This was such a cute sports romance book! I really enjoyed this debut book in a series, and I am certain that I will look to more from this author. I found the characters to be so well developed, the dialogue to be good and I enjoyed how much growth the characters had. I found the dual perspective to be satisfying, mainly keeping with Maggie's POV, but it was important to have those moments where we got to see the situation from Tommy's POV. The love story was sweet, with a fake dating troupe, but it also had a lot of heart with what the reader learns about both Maggie and Tommy's past. I enjoyed, and I think most other readers with as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

First Base by Ally Weigand
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶

**Thank you to Netgalley and for this advanced copy. **

Tommy is a professional baseball player who needs to get his act together or else his career is over. Maggie is a team photographer for the Cougars.

When Maggie and Tommy are photographed together, the team gives him an ultimatum. Fake date Maggie or get kicked off the team.

These two characters grow so much in such a short period of time. Maggie has a lot of past trauma and the fact that Tommy is so incredibly supportive and encouraging was truly heart warming.

This was debut novel and she did not disappoint.

The emotion 🥺

I was drawn to this story initially because I had never read a baseball romance and because the FMC, Maggie, is a photographer and so am I. What I didn’t expect going into this book was how emotional I would be throughout the entire thing. I am such a sucker for a story that includes over coming trauma from your past and reading about Maggie and everything she had been through and had overcome made me love her fiercely. It was such a beautiful addition to this romance to see her having to accept Luke's death and move on to find love again.

How can you not love a big ol’ cinnamon roll MMC like Tommy. He was sweet, he was endearing, his story and his past were relatable and REAL. His character was one that had flaws that he openly admitted to and that was great.

I love a good fake dating trope. Because honestly what’s better than two people being thrust together like that. I thought the tension between the two of them was really sweet and I also loved how they seemed to fit together personality wise. I'm not personally a big fan of instalove type tropes so the pacing in this book felt a little fast at times. It wasn't super noticeable but I did just wish there was more time with them together before the end of the book came up.

I did really like the ending as far as reality goes. I appreciated the 3 year time jump and the perspective that kind of updated the reader about what was going on at that current time. This type of Epilogue was really unique to me!

“It was just a game... until the rules changed.”

This book was absolutely adorable. Fake dating? Yes, please. Add in baseball? I’m sold. Personally, I feel that there are not enough sports romances out there that bring baseball into the mix. I know when I find one, I have to read it. Which is why as soon as I saw this book on Netgalley I had to have it.

One of the best things about this book was the dialogue between the two main characters. I loved the way the characters talked to each other. I felt that the conversations between them were deeper than most conversations in a fake dating romance.

While the fake becomes real earlier on in the story than I normally see, the book is fade to black. For me, this didn’t take away from the story so I wasn’t bothered by it at all.

My only complaint is that I felt the book started out very strong in the beginning, but then felt more rushed at the end, as if the author was rushing to tie up everything quickly into a HEA bow.

Overall, a sold 4 star read! Definitely it out if you’re in the mood for a super cute, short, fluffy romance.

Thank you Netgalley and Ally Wiegland for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley, 8th Note Press, and Ally Wiegand for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Maggie Redford is a photographer for her favorite MLB team, the Chicago Cougars. And now, two years after the death of her fiance, she's content with keeping her head down and staying single, convinced that she's found the one true love of her life already. Enter Tommy Mikals,

Tommy is a tattooed "badboy", with a reputation that's left him with Chicago being his last shot at a career in the MLB. Determined to set his life and career on the right track, Tommy isn't letting anything get in the way of that. That is until Maggie is almost hit with a rogue foul ball and Tommy is who helps her out. Sparks ignite and once they're spotted by paparazzi, Maggie and Tommy have to sign a contract to be in a fake relationship as a way to hold Tommy's image together. As feelings start to feel more and more real between the two, Maggie has to continually remind herself that this is merely a business exchange... right?

---

I'm a sucker for fake-dating, however the one gripe I have with the troupe is that is usually always comes with miscommunication. While Tommy and Maggie are always honest about their feelings, (hella refreshing, thank you!) there just HAD to be a bit of unnecessary miscommunication to cause some conflict. It felt a bit forced but the chemistry between our two main characters was enough to make me really enjoy this book. It's a great beach read that's sure to make you day dream about tattooed baseball boys.

This book was really fun and a quick read. I’d loved everything about the baseball metaphors and that Maggie works as a female sports photographer in a male dominated field. The slow burn fire between Maggy and Tommy made this books:so much more exciting. I noticed this book is not available yet on audio, it would make an amazing audio version with both male and female characters narrating this book.

