Straddling the Line (Play-by-Play Series #8)

( 31 )

Overview

Trevor Shay has it all—a successful football and baseball career, and any woman he wants. But when he finds out his college mentor’s daughter is in trouble, he drops everything to come to her aid.
 
Haven Briscoe has finally landed a dream job as a sportscaster for a major network. But she hasn’t been able to move past the recent death of her beloved father, and it’s ...

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Straddling the Line (Play-by-Play Series #8)

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More About This Book

Overview

Trevor Shay has it all—a successful football and baseball career, and any woman he wants. But when he finds out his college mentor’s daughter is in trouble, he drops everything to come to her aid.
 
Haven Briscoe has finally landed a dream job as a sportscaster for a major network. But she hasn’t been able to move past the recent death of her beloved father, and it’s affecting her career. A plum assignment following the daily life of sports superstar Trevor Shay might be just the inspiration she needs…
 
Trevor will do anything to spark life back into Haven, including letting her into every aspect of his world. The chemistry between them flames higher than one of Trevor’s home runs and faster than his dashes to the end zone. But as they grow closer, Haven stumbles onto Trevor’s closely guarded secret, one he’s hidden his entire life. And despite his protests, now it’s Haven’s turn to put everything on hold to help Trevor. Will he let her in and trust her with a secret that could blow his professional and personal world apart? 

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
05/12/2014
Burton’s eighth Play by Play sports-themed contemporary (after Melting the Ice) is a sizzling erotic romance with heart. Rookie TV sports reporter Haven Briscoe is trying to cope with her beloved father’s death when she is assigned the story of a lifetime: interviewing her college crush, baseball and football player Trevor Shay. Haven soon learns that Trevor reciprocates her feelings, and their chemistry is off-the-charts passionate. But Trevor is keeping an enormous secret from Haven—one that he feels tremendous shame about and that he’s positive will change her love for him. It’s up to Haven to prove to Trevor that she’s in it for the long haul. Throughout their story, Burton provides glimpses of the happy endings enjoyed by couples from earlier books in the series. This red-hot yet sweet novel and its well-developed characters will satisfy series fans. (July)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780425262993
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
  • Publication date: 7/1/2014
  • Series: Play-by-Play Series , #8
  • Pages: 320
  • Sales rank: 25689
  • Product dimensions: 5.40 (w) x 8.10 (h) x 1.00 (d)

Meet the Author

Jaci Burton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Play-by-Play series, including Melting the Ice, One Sweet Ride, and Thrown by a Curve, and the Hope series, including Hope Flames and Hope Ignites.

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Read an Excerpt

***This excerpt is from an advance uncorrected proof***

Copyright © 2014 Jaci Burton

One

“Haven’s in trouble.”

Those were words Trevor Shay never wanted to hear, especially not less than a year after the death of Haven’s dad, Bill.

Bill Briscoe had been more than just a dorm parent back in Trevor’s college days. He and his wife, Ginger, had been like substitute parents, especially to Trevor, who’d needed guidance more than the rest of them.

And now he sat in Ginger’s living room, in a house he’d once thought of as his second home.

Trevor had always counted on Ginger’s confidence, that smile and optimism that had assured him everything was going to be all right.

Now she just looked worried.

He picked up her hand. “What’s wrong?”

“She hasn’t been herself since Bill died. You know Haven. She’s always been upbeat, and she’d come to grips with the eventuality of Bill’s death.” Ginger took a deep breath. “As we all did.”

Trevor squeezed her hand.

“It wasn’t like we all didn’t know it was coming. Bill prepared us all for it, made sure we were ready. Never thinking of himself.”

He saw the tears welling in her eyes and wished he could take them away.

“I know, Miss Ginger. I know. I miss him, too.”

She grabbed a tissue. “He’d kick my butt if he saw me cryin’ over him. But Haven, she has a great life and an amazing future. She got a job with the network as a sports journalist.”

Trevor smiled. “I heard about that.”

