I loved the first in this series and the second did not disappoint. It was super funny with quick banter and a steamy, second chance romance.

An extremely endearing story with a lot of heart and charm. I loved the main characters, and the supporting characters—they all felt so real, relatable, and likable. I would have liked to have seen the main characters in particular developed more. Often I felt the story could have taken us deeper into their lives and how they got into the situation they were in—so many times I found myself wishing the author would have taken me deeper into the heart process and why for each character. Instead I often found the softball team playing the role of a main character instead the supporting mechanism it perhaps should have been. This left the story feeling crowded at times and pulled into different directions.

But when I say this book has heart it really does! I loved this line in particular: "But we don't get to go back, we only get to go forward. Life isn't always as it should be, but we can make it into what it needs to be." I love that the author took us into that reality—showing us with passion that it's true. No matter the cards we have been dealt we always have a choice to progress past it and build something truly beautiful.

Overall, easy fun read that leaves you wanting to know more about each character.

I recieved an ARC of this book through Netgalley. The fact that this was an ARC is the ONLY reason I did not DNF. I have never left a negative review anywhere, but there was just too much that was problematic with this book. While the author has a lovely writing style, and I understand that this was supposed to be Southern charm meets Hallmark, the humor was at the expense of minorities or anyone who wasn't a "normal" god fearing person. I feel compelled to review so that maybe some things can be resolved.

1. Her friend takes her broken flip flop to save so she can use it as a paddle on her kids.. And then proceeds to list everything she likes to hit them with. This whole exchange did not come across cute.
2. When they travel to a town over for a little league game, the people are described in an unflattering light because they drink or don't comport themselves properly. And the worst was when the team they played was described in a horrible light and it was implied it was because they spoke Spanish. There was a whole scene around this and it was extremely problematic.
3. I understand the whole premise is that she didn't tell the baby daddy she had his kid, but she finally admits that a part of her felt like she "deserved" to raise her kid on her own because she had sex. ONCE. While in a commited relationship as an adult... She kept her child from his healthy, non toxic, loving father for 8 years because of her own selfishness and hangups.
4. Any character who does anything outside of "expected behavior" is labeled weird or problematic to the FMC.
5. There were too many comments about men not being able to admit to things they enjoy because others would judge them? Silly things like blankets and pictures on the wall... It's 2024.

Cute second chance, Baseball romance.

Brooke is a single mother raising her 8-year-old son. When she found out she was pregnant by her high school sweetheart she broke up with him and kept her son a secret. Now he is back in town and living right next door.

Nate has loved Brooke most of his life, and when he meets her son, he wishes that he was his dad. Little does he know that he is, and Brooke has been keeping this secret from him for 9 years.

I thought this was a cute story. I loved the little league aspect. My kids played ball, and I could see all of these things playing out. Little league can be a funny place at times. The kids added some funny moments. Nate was such a sweet guy. I loved his character.

I deducted one star for a couple of things that bothered me. Keeping her pregnancy a secret from such a great guy was not my favorite. I was also a little annoyed that Nate never connected the dots. Even when she told him that she broke up with him because she was pregnant, he immediately thought she cheated. He never thought the kid was his, never did the math...I could not figure out how the whole town never guessed that he was the father. It just all seems a little strange to me.

With all of that being said I did like the book. The author did a great job of including not only little league but some MLB as well.

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for this title. This is my very honest review.

I loved this book! The romance was so cute and I loved the banter! It was so entertaining. I would highly recommend this book!

Will Brooke tell Nate he’s Timothy’s father after all this time?

Brooke Marshall would do anything for her son Timothy but she never expected to see his father Nate Miller after she had quit answering his calls when she was in college after only night together during their long time dating, Now Nate lives across the pasture while he finishes rehabbing his arm and volunteered to teach Timothy and his friends about baseball since he pitches for the Braves. Maybe his volunteering will help their team when she get suckered in to coaching Timothy’s baseball team.

Nate still didn’t know why Brooke had quit answering his calls but he maybe he would get some answers now he was helping her son with baseball.

If you have ever lived in a small town you will love how much the people in Apple Cart County know your entire life story especially with Brooke and Nate when she returned home pregnant with Timothy.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A huge thank you to the author, Kaci Lane, and the publisher, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

Sweet, cozy, romantic.
Just fluff. Pure fluff. As in, can't-stop-giggling-and-kicking-my-feet.
Overall great experience. Love it.

A slow and gentle romance that has a vein of humour running through it. Brooke has a great 8 year old who somehow ends up being involved in the life of his dad. His dad who doesn’t know Timothy is his son. The romance is fun and takes its time and is about two adults reconnecting and discovering that they still care. The backdrop to the book is learning to play baseball, Timothy and friends learn and start to play and there is a whole sub plot with a pushy parent and their need to win at all costs. The two come to a head in a lovely ending. The plot is safe and a warming read, the unveiling of Timothy’s father and now it all happens doesn’t have the heat that I imagine this would in reality though.

A great funny and sweet story . Brooke and Nate were a couple when they were teenagers but then she broke up with him . Now 9 years later he is back at their hometown and he just bought the house next to hers . She is a single mother of an 8 year old boy who wants to learn play baseball and to better to help him but the Nate the Great the professional MLB athlete . When little Timothy joins the kids’ Little League team and she is one of the coaches they spent time practicing in Nate's gym . Nate is back home because he is recovering from an injury in him arm but the thought being with Brooke again make him think about retiring and start a family together . Brooke broke up with him when she found out she was pregnant because she didn't want to make him choose betwwen her or his career . What will happen when she fainally tell him the truth , will they be a real family like she always wanted ?