The Heat of the Moment by Katie Rose

The Heat of the Moment by Katie Rose

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I have read a string of great sports romances in the past two weeks and The Heat of the Moment is no exception. Once again Ms. Rose combines the right amount of sports and romance with just a bit of conflict and a whole lot of lovin’ to create an enjoyable book that I look forward to reading again. Unlike the earlier books in the series, Gavin is new to the Sonics and New Jersey. Coming from California is enough of a culture shock, doing it during winter when it’s still sunny and warm in Cali makes it worse, but the fact that he’s still recovering from surgery to repair an injury he sustained while playing and has basically been dumped by his team makes it the absolute worst. While Gavin is not exactly pleased about the situation, he’s nowhere near the belligerent player he could have been and still been forgiven for because he got a raw deal. Once the shock of the trade passes, Gavin is determined to get back to his peak physical condition and make the Sonics glad they gambled on him – and if the Dodgers come to realize what they’ve lost by dumping him, well that’s just a bonus for him.

Fortunately for Gavin, what the Sonics lack in club amenities they make up for in staff and his physical therapist not only knows her stuff, but Jessica proves to be quite the unintentional motivator as Gavin comes to realize that he has a weakness for redheads – or at least one redhead. Because Jessica grew up in a home with a father and five brothers who lived, breathed, and ate sports, she not only knows baseball and can talk about it, but she understands that male athlete’s mindset (including an injured one) and Gavin finds himself drawn to her in a way he hasn’t experienced before. But Jessica has been burned by a professional athlete in the past so Gavin doesn’t only have to contend with her need to maintain a professional distance, but also that of a past experience that left a REALLY bad taste in her mouth. Luckily for the reader and Jessica, Gavin understands anything worth having is worth the effort and he’s not only willing to put in the work on his rehabilitation but also on making his physical therapist a permanent part of his life.

I am really enjoying Ms. Rose’s The Boys of Summer series and I liked how she took this book in a direction that gave us a different perspective of the sport, yet kept the book immersed in baseball. There is an immediate comfort level between Gavin and Jessica that makes the way their relationship develops and changes seem real. I did feel that their first time together occurred rather quickly, but then again I believe the author intended it to feel that way. The chemistry between Gavin and Jessica was electric and I loved how quickly a simple kiss could become so much more. I also enjoyed watching Gavin become part of the Sonics and how he cemented those relationships gradually, as would be expected. I will say that I expected more conflict to arise between Roger and Jessica, but I’m actually glad the author chose to keep the conflict between Roger and Gavin instead of having Roger attempt to force the issue with Jessica. I think what impressed me most (outside of the actual romance) was that the author presented the story in such a way that I wasn’t sure as to whether or not Gavin would be able to play once his injury was healed. And nope, I won’t tell you how that turned out. You’re just going to have to read it for yourself. The Heat of the Moment was the perfect addition to The Boys of Summer series and I cannot wait to read more about the New Jersey Sonics.

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Check out The Heat of the Moment by Katie Rose Blog Tour post on Wicked Reads.


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