“It’s an amazing opportunity for her. One she should be seizing. I told her that her father would be so proud of her.”

“He would.”

“Instead, what is she doing? She’s thinking about quitting the job and coming back here to live with me.”

Trevor leaned back and frowned. “Coming back here? Why?”

“I don’t know. She said something about getting a job at the local TV station instead.”

“Is that what she really wants?”

“I don’t think so.” Ginger leaned forward. “Trevor, I don’t know what to do. She hasn’t even given this new job a shot. I think she’s scared, and without her dad, she feels alone for the first time in her life.”

“She’s not alone, Miss Ginger. She has you.”

“I know that. And believe me, I don’t feel slighted in the least. I know Haven loves me. I also know she’s worried about me being here all alone. I don’t want her to make a mistake and screw up the best job she might ever have because of me, and because of her fear.”

She paused, took a breath. “I was hoping you could offer me some advice, tell me what I could say to her to make her stay in her job.”

Trevor thought about it a minute. “Let me see what I can do about that.”

“Thank you. I know you’re big in the sports world, and I don’t know if there’s anything you can do for her, but gosh, I’d sure appreciate anything. Anything at all.”

An idea formed in his head. He had the pull. He could get this done. And he’d do anything for Ginger, and to honor Bill’s memory. Haven needed help, and he sure as hell was in a position to help her.

He spent the day with Ginger, and honestly, it was great to see her again, to while away the hours talking about Bill, reminiscing about college life. Besides, she fixed him lunch, and he loved her home-cooked meals. Hours later as he sat on the plane on his way back to St. Louis for a game, Trevor already had the plan formulated. The media were constantly hounding him for a feature story on his life and career. After all, it wasn’t too many athletes who played multiple sports. At least not too many who played them well. He’d been closed off to the idea of it for a lot of reasons.

He leaned back in his seat and smiled.

Now it was Haven’s turn to shine. And he was just the person to make it happen.

Haven tried to muster up enough saliva to swallow as she pressed the button to return the phone call she’d missed from her boss.

She knew what was on the other end of that phone call.

Her ass was going to be fired, less than six weeks after she’d gotten the job of a lifetime.

It would have been much better if she could have resigned. It would have looked better on her résumé, but then again, what did she care? Her career in journalism was over anyway, right?

Never quit. Whatever you do, Haven, never give up on anything until you’re sure you’ve given it everything you have.

Her father’s words rang in her ears, guilt squeezing her stomach until nausea caused her fingers to pause on the call button of her phone.

It was too late to beg to keep her job. She’d already passed up multiple travel assignments, content to do the local ones, then sit in her apartment in New York, dwelling on how much she missed home, her mom.

Her dad.

This wasn’t the right career for her. She’d made a mistake accepting this job. She wasn’t cut out for the rigors of sports news—the travel, the insane schedule, the arrogant athletes.

What was she thinking? Her father hadn’t even been gone a year yet.

She couldn’t do it.

Be brave, Haven. You can do anything, be anything you want to be. Just be happy.

Tears pricked her eyes and she swiped them away as every conversation they’d had those last few weeks replayed in a reel over and over in her head.

Be happy.

She didn’t know how to be happy without hearing her father’s laugh, seeing his smiling face, being able to pick up the phone and talk to him every day.

Who was she going to go to when she needed advice?

She loved her mother, and in the ways of relationships and men and things like that, she had always gone to her mom.

But her dad—he’d been her buddy. She’d learned about sports from her father, had sat next to him and watched football, baseball, hockey, and every sport imaginable. He’d taught her balls and strikes in baseball and the difference between a post pattern and a shovel pass in football. They’d driven up to St. Louis together and taken in all the professional sports. She’d never been more content than to sit next to her dad and watch games with him.

She’d learned to love sports because of her dad.

She’d gone after this job because of him.

And now she was going to be fired because she hadn’t had the energy after his death to do this job she’d wanted for years. For that, she only had herself to blame.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” she said, then pushed the call button on her phone. It rang. She was hoping for voice mail.

