Stealing Home

May 1, 2019
Ryan's passion is her Texas family's minor league baseball team in this satisfyingly utterly predictable saga of girl-meets-boy (whom she should not fall for but does). Ryan is focused on running the Buckley Beavers, which used to be a mom-and-pop organization. But since Mom and Dad divorced, she's shouldering extra responsibilities, including picking up Sawyer Campbell, the No. 1 draft pick, at the airport. He arrives just in time to puke all over Ryan; the meet-cute requirement is met, and all ensuing expectations of the genre follow, including the embarrassing almost-naked moment and being forced to spend time together by clueless adults. Little baseball is in evidence, and the business side of sports is the mechanism for the developing romance as mascots, on-field promotions, chasing of sponsors, advertising, and special events run rampant. Ryan fights for the survival of the team while her mother threatens to sell out her share to heartless corporations. Both Ryan and Sawyer know that a relationship is a bad idea--not to mention against the rules--but the kiss at the end is foretold from the beginning. Ryan and Sawyer are white, and Ryan's wealthy best friend, Mia, is Latinx. Sawyer's twin brother has cerebral palsy and seems to stand in as a symbol signaling Sawyer's goodness rather than being a well-rounded character. For die-hard fans of the genre. (Romance. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2019

Gr 6 Up-Seventeen-year-old Texas teen Ryan Russell knows baseball. Her parents, though divorced, share ownership of the Buckley Beavers minor league team, keeping her busy with a goal to become general manager. Ryan's assisted with new players before, but Sawyer Campbell is refreshingly different. A first-round draft pick from Georgia and son of a watermelon farmer, Campbell is hardworking and smart. He's easy on the eyes, too, but Ryan knows the strict rules about dating players. Both teens' futures are uncertain: financial trouble for the watermelon farm and a possible sale of the Buckley Beavers. As they spend time together, Ryan receives praise and respect like never before, making it difficult to stick to the rules and stay out of the rumor spotlight. Teaming up with Campbell seemed like a great idea until the walls Ryan has put up start to crumble. Will they be able to salvage the team and their relationship before the final inning? Themes of baseball, family, and first love are woven together with rich, realistic detail due to the author's own background with minor league baseball. VERDICT Wallace's contemporary, lighthearted romance will appeal to both tweens and teens.-Laura Jones, Argos Community Schools, IN

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.