An all-star Philly baseball player, Nate Carter, bumps into a sweet doctor with a big heart, Holly Bell when he's making rounds cheering up children at the local hospital. The chemistry is instant and Nate knows he'll need to find a plan to get to know the good doctor better.

Holly was caught off guard when the charming, athletic, breathtaking Nate stumbles into her in one of her patient's rooms. Cautious with her heart and dedicated to her work, dating a celebrity athlete was not part of her plan. When Nate asks her to accompany him to a golf dinner, however, she finds it hard to refuse.

As things grow steamy between Nate and Holly, things at the hospital begin to heat up as well - but not in a good way. A difficult father threatens Holly's life as well as puts the life of his son in jeopardy. Holly must put the boy first in a fight to save his life, despite his father's threats and stalking. Meanwhile she's falling fast and hard for Nate, who doesn't appear to be ready to make the some commitment she is. Will Nate be willing to give up his wild lifestyle for Holly? Will Holly risk her life to save her patient?

This book is a page turner. A great mix of an exciting story, a steamy hot romance, and a nice dose of baseball for the fans out there. I totally loved this book! ( )

Hardball is a pleasant romance with a lot of heat! You can probably guess the amount of heat by the cover. It's too bad I read the ebook and didn't get to look at it in between chapters!

The story doesn't really have any surprises in it, but it's very well written and easy to read. Holly is a strong female protagonist and enjoyed her standing up to Nate for what she needed. The characters are very likeable, and oh so very human. Their strengths are shown as well as their flaws, so the reader can see them as real people.

If you prefer your romance without any spice, then give this book a skip. Everyone else, you'll really enjoy it!

*Disclaimer: I received this book from the authors for review, I was not required to write a positive review. ( )

Review: I confess, I don't usually read just straight romance books; I prefer paranormal romance or romantic suspense. This book sounded like such a fun read I couldn't turn it down. Plus, it actually does end up having some suspense elements to it that I wasn't expecting! Also, did you SEE that book cover?! The only word that comes to mind is H-O-T!

1) Character Development: I was able to relate and connect with both of the main characters, Holly and Nate, but perhaps not as much as I would have liked. Nate was a really down-to-earth guy, despite the fact that he was a famous baseball player; not stuck up at all and not especially full of himself. Holly was a pedatric surgeon; I like that she was a successful, confident female lead. She was completely independent and obviously very smart. There were times she annoyed me with her insecurities when it came to Nate, but at the same time I could totally understand where she was coming from.


2) The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: First, The Good - I enjoyed the characters and seeing their relationship develop. The story overall was interesting; in addition to finding herself smitten with Nate, Holly also has to deal with the beligerant and menacing parent of a sick child she is caring for. That definitely adds a few tense moments, especially when she suspects that he doesn't have his son's best interests in mind. Also, the sex scenes were very steamy, but they didn't take up the whole book like sometimes happens with romances. The Bad - I felt like sometimes the dialogue (mostly on Holly's part) seemed a little awkward, where I found myself saying "Do people actually talk like that?" I also had trouble with the fact that the first few times Holly meets Nate she's really insecure and somewhat shy, as she was wondering why he wanted to spend time with her. Then on their first "date", she turns into kind of a sex kitten. It didn't really jive with how I expected Holly to act in that situation. The Ugly - I don't have anything horrible to say in this case, it was a good read.

3) Romance Sizzle Or Fizzle?: I would say sizzle. Holly and Nate definitely had a connection from the beginning and as I said before, it made for some extremely hot and steamy sex scenes. They were really good together, yet I felt like Holly moved way too fast in the relationship considering they hadn't been seeing each other very long. Maybe that's why I felt like I connected better with Nate in the long run. Overall though they made a cute couple and had some great chemistry.

4) Uniqueness Of Plot: I wouldn't say this book is especially unique; all of the elements were ones I've read before. It was still an enjoyable read though.

5) Final Thoughts: Overall, I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as I was hoping, but I chalk that up to the fact that I'm not really a big fan of this kind of romance. Regardless, I did like the book. If you like hot male baseball players, steamy romance, and some suspense then this book is perfect for you! ( )