“Haven. I’ve been waiting for you to call.”

She cringed as the loud and very no-nonsense voice of her boss, Chandler Adams, came on the line.

“Hi, Chandler. Sorry. I got tied up.”

“Well, untie yourself. I have a job for you.”

“A . . . job?” He wasn’t firing her?

“Yeah. You know Trevor Shay, right?”

“Trevor . . . yes, I know him.”

“Great. We’re going to do his bio. A whole feature on the life of Trevor Shay. Personal and professional. We’ve been after him for years to do this, and he kept putting us off, until now. He’s finally agreed to let us do the feature, and he’s asked for you.”

“For me?”

“Yeah. Says you two go way back to college.”

“Uh . . . yes. I knew him in college.”

“Then it’s a damn good thing we hired you, Haven. Pack a bag. You’ll meet him at his place in St. Louis to get everything set up. Narrative and background first, and then we’ll get camera work involved later.”

Was she in some alternate universe? She hadn’t been fired. In fact, she’d just been assigned to interview one of the biggest stars in the sports world right now.

“Okay. Sure. Thanks, Chandler.”

“No, problem. I’ll e-mail you the specs on what we’re looking for from you on this, Haven. This assignment’s going to take a while, so clear your calendar.”

“Consider it done.”

When she hung up, she sat back and stared out the window of her very tiny apartment, stunned that she hadn’t been kicked out the door. She’d been mentally prepared, and as she stared at the boxes in her apartment, already half packed, set in her mind that she was going to head back to Oklahoma to be near her mother, her roots.

Where memories of her dad were.

Now she had to change her focus.

Why had she agreed to do this interview? This job wasn’t what she wanted to do anymore.

Was it?

She sat on the bed.

Follow your dreams, Haven.

She still heard her dad’s voice so clearly in her head. Maybe he was trying to tell her something. She didn’t know if this was her dream anymore, but she’d agreed to take this job.

With Trevor Shay, of all people. She hadn’t seen Trevor since her dad’s funeral. She wondered how he’d react knowing it was her doing this assignment.

He’d probably ignore her, just like he had in college.

No, wait. He’d specifically asked for her. He’d agreed to the interviews, so this time, she wouldn’t allow him to pretend she didn’t exist.

She got up and went to her closet to grab her suitcase.

Her and Trevor Shay. God, she’d had such a crush on him in college, back when she was tutoring him. All those nights they spent shoulder to shoulder, when she’d done her best to try to persuade him to focus on his books, when all she’d really wanted was for him to notice her as a woman.

He’d been more interested in trying to finagle a way to get her to do his homework.

Now she was going to be in the driver’s seat.

She stared out over the boxes, debating whether to unpack them.

She’d leave them, see how this assignment went. If it didn’t work out, if it didn’t light the fire under her after a few days, she’d call Chandler and tell him she was out.

But she’d give it a try. For her dad.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 31 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(14)

4 Star

(11)

3 Star

(4)

2 Star

(1)

1 Star

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 31 Customer Reviews

  • Posted Sat Jul 26 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Great read

    Love that the story has a PSA on illiteracy. Was a plus that the main character was hot and confident.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Mon Jul 14 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    more from this reviewer

    4.5 Stars ~Reviewed by FRANCESCA & posted at Under the Cove

    4.5 Stars
    ~Reviewed by FRANCESCA & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

    Meet Trevor Shay. Well, we’ve met him already in previous books and I personally was anxious to read his book because I could tell there would be some crazy sparks that would fly between him and Haven. Trevor just became my favorite book boyfriend in this series right after Tyler Anderson. He is hot, sweet and just perfect.

    One thing I was surprised by with this book was the relationship between Trevor and Haven. She always had a crush on him since college and he couldn’t have looked at her twice back then. The daughter of his dorm parents though, they always had a close relationship. But when Haven’s mother manages to put them in a situation of really close proximity, and just as I was expecting, sparks start flying! They get along great right from the start when I thought they would be more at each other’s throats. And I loved that!

    I also loved Haven. Her easy going attitude, she doesn’t take herself too seriously when is not necessary, she’s playful, she’s caring, she’s independent. She was pretty much the perfect heroine for the perfect hero. Did I say perfect enough? But she really is a cool chick, that immediately warms you up to her.

    Another great thing about this book is the interrelations with friends. All of our favorite characters, almost, are back. With Trevor playing for two teams we have access to the Rileys again and their women, as well as some of Trevor’s best friends from college and their girls. Haven fits right in with them and that feeling of friendship and family that I love is strong in this book.

    But what can I say other than I devoured this book in one sitting? Prepare to swoon, drool and sweat. STRADDLING THE LINE is romantic and tender, funny, but also spicy and very sexy. Jaci Burton once again with a winner. Not sure if in Trevor’s case it should be a home run or a touchdown. ;)

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    .

    .

    1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Thu Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    I Also Recommend:

    Augusta in the World: The Complete Series
    Hope Ignites
    Kim's Boss: The Complete Series
    Packed in: A Short Story
    Melting the Ice (Play-by-Play Series #7)

    Emotional and Hot. Trevor and Haven are very hot together. The s

    Emotional and Hot. Trevor and Haven are very hot together. The story of Haven's grief over her her dad is incredibly touching. So is the story of Trevor's past. The weaving of them together and their chemistry makes this book a masterpiece. Besides all that, the sex scenes are nice an steamy. A truly great book.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Tue Sep 23 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Boring!

    I always likd Jaci,s books, but this one was soooo boring!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sat Aug 30 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Anomous

    Good story started out slow something in the middle was off but ended with a bang

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Good story line

    Nice to get some background on past characters. Would have like to see more development regarding the secret that was discovered. Great series of books. Always look forward to the next one in the series!

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  • Posted Sun Jul 27 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    This is another hot read by Jaci Burton. This is the 8th book i

    This is another hot read by Jaci Burton. This is the 8th book in the Play by Play series. Meet Trevor and Haven and follow their story and the great chemistry they share. I guarantee you will love this book. If you haven't read this book or the entire Play by Play series yet, I highly recommend that you pick them up. You will not be disappointed.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Jul 25 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Must read

    If you love the play by play series you will love this one to. Jaci has out done herself once again

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  • Posted Fri Jul 25 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    more from this reviewer

    Trey is a very talented man. He not only plays one sport profes

    Trey is a very talented man. He not only plays one sport professionally but two. He’s a very busy man considering he jumps from baseball season to football season in one year with no breaks. He gets a call from his old college dorm parent who calls in a favor. Her daughter (his college tutor) isn’t handling the passing of her father well and with her being a sports reporter, she should do an interview piece on him to take her mind off of her father. Have I mentioned that Trey is a very private man? However, he’d do anything for his dorm parent and agrees to help out. Only, he doesn’t plan to fall for the sexy reporter who shows up, or her persistence in revealing his skeletons.

    I LOVED Changing the Game. So I was really excited when I got this book. Even though I haven’t read the other books in the series, each one can be read as a stand alone. However, this one just didn’t work for me. The characters seemed too scripted. There were parts that were just about robotic in both the characters speech and actions. I just found myself not connecting with anything going on because of this.

    I did like that the author didn’t include a lot of nonsense drama. The problems that these characters face are real. They don’t play cat and mouse, leaving the other person confused on their feelings. I liked that twist at the end that the author gave Trey. It definitely humanized him.

    This was a nice romance with some erotic highlights to it. However, it wasn’t the best one from the series. The characters came off as fake and that really detracted from the story for me.

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  • Posted Wed Jul 23 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    more from this reviewer

    Yes, Jaci write some pretty hot stuff and Straddling the Line is

    Yes, Jaci write some pretty hot stuff and Straddling the Line is no exception. However, I wasn't expecting to fall in love with Trevor and Haven. Seriously, these two were amazing and I absolutely loved them. 

    They both knew each other back in college and Haven had a crush on Trevor. Of course, she wouldn't admit it cause he was Mr. Hot Stuff back in the day. Now Haven is at a crossroads and doesn't know what to do with herself since her father had passed away. Yes, her mother is worry about her, so she enlisted Trevor's help to get Haven out of her funk. Since Trevor is so clever he decides to let Haven do a full exclusive on an assignment. He never thought he would want Haven more than a friend. So, they end up as bed buddies too. 

    Anyway, I loved Straddling the Line, because of the storyline. I love how Trevor comes to Haven's rescue, but she also saves him. Yes, they have some hot steamy scenes, but they also have a great emotional connection. I love how Trevor's secret is something that effects a lot of people and his condition is relatable. I adore Haven, because she's floundering in grief which gives her character more depth. Yes, she's a reporter, but you get a sense that she's human too. I don't know how describe this book other than it was AWESOME! I absolutely loved the whole thing. Jaci had me hooked from first page to the last. I had a hard time putting this book down. I'm telling you it's absolutely amazing. I hope that you get a chance to read it. Not just for the hot steamy sex, but for the wonderful story of two people connecting and helping each other overcome their trials. 

    Copy provided by Penguin via First to Read (Did Purchase)

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Jul 20 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Always Love Jaci's Play by Play books. . . but

    I always love Jaci's books, but I had a hard time with this one. I couldn't get into the two main characters relationship. For me the connection wasn't there that has been in all the other Play by Play series. Don't get me wrong - it's still a good read, just not great, which is what I'm used to from Jaci.

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  • Posted Wed Jul 16 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    What can I say, I¿m a sports nut and this series couldn¿t be mor

    What can I say, I’m a sports nut and this series couldn’t be more up my alley. I love a good story where the hero is an athlete, and once again Jaci Burton delivers with Straddling the Line. I don’t know how she does it, but book after book, she makes me feel as though I’m a part of the story and right there cheering her hero on as he plays his particular sport. Now, I’m a huge hockey and baseball fan, so her hockey and baseball centered stories are my favourites of hers, but I’ve enjoyed all her other books in her Play by Play series as well. Straddling the Line is book 8 in this popular series by Jaci Burton.

    Once again, Jaci delivers on the hotness factor with her latest hero. Trevor Shay is the ultimate in athletes thanks to his sporting prowess in two sports, baseball and football. The guy is a natural in both sports and somehow manages to juggle a dual sporting career. I loved Trevor from the get go in this one and only grew to love him more and more as the story went on. The guy is not only amazing on the field, but also in the bedroom. Let me just say you will need a pitcher of ice water and a fan close by when you read this one. Trevor definitely knows how to turn on the heat and make a girl loose any inhibitions she may have when it comes to sex. Ms. Burton brings the steam in this romance between Trevor and Haven. This couple burned up the pages in Straddling the Line. Just when you think they can’t get any hotter, they do, but these scenes also provide much needed insight into Trevor and Haven’s psyche’s regarding love and trusting someone else. Neither character has ever been in a long term relationship, or experienced feelings like this before, and seeing them explore them through a sexual relationship as well as friendship helps draw the reader even more into the story and allows us to get to know both characters even better.

    As their relationship progresses we see Haven finally come to terms with the death of her father, and it’s Trevor that helps her to finally accept all that happened and what’s happened since her father’s passing. As Haven finally moves forward she starts to see Trevor in a new light, but at the same time realizes there’s a part of himself he’s not letting her see. It’s not until Haven accidentally backs him into a corner that she finally learns his secret. At first it looks as though things are finished between them but in true Burton fashion she allows the characters to work through the issue and see that they are better together then apart, and when Trevor and Haven both go to each other to make up, the scene is magic. There are no other words I can possibly use to describe that scene. I think Trevor had me tearing up a little when he was talking to Haven in that scene. These are two characters who are meant to be together and their journey to their HEA is beautifully written.

    Once again Ms. Burton writes a fun, fast paced and emotional story that centers around a sports hero. Both hero and heroine are strong characters and compliment each other very nice in Straddling the Line. They hold their own, and are able to drive the story page after page, making the reader not want to put the book down. As an added bonus for any sports nut like I am, the sport footage scenes are well written and make you feel like you are at the ball field and foot ball stadiums watching Trevor play his two favourite sports. It was also nice to see some past characters return in this one and be a part of Trevor and Haven’s story. The scenes with these characters are fun and comical at times and also provided a nice balance to the emotional part of the story taking place between our hero and heroine. I’d say Ms. Burton has another hit on her hands with this current installment in her Play by Play series. I’m already looking forward to her next installment and I highly recommend this series.

    Until next time, happy reading my little sports nuts. ;-)

    Reviewed by Marcie ( The Reading Cafe)

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Wed Jul 09 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Not the best in this Play by Play series by Jaci Burton. I just

    Not the best in this Play by Play series by Jaci Burton. I just could not feel the connection between the two main characters this time. The writing is great and the storyline was meant to be great but it fell short. I loved the other books in this series and you should read them especially if you want to get an inside look at sports and their players. This one can be missed though.

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  • Posted Tue Jul 08 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    more from this reviewer

    I love this series and Trevor's story is as good as the rest. Y

    I love this series and Trevor's story is as good as the rest. You always are left wanting more after reading one of Jaci Burton's books.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Jul 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Jaci Burton at her BEST

    Wish this author could write faster as her books always go to the head of the list... Doesn't matter if you like sports or not, her stories are always great... She finds so many ways to make original stories and realistic characters in her offerings... Love scenes are always hot but not over the top like some writers... Her "people" are always folks you would like to know... Just enough of the previous books to keep you "up to date"...

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  • Posted Thu Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4 REVIEW:  Trevor Shay maybe a superstar that

    NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4
    REVIEW: 
    Trevor Shay maybe a superstar that straddles the line between baseball and football. But there is so much more to this superstar then what he does on the field. So when Trevor is asked to check in on Haven and make sure she is okay he is more than willing to help. But when Haven shows up Trevor gets a little more than he bargained for. 

    As always Jaci writes a great story wrapped in the sports world. I have loved all of her Play by Play books and Straddling the Line was the same. I loved getting a closer look at Trevor and Haven. We have seen glimpse of them in the past books but it was great to learn all of their secrets. 

    I can’t wait for the next book in this series and to learn more about Quarterback Cassidy and his clan. 

    Disclaimer: 
    I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

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  • Posted Thu Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Jaci Burton has done it again!!!  I absolutely love this series

    Jaci Burton has done it again!!! 

    I absolutely love this series.


    Jaci has made me a sports fan with every one of these installments.


    I love how each couple has their own unique story of how they got to their HEA.  The common thread being sports.  It's so much fun when the characters from the other
    books pop in for cameos and we get to see what they are up to.

    I was so excited for release day on this one I dropped everything to read it and I was not disappointed.

    Trevor Shay is a football and baseball player and he does both well.  He hasn't really thought about having a girlfriend or wife in the future.  His career is his life, and
    he holds a secret that he is terrified will get out and ruin the life he has so carefully put together.  He had me from the beginning with his charming and charismatic ways.  
    Trevor charms everyone he meets.  He is just an all-around good guy that warms my heart.  He decides to help his mentor’s daughter who needs help getting through her grief
    since her dad passed away.  He comes up with a plan to give her the sports interview a lifetime.  Little does he know he is setting himself up to fall for a girl he thought he knew.
     He quickly realizes there is so much more to her then he thought.

    Haven Briscoe, lost her dad who was her best friend.  She is having a really hard time dealing with the loss.  In walks Trevor Shay to turn her life upside down.  
    He offers her the chance to interview him, the dual sports superstar for the major sports network she works for.  Haven had a major crush on Trevor back in college
     when she tutored him and she thinks she can put that aside and be professional.  But she finds out fast that the attraction is still there and apparently now it’s mutual.

    Trevor and Haven had such great chemistry.  I really enjoyed reading their journey together.  I really felt the emotion of Haven's loss of her dad, and how she was torn
    between going on with her life and feeling like she was betraying her dad's memory by being happy without him.  I know the grief of losing a parent and I felt that Jaci Burton
     really portrayed that very well in this installment. 

    The sex scenes were hot and well written as I would expect from this author.  I loved the introduction of a new group of sports hotties the Cassidy brothers and I can't
    wait to delve into their story. 

    Great job!!!! - Keep 'em coming Ms. Burton we love 'em.

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  • Posted Wed Jul 02 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    more from this reviewer

    Straddling the Line (Play by Play #8) by Jaci Burton Trevor Sha

    Straddling the Line (Play by Play #8) by Jaci Burton

    Trevor Shay is living his dream as both a professional football and baseball player. When he discovers that his college tutor, Haven Briscoe, is struggling with her father’s death and ready to give up her career as a sportscaster he intervenes by offering her an exclusive interview.  Haven and Trevor become close and Trevor worries that Haven will discover his long guarded secret. 

    I love this story! Trevor and Haven seem to rediscover each other at the prefect time. They end up helping each other with difficult circumstances that have hampered their lives. 

    I enjoyed Haven.  She truly loved her father and struggled with accepting his death. Having lost my father, I could relate to her circumstance. 

    I love Trevor.  He is understandably cocky, having a bit of an ego, but he does it in a way that makes him likable and not a jerk.   He is a good guy who looks out for his friends and team mates.

    I appreciated that characters from previous books are included in this novel.  It is fun seeing characters you fell in love with becoming friends with the new additions.

    The plot was very realistic and well done. Straddling the Line is a heartwarming story that I truly enjoyed.    My heart went out to both characters and what they endured and worked to overcome.

    Jaci Burton is a gifted writer.  I really relish the Play by Play series and recommend it to lovers of contemporary sports romances. Burton does a wonderful job describing the sport scenes as well as coming up with intriguing plots.

    Complimentary copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.  

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  • Posted Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    The Play-By-Play series by Jaci Burton is a favorite read of min

    The Play-By-Play series by Jaci Burton is a favorite read of mine no matter which book. This book is number eight in the series and was just as exciting and entertaining as the previous books. I’ve read them all and have not been disappointed with each new addition.
    This series picks up not long after book 7. Trevor Shay’s mentor from college has recently passed away and the family is struggling with their grief. Trevor feels as though he has lost a father figure and is anxious to help out the Briscoe family any way he can. So when Haven’s mother calls asking for his help, he is eager to help Haven by giving her sports casting career a boost by giving her an exclusive interview on his life as both a professional football and baseball player.
    This couple has great chemistry that stems from Haven’s crush on Trevor back in college when she tutored him. Haven goes into this affair knowing Trevor is not into relationships and that she will probably get her heart broken. Trevor is willing to do what he can to help Haven with her career but finds himself unable to resist her as a friend with benefits too. Trevor is caring, driven and smoking hot which together make for a great hero. Afraid and ashamed of his past, he doesn’t allow anyone to get too close for fear his secrets will be revealed. When Haven continues to insist on reporting each aspect of Trevor’s career and personal life, she is faced with not only not completing her reporting assignment but also losing Trevor completely.
    The plot twist at the end was a bit predictable, but it was not disappointing or unrealistic. Like I said, Trevor and Haven have great chemistry and their happily ever after feels complete and heartwarming. Catching up with characters from earlier books is always fun and make this series an auto read for me. And as always, Jaci Burton delivers a sexy, steamy romance that keeps the pages turning. I hope this series continues for several more installments!

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