by Cat Sebastian and it’s coming to steal all your hearts once again. This book is set in the same world as We Could Be So Good and we get to see some of the characters from there, which was a total delight.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eARC.

3.5-3.75. Doesn’t have the same electricity as We Could Be So Good, but it’s a perfectly nice romance novel and a sweet story about picking yourself up after a shattering fall and making something new of the pieces.

Cat Sebastian books are just so infinitely charming and this is no exception. But even while I was falling in love with these characters and their love story, there's such a poignant story of long-lasting grief that I really loved and routinely made me want to cry. I really adored that Mark's backstory was not something that he just had to get over or something that Eddie had to work hard to accept. If there's one thing that this book wants to make clear, it's that people fall in love because of the things that shape them and make them into the person they are, not in spite of those things.

Mark and Eddie routinely fit into the grumpy/sunshine trope, but I also love that they sometimes seemed to switch roles, with Eddie definitely operating as the hothead between the two of them, despite being the more optimistic one, and Mark finding layers of hope in part because of Eddie, even if that doesn't change who he is. I also really want to know more about some of the side characters, especially Andolino because I feel like he was absolutely being set up to be the next main figure in this world.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly if you'd told me a week ago that I'd have this many feelings over a baseball book, I'd have laughed. This book is about loss and losing, grief and batting slumps. It's about walking that fine (queer) line between refusing to hide yourself away and being healthily cautious. I barely made it fifty pages into this book before I was in love with Mark and Eddie and I absolutely recommend reading this sweet baseball book.

Thoughtful, pleasant and well-written. Clearly well researched, with fully realized characters. A great job threading the needle of the pressures of secrecy and the joys of love.

You should be so lucky was the first book I read from Cat Sebastian and I cannot wait to read more from them. I flew through this book and I just cannot say enough great things about this book. I usually do not read baseball romances but I saw that it was historical fiction so I knew I would enjoy reading it. The characters are so well written and how their story unfolded.

Refreshing and engaging. Always well-written with excellent character development. Definitely entering my list of books for book club.

This was sooooo cute. Being LGBTQ in this time era wasn’t as widely accepted as it is now, and this really showed some of those issues

I need to preface this by saying that I do not care for sports in romance. Whether that sport is on page or not. However! When I saw Cat Sebastian’s name attached to this sports romance? I knew I couldn’t skip it! Sebastian has a way with words that leaves me breathless. Her characters feel like people you’d meet in your daily life. They experience real emotions and she lets them feel them. I adore her work and this one was just as wonderful!

You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian

Sometimes-a-newspaper-reporter Mark gets assigned to do a series of “diary entries” written as though they are written by Eddie O’Leary, infamous newcomer to local baseball team, well known for his short fuse and his inability to hit a ball. Both Mark and Eddie are in slumps, though for different reasons, and this book is about them managing their slumps, dealing with their lives, with changes, with grief, and learning how to move forward to better things.

This is a beautiful and incredible book. Mark and Eddie are such fully realized characters, with their own distinct personalities and ways of thinking and speaking. They complement each other so incredibly well. I love the little book club they form, sharing books and discussing them. (Me, identify with queer book nerds? No way.) I love how well thought out the world is, and how effects of each of their jobs turns around and affects the other. I love how Eddie gets to know Mark so well that he recognizes when he’s said something that Mark needs to write down to put in the next diary entry. (I love Ardolino being like, “write this down. you can put it in your article,” and Mark going, “yuh-uh, sure,” and privately wondering *but where????*

And I love how although they assist each other through their slumps, both Mark and Eddie primarily find their own ways out of their slumps themselves.

This book is truly incredible. If it has one flaw, it’s that I love Andy and Nick just a hair more than I love Mark and Eddie. But it’s close. It’s really close.

I received an eARC of this newest book by Cat Sebastian curtesy of HarperCollins and NetGalley. Thanks to all for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.

First let me say, it is a fact that I adore Cat Sebastian's books, and You Should Be So Lucky is no exception to this fact.

Set in the same world as Cat's previous work We Could Be So Good, the story centers around two very opposite men: Eddie, a sunshiny professional baseball player in a major professional downturn, and Mark, a prickly writer/reporter who is stuck grieving the loss of his lover over a year ago. The action opens with Mark getting strong-armed into writing fluff pieces about Eddie's recent transfer to the Robins, which has triggered a sophomore-year slump after a promising rookie season. And because it is a Cat Sebastian story, of course they fall in love while navigating both their personal issues as well as the challenges of being queer in the 1950s/60s.

At the center of the book, there is the theme of how hard times and dark periods that seem inescapable are just a temporary part of life. Though we may need the assistance of others to escape from these ruts we may find ourselves in, there is always life on the other side, even if you have to work hard to reach your equilibrium again. It is interesting to see how both characters deal with overcoming their individual baggage to get to their happily ever after.

Its a great read for fans of grumpy/sunshine romance, historical romances, queer romances, and sports romance.

I had so much fun with this book. I loved the plot, the setting, the romance, everything! Shout out to Avon and NetGalley for this ARC! I'm always a bit wary when it comes to sports romances, but this absolutely knocked it out of the park. (Get it?) I'm absolutely going to recommending this to everyone when it comes out.