Review: Strike Zone by Kate Angell

Lawson’s review of Strike Zone by Kate Angell
Contemporary romance released by Love Spell 1 April 08

This is the third in a series about the players of the fictional Richmond Rogues baseball team. It follows the stories of two sisters who fall for two Rogues pitchers. One of the things I’ve seen in other reviews is a criticism of the baseball in the books of this series. How accurate is it? I really can’t say, I don’t know that much about baseball. I like the sport, but I don’t know much about it really. The baseball in the book, though, does give a good feeling for the sport and it at least made me ready for summer time and watching baseball. In a general sense.

Taylor Hannah is a thrill seeker and adrenaline junkie. She runs a family business called Thrill Seekers for people who enjoy extreme sports. Taylor leads the expeditions and her sister Eve Hannah runs the office and business end of Thrill Seekers since she doesn’t have the need for a rush like Taylor does. Though based in Richmond, Taylor travels around the world to do the extreme sports, until skiing in France she hurts her knee.

Back in Richmond she hears her former fiancee she left at the alter is getting remarried. Brek Stryker is the love of her life, but Taylor knows she doesn’t have a chance since she left Brek three years ago. She has to see him though and dresses in the Rogue mascot costume to see him one more time. Her stunt doesn’t help her though, because she hurts her knee more and she gets the attention of not only Brek, but the media as well.

Brek doesn’t want Taylor back in his life, she brings back too many bad memories. He has a sweet fiancee and wants to move on with his life. When said finacee turns out to be a bad, bad girl (in the doing things to go to prison sort of way) and Brek gets injured, he spends more time with Taylor, who is recovering from her knee injury and he falls in love with her all over again.

Throw in some retiree love and Eve’s love story and it’s a cute romance through and through. Well, Eve’s story is anyway. Though Sloan McCaffrey starts of lusting after Taylor, he feels the sparks with Eve and slowly bring her around to see he’s a decent guy underneath his player persona on the outside. Eve ends up putting up with some bad boy things, but it’s nice to see Sloan’s turn around and change in the end.

There are some cartoonish element to the story though. Brek’s false fiancee is just annoying and her betrayal rather over the top. There never is a really good resolution to that story either. Taylor herself does things that don’t make much sense. She gets into the mascot costume to see Brek one more time? When they get back together while they’re both recuperating from their injuries, she distances herself because she can’t really commit. Taylor never really seems to grow up past her wanting to risk her life stage, then she suddenly quits it all.

Again, the baseball . . . probably not accurate. Midseason trades and the pettiness between the players aside, it at least does give a good setting for the story and a fun way to anticipate the summer. Eve’s story is worth it, Taylor’s not so much. It’s a cute, light, if rather forgettable pre-summer read.

Grade: C-

     Summary:

     She’s back. Part owner of ‘Thrill Seekers’ (a personal tour guide company for extreme adrenaline junkies) Taylor Hannah, a.k.a. ‘Fearless’, is back in town and about to tackle her biggest challenge and regret; leaving the only man she’s ever loved. Pro-baseball pitcher Brek Srtyker, is getting married. But not to her. No, she had her chance three years ago and left him standing at the altar. But now its time for closure. Time to mend fences. Face her mistakes. Move on. She owes it to herself, and most of all, she owes an explanation to Brek.

     Read an excerpt.