JACI BURTON - THROWN BY A CURVE

PLAY-BY-PLAY #5

RESUME
Sports medicine specialist Alicia Riley has the job of her dreams, until she's assigned to star pitcher Garrett Scott. Undergoing shoulder rehab, it's make it or break it time for Garrett, and he needs to focus to get back on the mound in time for opening day. But close proximity and combustible chemistry is a dangerous combination, and both Alicia and Garrett have a lot to lose if this doesn't work.
 
IN MY OWN WORDS
Garrett is the ultimate Golden Boy and never failed at anything...Ever.  So when an injury keeps him away from his position as a star pitcher, he doesn't know how to handle it.  Alicia is a junior physical therapist who landed her dream job with the Rivers.  After all, she is Gavin's cousin AND a Riley, so sports is in her blood.  She is also the only one who will give it straight to Garrett without sugar coating it and blowing smoke up his ass.  Sure she's about to loose her job, Alicia is the first one surprise when Garrett decides to give Alicia a chance to take over his recovery.  After all, nothing has worked so far!

Chemistry is undeniable between the two and will increase as the time goes by and they will eventually give in.  But will the circumstances stand in their way or will they be able to work past Garrett's injury and self doubt and Alicia's role in all of it?

MY REVIEW
I will start by saying I love LOVE sequels.  If you give me a choice between a self standing story or one part of a series, I will go for the series every time.  In doing so, I must face a fact: not all books are as good as the one you really REALLY loved in that series.

The Play-By-Play series is one who will allow us to be part of an amazing family, one you wish you were born in.  Not the perfect one but with just enough imperfection to  make it believable and Oh so lovable.  The author will let us spend just enough time with all the characters to see them evolve from one book to the other.  I must say it is one of the best series I have read in that regard.  I'm looking forward to see what is happening to all the characters I have meat in the previous books and how their life has evolved.  It was a little disappointing not to have any news on Tara's oldest son, hopefully we'll get to see him again down the road.

As I was saying a little earlier, not all books can be as brilliant as the one you fell in love with.  Well, I was a little deceived by "Thrown by a curve".  I felt like there was no deep emotional investment from either one of the characters.  It was an uneventful relationship, rather normal I would say, where problems were dealt with honestly and instantaneously without any big consequences.  I felt like the author wasn't really invested in her characters, almost as if she wasn't connected with their feelings and was going though the motion of writing a story following the guidelines.  Mind you, if you want to learn about alternative methods of physical therapy, go ahead and read it!  There is a ton of detailed information on the subject! Lol!

The sex was a little too sweet and - dare I say - a little too clinical for my taste.  I didn't feel the sizzle, the burn, the all consuming need I am use to.  There is some details but the dialogue felt too...inelegant! 

Keep in mind it wasn't a bad read, just not my favourite one of the bunch.

I will, however, stay tuned for the upcoming book #6 of the Play-By-Play series, coming out in June 2013!

MY CLASSIFICATION
Type: Contemporary Romance
Keyword: Sport jockey
Intimacy: Didn't get my heart rate going...

MY RATING
I will give it a 3 stars, simply because it's a good, fast and easy read but not as intense and gripping then the other 4 books of the series.