"First Base" by Ally Wiegand, courtesy of NetGalley, is an emotionally resonant read that captures the complexities of life and love. The characters are richly developed, and their relationships feel genuine and heartfelt. Wiegand seamlessly weaves important themes throughout the narrative, leaving a lasting impact on the reader. Overall, "First Base" is a touching and thought-provoking novel that I highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I. Loved. This. Book.

Truly, this is one of the best books I have read in a while. First Base follows the story of the Chicago Cougars' professional baseball team photographer, Maggie, and the team's new player with a bad boy reputation, Tommy Mikals. When Maggie and Tommy get unexpectedly linked by a contract to help improve Tommy's image, Maggie is hoping she will walk away from this relatively unscathed. However, it doesn't take long for Maggie to see Tommy's true colors, and she likes what she sees.

This story is funny, heart-warming, and will make your cheeks hurt from smiling. Whether you are a baseball fan or not, this story will be fully enjoyable either way. I promise you won't regret giving this one a read.

2.75⭐️ It was a perfectly sweet story but I felt like I had no connection to the characters and their relationship the entire time. I wish we got to see Tommy in his “bad boy” phase instead of just being told about it because it didn’t make his progression throughout the book all that impactful. I also felt no real feelings towards Maggie. Her inner monologue was really repetitive (there’s no way he could possibly like me) and I just didn’t connect with her. The third act breakup was even more frustrating for this reason (I knew he couldn’t possibly like me).

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Star Rating: 4/5 ⭐
Spice Rating: 2/5 🌶️

What to Expect:
- Baseball Romance
- Baseball Player x Team Photographer
- Fake Dating
- Reformed Playboy
- Golden Retriever MMC
- Forced Proximity
- Insta Love
- He Falls First
- Love After Loss
- Dual POV

First Base is a heartwarming read and a solid debut from author Ally Wiegand. This story follows Maggie, a photographer for the Chicago Cougars, and Tommy, the bad boy, hotshot, new addition to the team. A viral club photo puts Tommy and Maggie in an interesting position. Tommy already has a bad reputation, and this compromising photo does not do him any favors. The PR team for the Cougars comes up with a fake dating plan to help clean up Tommy's reputation.

Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and I loved how it played out in this story. Tommy and Maggie were so good together. They are likable characters, and I couldn't help but root for them. I always enjoy it when a romance story is more than just a romance. Both Maggie and Tommy have traumas they are working through, and both experience growth throughout the story. I loved how they supported and genuinely cared about each other.

Overall, this was a quick and fun read. The characters are well-developed, and the story is well-written. I recommend First Base to those looking for a short, cute sports romance with a great ending.

Thanks to Ally Wiegand, 8th Note Press, and NetGalley for the eARC. Opinions expressed are my own.

I think this was a really great start not just for a series, but for the authors first book! First base really pulled at my heart strings, and I did cry for Maggie quite a few times. I thought the writing was good, the characters are all amazing ( I really love the side characters too!) The romance between Maggie and Tommy was so sweet. Normally I prefer smut in my romance books, but I feel with Maggie and Tommy's story it did well without it! I cannot wait to read more from Ally!

This was so cute! It was such a wholesome little baseball romance. It's fade to black in case you're nervous of romantic scenes. But overall a very cute, lovely time. I highly recommend for a fun little summer read.

I was so excited to read this book, a baseball romance with fake dating? It sounded like the perfect spring read. But I was disappointed.

There was not nearly enough dialogue for a romance novel. Where is the banter? The quips? The personality? The dialogue was either short sentences followed by paragraphs of introspection, or full on monologues. And then when we got to quiet parts of the book where there was time for the couple to simply talk to one another, the book is put on fast forward and all of a sudden the chapter is over and it’s the next day already.

The lack of banter and forging of any type of personality gave me zero connection to the characters. I question how they actually even fell in love with one another? I was only on chapter eight and Tommy was already having an entire inner monologue moment about how fantastic Maggie was. Based on what? Two seconds of conversation and hanging out together two times??

Finally, I feel like the epilogue being written from a third parties perspective was a cop out. “He took her hand in his and said some words that no one but the two of them could hear.”? I do not know why the author would take away something that could have been a very emotionally charged moment from us.

I did enjoy the story line with Tommy’s father, and the added emotional points of Maggie’s fiancé passing away; and the spice wasn’t terrible. If it weren’t for those things, this probably would have been a one star read for me.

I love a baseball romance but this one felt clunky more than engaging and I didn’t find myself invested in the characters.

