Words of Wisdom....from The Scarf Princess: Book Tour for Night Games by Collette West (Review & GIVEAWAY)

As a fan of sports-themed romances I was immediately drawn to Night Games by Collette West and its endearing main couple teeming with sexual tension. Keep reading to get a glimpse of this tantalizing story, along with my impressions of it, and learn even more about it by visiting the other blogs hosting this tour. Make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a signed print copy of this book and a $10 Amazon GC too!

And now, to get you panting for this book.......

Top 10 Reasons Why Chase Whitfield Should Be Your Next Book Boyfriend

10. He's hurt. He'd love to have you nurse him back to health from a devastating knee injury.

9. He's protective. He'd hold you close and shield you with his body whenever the paparazzi descends.

8. He's desirable. Yep, he came this close to being named this year's Sexiest Man Alive.

7. He's a romantic at heart. He refuses to settle down with just anyone. He's holding out for someone special.

6. He's a multimillionaire. So he'd definitely like to pamper you with all the luxuries money can buy from his Egyptian cotton sheets to gourmet meals prepared by his personal chef.

5. He's driven. When he sets his mind to something he doesn't quit, especially when it comes to pursuing you.

4. He's a winner. He knows what success tastes like, and his new challenge is winning you over.

3. He's sentimental. Every tattoo on his body is there for a reason. Each one has a meaning behind it.

2. He's drop dead gorgeous. With dazzling eyes the color of the Caribbean and the muscular physique of a professional athlete,he's definitely swoon worthy.

1. He's passionate. When it comes to satisfying your needs, he's not afraid to break a bed frame or two.

The moment Grey Kelleher locks eyes with All-Star shortstop Chase Whitfield, she's a goner. For years, she's watched him play on TV, and now she's gazing at his hard, lean body across a bar in her hometown.

Grey's crush on Chase goes all the way back to his rookie season. So when she approaches him for an autograph, she's startled by what a jerk he can be.

Chase is no mood to humor his fans, even one as alluring as Grey. He's in the last year of his contract and stuck having to prove himself on a minor league team. He's only there to rehab an injury, nothing more.

But when Grey tells him off, Chase realizes her fiery spirit may be just the distraction he needs to take his mind off not being in the majors. His heart is safe. No one's going to break his streak as baseball's most eligible bachelor. Not even someone as irresistible as Grey.

BUY LINKS: AMAZON | BN | SMASHWORDS

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

As a fan of sports-themed romances I was thrilled to come across this story of a complicated ballplayer who lives behind a facade of cool calculation, but inside has a heart of gold, and the loyal girl who's just going through the motions of living. From their combustible first meeting to their sweetly sensual getaway, Grey and Chase are a couple whose journey to HEA is a rocky one but also full of breaking down emotional walls and making heartfelt connections.

Chase is baseball's Golden Boy but is currently trying to recover from a career-altering injury in the middle of nowhere. His life in front of the cameras is a superficial one of meaningless women and his practiced smile, but behind the scenes he's aching for something more. He's tired of being wanted just for his fame and longs to make just one connection where he doesn't have to worry about his every word and deed. He never expected to make that connection in a small town in the middle of nowhere but from the moment their eyes met he knew he had to have Grey. To have her is to keep her a secret as he doesn't want her life thrown into chaos which makes his recovery in her isolated trailer perfect. During their time together he shows her the real Chase and finds a kindred spirit in their love of baseball and life. When his recovery is over he's left with a big decision that will prove the kind of man he really is. Chase came off very gruff at the start but his reasons for that are understandable as everyone wants a piece of him and he never knows who he can trust. He's a truly kind-hearted man who's scared of his aging body in the physically draining world of baseball. While he enjoys the fame he knows it's fleeting and wants something substantial once the final pitch is thrown on his career and Grey is what he pictures. I adored Chase and loved discovering the many layers to his heart. He was sweet and sexy and the verbal bantering between him and Grey was teeming with sexual tension which culminated in some steamy sexual interludes.

Grey is a woman who seems to be hiding at the start of the story. She lives in a trailer in the middle of nowhere and works a dead-end job barely making ends meet. She has very few close confidants and overall seems to be just going through the motions of living. The one thing that gets her excited though is baseball and in particular Chase Whitfield. She's shocked to discover he's not quite the man she thought he was, but before long their connection becomes undeniable and she gets to witness his emotional walls drop and thus begins their rocky road to romance. She has issues of her own though, a past that she's ashamed of and that unfortunately comes to light because of her connection to Chase and one that puts their future in doubt. Through it all she's a strong woman who rolls with the punches, is loyal to a sister who's very trying at times, and puts up with a man who doesn't always say or do the right thing but stands by him nonetheless. She's immensely likable and I enjoyed their verbal tug-of-war. She was a formidable match for him and I found their HEA richly rewarding.

This was a sweet and sensual story that was entertaining from the very start. The ending was a bit too long with an epilogue that I wish had been fuller, but I was still left with a smile on my face once the final page was turned. The main couple were strong and easy to relate to because of their all too real emotional hang-ups and a relationship full of witty banter and surprising openness. The sometimes annoying aspects of small town living were vividly on display as was the backstabbing world of fame. These issues added numerous twists and turns to Grey and Chase's romance and occasionally left me frustrated. At the end of the day though I enjoyed my first book of Ms. West's and hope she'll revisit this world of baseball she's created as I found it an entertaining game of romance.

My rating for this is a B+

*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Collette West grew up as somewhat of a jock-nerd hybrid. Entering the world three weeks premature, her dad nearly missed her birth because he had seats behind the dugout for a sold-out, highly-anticipated match-up between two of baseball's biggest rivals. Not to be outdone, her book-loving mom taught her how to read by the time she was three. A love of the game coupled with an appreciation for the written word were instilled in Collette's impressionable brain from a young age. No wonder her characters believe in the philosophy: sports + romance = a little slice of heaven.
Splitting her time between the Pocono Mountains and Manhattan, Collette indulges her inner fangirl by going to as many games as she can from hockey to baseball and downloading every sports romance novel in existence onto heriPad. When she's not clicking away on her laptop, she enjoys walking her dog in Central Park, satisfying her caffeine craving at the Starbucks on Broadway and keeping an eye out for Mr. Right. But above all, she loves dishing with her readers. Email her at collette_west@yahoo.com.