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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
Wonderful. Just wonderful.
Eden delivers warmth, tension and humour. A professional athlete with mental issues that are even harder to navigate given his celebrity status and an agent (to be) who’s more than a little bitter about not getting the baseball career he thought he’d have. To say there’s tension is an understatement.
But they each help the other reframe their wants, needs, and desires, and on that, they find the connection to build a beautiful relationship. Fresh starts abound.
They are also deliciously hot together.
emotional
funny
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
Oh boy... This is my happy place. I can't help it. Every time I read something within the Sadenverse, I'm happy. It doesn't matter if it's something this duo wrote together or separately, I just love it.
Although it seems that in their last few stories they have perhaps lowered the quality of their writing a little (and this is just my opinion. And it doesn't mean that I'm going to stop reading them) I think it's simply because they have been rushed by us, the fans, who are always asking for more and more, which causes them to rush to release their books in a more hurried manner instead of giving them time to better develop the stories. However, in this story, I think Eden has shined again.
Both MCs have depth. Both carry baggage. Kelley with his anxiety, and Thad with his frustration and bitterness at not being able to realize his dream of going pro. And both are buttheads who clash from the moment they meet. But as they spend time together, Thad realizes that Kelley isn't as shallow as he seems, and that his attention seeking, especially through online networks, is simply because he needs validation. It's a way of dealing with anxiety and stress.
And when Kelley realizes that Thad isn't as cold as he seems, and that he's a safe haven to let go, the bond between them deepens.
Although they both try to keep their relationship secret, due to their work relationship, they are not so subtle, and everything comes to a crucial moment when Kelley has to move due to her career, and Damon confronts Thad, and Thad has to decide what he really wants.
Anyway, I won't say more. The story has everything: there are banter, fun moments, sexy moments, romantic moments, a little angsty moments, did I say spicy moments? Well, you will find everything in here. And of course, it has DAMON (and Bradley)!
I was given an advanced copy and voluntarily wrote a review.
Although it seems that in their last few stories they have perhaps lowered the quality of their writing a little (and this is just my opinion. And it doesn't mean that I'm going to stop reading them) I think it's simply because they have been rushed by us, the fans, who are always asking for more and more, which causes them to rush to release their books in a more hurried manner instead of giving them time to better develop the stories. However, in this story, I think Eden has shined again.
Both MCs have depth. Both carry baggage. Kelley with his anxiety, and Thad with his frustration and bitterness at not being able to realize his dream of going pro. And both are buttheads who clash from the moment they meet. But as they spend time together, Thad realizes that Kelley isn't as shallow as he seems, and that his attention seeking, especially through online networks, is simply because he needs validation. It's a way of dealing with anxiety and stress.
And when Kelley realizes that Thad isn't as cold as he seems, and that he's a safe haven to let go, the bond between them deepens.
Although they both try to keep their relationship secret, due to their work relationship, they are not so subtle, and everything comes to a crucial moment when Kelley has to move due to her career, and Damon confronts Thad, and Thad has to decide what he really wants.
Anyway, I won't say more. The story has everything: there are banter, fun moments, sexy moments, romantic moments, a little angsty moments, did I say spicy moments? Well, you will find everything in here. And of course, it has DAMON (and Bradley)!
I was given an advanced copy and voluntarily wrote a review.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Was able to read this early through patreon
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
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:
Complicated
This story made me feel. Hard.
I was so happy when I saw that Eden decided to expand on Damon King’s growing empire and I was definitely not disappointed reading the first book in the series.
It’s filled with the same youthful energy Can’t Say Goodbye was while also discussing relevant, actual topics such as anxiety disorders, having one’s dream come to an end, and homophobia in sports. I loved the way Eden made the characters grow through the course of the story as individuals, becoming their own person pursuing their goals while also forging a bond that could develop into a real, working relationship.
Originally, I gave a 4.75 stars for the story because I wasn’t sure Thad really grew on me as much as I hoped he would but sleeping on it and writing these lines made me realize that he definitely did. The characters are not perfect, they are very much human and while I wish they were fleshed out in more detail I can understand that the length of the book didn’t leave space for much more. So 5 stars it is.