I love fake dating and a good sports romance so I was pretty excited for this! That, and our FMC was a curvy Latina with curly hair?! Yes, please.

While I really liked the concept of this story it unfortunately fell flat for me in a lot of areas. I feel like we didn’t get a lot of growth or depth from our mmc. But the biggest thing for me was I didn’t find myself rooting for our two leads. Maybe it’s just that insta love is not for me but I always find it hard to believe when the main characters are already head over heels less than 10% in to the story.

It wasn’t my cup of tea but if you like insta love and fake dating or just want a clean and fun baseball romance this might be for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

A really cute, debut novel about Maggie and Tommy, two people damaged by their pasts trying to find love again. Maggie, a media photographer for Chicagos professional baseball team finds herself in a contract to fake date the bad boy, baseball star - Tommy. Friends to lovers and forced proximity tropes if you like those. Light on the smut, a short novel, and almost reads YA. There’s not a lot of dialogue, it’s more of Maggie’s inner monologue, and i wish there was more of Maggie and Tommy’s banter to help show their chemistry. Their chemistry had a lot to be desired.

Thank you NetGalley for this reading copy, these opinions are entirely my own.

✨ Publication date: April 23, 2024✨

First Base is the first book in the Chicago Heartbreakers series by Ally Wiegand (and the authors debut). This is a closed door sports romance series.

Maggie Redford loves her job as photographer of Chicago’s professional baseball team. It’s really the only thing keeping her going since she tragically lost her fiancé four years ago.

Tommy Mikals was just picked up by the team from San Diego after being let go after his bad boy antics went too far and tainted the image of the team.

Tommy knows he’s on his last chance to prove he deserves to play baseball professionally but after paparazzi takes what was an innocent picture of him and the team’s photographer, Maggie he knows he’s in trouble.

The teams PR team develop a plan to fix Tommy’s reputation y contracting Maggie to be his pretend wholesome girlfriend. Maggie reluctantly agrees but knows this is as fake as can be, she has sworn off love since she lost her fiancé.

As they spend more time with each other, their chemistry is undeniable. Can Tommy clean up his act and be the man Maggie needs? And can Maggie finally forgive herself for that fateful night and find love again?

This was a pretty good debut novel. I enjoyed the story and the two main characters. I found the “bad boy” image a little lacking and wasn’t sold on the image they portrayed. This is a 3.5 star for me and I am looking forward to seeing how this author continue to hone her craft.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #allywiegand #firstbase

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) Sports Romance!:

First Base by debut novelist Ally Wiegand was in the ballpark (pun intended) of books that have everything that piques my interest! This book included themes of sports romance (baseball to be exact; my favorite!), the fake dating trope, new love, friendship, grief and loss, banter, and so much more. I immediately fell in love with Maggie and Tommy’s dynamic, as well as their shared love and appreciation for baseball. The timing of this book’s release right around the beginning of baseball season was extremely well-played and once I realized that this was the first book in a series (Chicago Heartbreakers), I was truly over the moon! I cannot wait to see what Ally has in store for us next!

Thank you so much to Ally Wiegand, 8th Note Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this beautiful book! ⚾️💙

Book Title: First Base
Publication/Release Date: April 23, 2024
Author: Ally Wiegand


~Alissa R.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Maggie Redford is living her dream of being a photographer for the Chicago MLB team. When her first and only love ends tragically, she closes herself off from feeling that way again. But when Tommy Mikals, a playboy with his career on the line, ends up on Chicago's roster, things get complicated when the Cougars PR team asks them to fake a relationship. The only issue is that real feelings come to the surface.

I will say that this book was quick and cute! It was really lighthearted even with the tragic past of Maggie's college relationship. The biggest issue I had with the book were that the side characters were so fun but barely given any limelight. Maybe the author is leading up to those being front and center in the next book, I'm not sure. However, Maggie was a good protagonist for me in terms of growth. I loved that she learned how to move past grief and love again. Tommy had a pretty stereotypical relationship with his father that didn't really feel like it consumed him a lot, if you know what I mean. This was a quick and sweet book and a great debut novel, I just think it fell a little flat. I would be interested to read the second in the series at some point. Also, miscommunication is my least favorite trope and I wish I read less of it. But I think that's a me problem...

Baseball romance, fake dating and allll the feels! First of all this book combined my love for reading AND baseball! Tommy is the party club star baseball player on his last chance to play professional baseball due to his wild life in the tabloids! Maggie may the be the answer to his problems as the team photographer… well this story starts to unravel as they quickly feel an electric buzz between the two of them and realize this fake dating may not be so fake!