38 reviews for:

Home Safe: A Sweet Baseball Romance

Tracy Baack

4.52 AVERAGE

lilys_booknook's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring slow-paced

kellykrebs50's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted

kassibaby84's review against another edition

3.5

hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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School librarian, Danae, is struggling with her new role as foster mom to one of her students named Jason. Working hard to build bonds and a secure loving home for Jason, Danae enrolls him in a baseball program for foster youth, given baseball is one of Jason's biggest passions. Danae may loathe the sport on a personal level but is willing to give it a try for Jason. In walks Griffin, local baseball hero and camp coach. Danae knows practically nothing about the sport but when Griffin shows interest in dating her and supporting Jason, Danae has to decide if Griffin is worth the risk.

The romance and baseball subplot were pretty slow-paced and didn't hold my interest much. I would've preferred more development in their relationship or more tension in the third act. It felt like another run-of-the-mill sports romance, cute but nothing special. Luckily, the foster to adopt plot with Danae and Jason brought the emotion into it and made the plot go to a deeper emotional level than the romance did. 

*** I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ***

katielady's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

annie_e_bea's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This was my first Tracy Baack book and it will not be my last! This book was so enjoyable  to read. I loved the baseball aspects! I have been a Texas Rangers fan all my life (fan as in I cheer for them and will attend games, but please don't ask me to tell you the names of the players. I am nothing like the character Jason in this book.) "Home Safe" is about so much more than baseball and even romance. The central theme, in my opinion, is feeling safe and  being seen by those we love. The romance was swoony as well. From the moment the two main characters meet, you can't help but cheer for their relationship.

These characters are so well developed! We even learn their favorite ice cream flavors. This book deals with foster care/adoption which was written about in such a beautiful way. Baack was very respectful in the manner in which she wrote about those topics (even provided an author's note at the beginning of the book to warn readers.) Right before I got married, I worked in a foster group home for girls and it was one of the hardest jobs I have ever had. My heart broke for these girls and their situations. I still think about them at times and pray for how their lives have turned out. 

This story is just a perfect read and great for baseball season! Even if you aren't a baseball fan, read this book! Thank you Tracy Baack for a fantastic read!

Thank you to the author for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug abuse, Death of parent

jasmine_jazzie's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

tall_lady_reads's review against another edition

4.0

emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

amy_rodgers's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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🎉📖ARC Review📖🎉

I only discovered Tracy and her books this past month. But let me tell you, her writing is amazing. She gives so much depth, insight, and care to realistic situations and relationships. I binged her first 2 books before reading this arc. I have no regrets. 🥰

In this book, the main characters are very relatable and precious. Danae is an elementary school librarian, a foster mom, an over-thinker/has anxiety, and hates baseball. Griffin is a Major League Baseball player, caring, protective, and hates reading. Jason is a red-headed 9yo who loves baseball that Danae is fostering to adopt. These 3 are honest, understanding, patient, and beyond loving to each other. They never shy away from the hard or each other. Tracy does an amazing job portraying all of their emotions, reactions, effort, trauma, and communication. She explores (very well) the idea of loving someone even when you don’t seem to have any interests in common. 

There aren’t enough words to describe how good this book is or how wonderful of an author Tracy is. Do yourself a favor read this book. And her other 3 books. (I’m saving the last one I haven’t read for the Christmas season. 🥰)

brittsbooknook's review against another edition

4.5

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

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First book by this author and will definitely be reading more by her.

• Dual POVs 
• Baseball player + Elementary school librarian 
• Foster/kinship care
• Single mom
• Opposites attract 
• Reading Harry Potter
• Great friendships
• Sibling banter

*Received an ARC, opinions are my own.

nuggetybooks's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Griffin West & Danae Collins

• Dual POV 
• Baseball player MMC
• Elementary school librarian FMC 
• Single foster mom going through adoption 
• Opposites attract 
• Strangers to lovers 

✨ A few of my favorite things:

• Griffin’s patience with Danae’s thought factories 
• Baseball teammates/best friends 
• “Maximum” (*squeals and kicks feet*) 🫠🤭😍
• The village that rallies around Danae and Jason 
• How Danae describes love to Jason 🥹😭
• The way Danae gives 110% to supporting Griffin despite loathing baseball 😂👏🏻 the color coded schedule 😭 are you kidding me?! Stop it. 
• The terms of endearment 💕 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely could not put this book down. I was very very intrigued by both MCs especially when reading they both greatly dislike *cough* hate *cough* each other’s greatest passions. I really appreciated the way Tracy wrote these characters. They stayed true to who they were; they tried to enjoy each other’s passions; but ultimately did not come to LOVE reading or baseball. They still tried for one another and did the things to support each other. I really value that because in life just because you absolutely love something it doesn’t mean your spouse will automatically take to enjoying it too. Often times, our interests don’t drastically change but I absolutely love that they still sacrificed for one another, doing something they really didn’t like to show each other how much they loved one another. 

Another aspect of the book I really appreciated was there was plenty of hard in the book (it’s not a depressing read, the hard isn’t like that). They have so many landmines they have to navigate around (crazy work schedules, media attention, adoption, childhood trauma, parenting a child with trauma, injuries, anxiety) and both Griffin and Danae give each other grace. They get short, close down, and make mistakes. But they still come to the conclusion to give one another grace and that sacrifices are worth it to be together. I think we need more of that today. We are promised trials and tribulations and people need to not throw in the towel the second something gets hard. I absolutely loved that Tracy had her characters constantly communicating, apologizing (when needed), and working towards resolutions together. Griffin and Danae truly embodied what it looks like to work as a team and to put each others needs (and Danae’s child’s needs) first. 

Lastly, the village that whole heartedly shows up for the MCs and the child is truly inspiring. It encourages me to be a good friend and to keep loving on people well. Because we are made to be in community. God never intended for us to do life alone. 

Everyone please go love on Tracy and congratulate her on all her hard work 💕 blessed to get to know you Tracy and read your work 💕👏🏻

This is a clean closed door romcom with nondescript making out that focuses on the emotions of the MCs or is brief. The author has content warnings at the beginning of the book. 

**Thank you so much to Tracy for letting me read this ARC. I received a complimentary copy. No positive review was required. All thoughts are my own.**

Songs:

”feels like home” by Drew Holcomb & Ellie Holcomb 

“More like Jesus” by Micah Fletcher 

“Big girls don’t cry” by Fergie 

“The rest” by Avery Anna * 

“Bad for me” by Teddy Swims & Meghan Trainer 

“Simply the best” by Billianne 

“Never met at all” by Aimee Carty 

“It’s not your fault” by Max McNown

“Love me back” by Max McNown

“Catch my breath” by Alex Warren *