THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT (The Boys of Summer #3) by Katie Rose-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 22, 2015

The Boys of Summer are back! In Katie Rose’s sweet, sparkling novel, the newest New Jersey Sonic falls for the woman who’s trying desperately to save his career.

Physical therapist Jessica Hart has learned her lesson: Never date professional athletes. She’s been down that road, and barely recovered after the relationship crashed and burned. Then Jessica meets Gavin King. An All-Star slugger with chiseled good looks, Gavin was traded to the Sonics because he hurt his knee sliding into second, and now his future is in her hands. Gavin’s no bad boy—but he’s tempting enough to make Jessica think twice about all her rules.

Gavin is trying to find a comfortable routine. If he wants his old life back, he must take it easy, stay out of the limelight, and keep his distance from gorgeous redheaded physical therapists. The thing is, Gavin isn’t the kind of guy to sit on his ass and let other people pull his weight. And when he sees something he wants, he can’t help but fight for it, even if it means risking everything, even if it only lasts a single moment: like one kiss from Jessica.

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REVIEW: THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT is the third installment in Katie Rose’s contemporary, adult THE BOYS OF SUMMER romantic sports series focusing on the New Jersey Sonics baseball team. This is professional baseball player Gavin King, and physical therapist Jessica Hart’s storyline. THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous storylines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT follows the rehabilitation of big league slugger Gavin King. Gavin’s near career -ending injury has found our storyline hero in the unenviable position on the DL –Disabled List- as he endures months of physical therapy due to the invasive surgery of repairing the meniscus in his knee. The potential for the injury to destroy his career has landed the once a-list player as the newest member of the struggling New Jersey Sonics following a trade from one of the top rated teams. What ensues is the building relationship between physical therapist Jessica Hart-a young woman who has been burned by a previous relationship with a former Sonics player.

Jessica and Gavin’s attraction to one another is immediate and intense but our storyline heroine wants nothing to do with another professional baseball player. Her previous relationship disaster has left Jessica jaded in the face of a potential love match with Gavin King. Gavin’s history of dating fashion models finds Jessica struggling with self esteem issues about her own beauty and body type. As Gavin continues to pursue Jessica in the hopes of something more, Jessica begins to pull back believing their relationship will end in heartbreak for our storyline heroine. The $ex scenes are intimate without the over the top erotic factor-quite vanilla in context and description.

Most of the secondary and supporting characters include the members of the New Jersey Sonics including Darcy and Chase (Bring on the Heat #1) who are preparing for their upcoming nuptials, and Nikki and Jake (Too Hot to Handle #2). Several of the team management and PT staff are present, as well as both Gavin and Jessica’s exes who are looking for a second chance. Jessica and Gavin’s extended families play a supporting role including Jessica’s brothers who want to know Gavin’s intentions with their little sister.

The storyline premise is interesting although a little slow to build as we follow weeks to months of physical therapy for our storyline hero. The writing is simple although the author has done some research as it pertains to the physical therapy and sports related injuries. The characters are well developed, colorful and believable. The conflict is quick to resolve but in all honesty our heroine is the root cause of most of the storyline anxiety-Jessica has issues of trust, and in this, her immaturity is a point of contention for this reader: any threats to Gavin and Jessica’s relationship are blown out of proportion by the perception of betrayal and the possibility of second chances for Gavin and his ex.

THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT is a light read with a little bit of everything: $ex, romance, conflict, fun and falling in love. There are no complicated scenarios; no mind blowing issues of dark demons or past histories with devastating actions. It is a story about two people who meet under professional circumstances and fall in love.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Bring on the Heat
Too Hot To Handle
The Heat of the Moment

Copy supplied by Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy