Laura C’s review of Sweet Spot (Boys of Summer, Book 5) by Kate Angell
Contemporary Romance published by Kensington 01 May 12

Contemporaries are in short supply, and I’ve liked Angell’s books in the past, so I was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get far enough into this one to really enjoy the story. I understand that this is the “wrap up” book for her series and so she feels the need to give everyone some page time, but it really dilutes the romance…which felt odd to begin with.

At the beginning of this book, the hero and heroine meet at a costume dance club. He is dressed as Captain America and she is dressed as Wonder Woman. It’s a cute conceit, but the language is weird. Why does the author not just refer to them as James (or “Law”) and Catherine (or “Cat”)? Instead, we get a bizarre point-of-view shift where they are referred to by their costume names:

Captain America leaned in, his power raw and tangible. His cologne was designed to arouse desire and passion, an orgasm in a bottle. “Are you here alone or in the company of Superman and Batman?” he asked.

Alone made her available. While the pulse of the club had gotten under her skin, she wasn’t looking for a one-night stand. Not even with a Marvel comic book hero who’d mastered the martial arts and was known for his intelligence, strength and super reaction time.

“The members of the Justice League are always close by.” She raised her voice above the music, letting him assume the trinity was in attendance. “Are you here with the Avengers?”

“Only the Incredible Hulk,” he stated. “He hooked up with a bloodsucker.”

The Victorian Vamp. Wonder Woman had noticed the vamp circling the crowd, looking for her next victim. The Hulk would get fanged.

And the stuff from Law’s point of view in this scene is written as if he were Captain America. It’s…odd. I accepted it for the first scene, but when it happened again later on it really threw me right out of the book.

And then there are the lists. This being the last book in the series, everyone has to show up. And we have to find out what they’re all doing, and rehash all their nicknames (honestly, I don’t care what their real names are—just call them Psycho, etc—the only real name I actually need is that of the hero). And we have to know, for some reason, what song each one of them chooses to come to the plate to. I don’t remember stuff like this in previous books:

Following the disruption, the Rogues came to bat. The players’ appearances were punctuated by musical selections. The songs were cranked to the max as the batters moved from the on-deck circle to home plate.

Psycho took his walk to “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne.

“Rock You Like a Hurricane” by the Scorpions gave Romeo focus.

Van Halen’s “Jump” made Chaser’s heart pump.

Kason made his statement with “Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men. The fans erupted with woof, woof, woof.

I so totally do not need to know that. The interruptions of the various other members of the team with their cooing babies and loving wives just dilute the romance between the main characters, which I didn’t get far enough to believe in anyway. I’m sorry to see the series end on this note. I highly recommend her early books in the series, which you can find at the bottom of this post.

Grade: DNF

Summary:

James “Law” Lawless is the star second baseman for the Richmond Rogues, the wildest group of free swingers ever to barnstorm their way through the big leagues. So when he hooks up with a seductive stranger at a costume party, it feels like he just hit the winning run of the World Series.

Catherine “Cat” May was the hot number in that skimpy Wonder Woman costume. But she’s not about to let Law know it–especially after he hires her to help him expand his off-the-field business empire. But how’s she going to keep her identity secret when his every touch urges her to make him her very own. . .

Other books in this series: