'Double Play"

This was my first time reading a Romance Novel by Jill Shalvis "DOUBLE PLAY." I enjoy sports and being that the focus of her novel was a baseball player, I was able to relate to the game, to the situation and most of all the "Playing hard to get and relationship frustration that the couple shared in this Romance Novel.

Characters are:
Holly Huchinson- Reporter, doing story on The Heat Baseball Team
Pace Martin - Star Pitcher for The Heat
Red- Heat Management
Ty- Relief Pitcher for Pace
Samantha McNead- PR for The Heat

Holly Huchinson is a reporter who digs up Secrets from organizations and exposes them for the betterment of the community and to give readers something good to read. Her last relationship ended on a bad note. She exposed his company and thus the company lost money, was sued and her ex-boyfriend was fired! So there went that relationship. I don't think she was really in love with her ex-boyfriend.

Her new assignment was to travel with "The Heat" baseball team and write about whats going on with them and most of all reveal any uncovered secrets. Her first person to interview the star pitcher PACE MARTIN. He was not a friendly chap at first. He does not like reporters and is just one of those guys, who loves the game and passion of baseball and thats pretty much all he's about. Holly tries her best to get an interview with him, but doesn't get it at the beginning. She has to work her way to getting an interview with Pace and in the meantime, she is getting to know who the real Pace is, off the record and about his personal life.

I love their crazy relationship and Holly finds herself falling for Pace HARD! He is irresistible and she considers herself OK, there is an obvious attraction between the two of them. As time progresses, they do get involved and they both admit that they are attracted to each other. As in all sports, the team really believes in superstition. So Holly finds herself in the shower room with Pace and they share a passionate kiss that awakens every fiber in her body and she's enjoying every minute of it. They are interrupted by the coach, RED, who says not before a game PACE..Too funny..Anyways, so Pace pitched a really great game and now the team is convinced that Pace has to kiss Holly before every game. The GOOD LUCK KISS!

Holly soon finds out, as the reporter, that some team members are using natural plants and powders to get them ready for the games, but they break down into Stimulants which are not allowed. Some inside information is leaked out about "THE HEAT" and because Holly is the reporter, everyone points the finger to her. By this time, she's already in love with Pace and wouldn't do that to him or the team, who have welcomed her with open arms. Pace doesn't believe that its Holly who is leaking out the confidential infomation about the team, but Pace has a difficult time trusting others and Holly. He does let Holly into his life but still has his reserves about her.

Samantha McNead is the Heats PR person and she was one of the first people who befriended Holly when she came on board as the reporter. When Holly gets frustrated with her undecided relationship with Pace, she turns to Sam and they both have a sweet tooth; so they do what comes naturally, they eat brownies and ice cream and discuss Hollys situation. Holly can't help herself, she is in love with Pace whether she admits to it or not. Pace can't get Holly out of his mind. His rotator cup on his shoulder is inflamed and rumors are going around that he might be out for good.

We find out that the relief pitcher TY is taking stimulants and admits to using. So he is under investigation and becuase Holly loves Pace she doesn't reveal who has been supplying Ty with the stimulants because Red (the supplier) has been like a father to Pace and it would kill him if any bad press came upon Red. So Red is able to retire from the HEAT with his dignity intact. Holly because of love, has changed as well. As with her ex-boyfriend she just went for the gusto revealing everything illegal about his company. But, with the heat, she only revealed what needed to be uncoverd and left the other details out of the press. So we see this human change in Holly due to LOVE! SWEET AS...as they say in New Zealand.,

My absolute favorite part in the book was in the end, when Pace from the field mouths to Holly who is in the stands, "I love you", and she says to herself, did he really say that, no couldn't be. Then towards the end of the game he jumps on the fence and yells to her, I'm trying to propose to you, and she says, I don't need a proposal, I only need you...Now that is something else..I loved that part.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading her other book, "Slow Heat." Another good Romance Novel Author I will be looking out for.