Anyway, l loved the book and recommend everyone to read it. Also can’t wait to see whose story is next. I kinda hope it's Archer and Lincoln's but l want to know Zaka more too.
I was so happy when I saw that Eden decided to expand on Damon King’s growing empire and I was definitely not disappointed reading the first book in the series.
It’s filled with the same youthful energy Can’t Say Goodbye was while also discussing relevant, actual topics such as anxiety disorders, having one’s dream come to an end, and homophobia in sports. I loved the way Eden made the characters grow through the course of the story as individuals, becoming their own person pursuing their goals while also forging a bond that could develop into a real, working relationship.
Originally, I gave a 4.75 stars for the story because I wasn’t sure Thad really grew on me as much as I hoped he would but sleeping on it and writing these lines made me realize that he definitely did. The characters are not perfect, they are very much human and while I wish they were fleshed out in more detail I can understand that the length of the book didn’t leave space for much more. So 5 stars it is.
Anyway, l loved the book and recommend everyone to read it. Also can’t wait to see whose story is next. I kinda hope it's Archer and Lincoln's but l want to know Zaka more too.
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:
No
The Backup Plan is the first book in the new King Sports series by Eden Finley and it looks like they have another winner on their hands. This is a forbidden/secret relationship, enemies to lovers fun read about sports agent Thad and baseball pitcher Kelley. This story was so good and I loved the characters and seeing Damon again.
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
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:
No
Thad always wanted to be a pro baseball player. But he was not good enough. So he starts his backup plan and interns as a sports agent.
Here, he reluctantly has to take care of Kelley and his obsession with social media.
What seems to be a work obligation, turns out to be way more. With a delicate touch and a beautiful narration, Eden Finley gifted us a story of love, acceptance, envy and anger, facing mental illness, being an open gay athlete and giving up unachievable dreams.
The resolution that, in the end, everything turns out fine with the right support group if you accept who you are and work hard for it made this book so special for me and I was so happy that Eden Finley choose baseball for this romance.
Here, he reluctantly has to take care of Kelley and his obsession with social media.
What seems to be a work obligation, turns out to be way more. With a delicate touch and a beautiful narration, Eden Finley gifted us a story of love, acceptance, envy and anger, facing mental illness, being an open gay athlete and giving up unachievable dreams.
The resolution that, in the end, everything turns out fine with the right support group if you accept who you are and work hard for it made this book so special for me and I was so happy that Eden Finley choose baseball for this romance.
I'll admit that I didn't know what to make of Kelley and Thad when I first met them, but they fully won me over by the time I reached the end of their story. Thad's initial bitterness and resentment towards Kelley made me curious about his backstory, and I enjoyed seeing him grow into his backup career as he figured out how to let go of the negativity that had been holding him back. In Thad's eyes, Kelley had everything he'd wanted for himself, and he couldn't see past his jealousy to the man who was struggling with anxiety after publicly coming out. Some of their initial interactions made me cringe because of how rude Thad was to Kelley, but once Thad started listening instead of making assumptions their whole dynamic changed. I started to really buy into their relationship potential after both of them dropped their walls a little and started having genuine conversations instead of sniping. Their hot as heck chemistry certainly helped with that, and even though they each had busy lives they made an effort to connect and see each other whenever their schedules lined up.
Because both of them were so busy, this book spent a decent chunk of time exploring Thad's work at King Sports and Kelley's baseball games with the Philly team. I thought it was exciting to see Thad stop coasting along and find his passion for being a sports agent, and I got similarly invested in the outcome of Kelley's team's games. Romance wise, these guys moved along at a fairly slow pace, partially because they didn't have much time to see each other and partially because there was a potential conflict of interest with Thad working for the agency that repped Kelley. I knew that was going to come to a head at some point, but even by my standards it was a messy reveal and threw quite the wrench into what Thad and Kelley had been building. I'm pleased that they both reflected on how important they'd become to each other and decided to take the leap of faith, but I won't lie and say that it was easy for either of them to get to that point. For me, the uptick in angst was worth it to see how happy Kelley and Thad were in the end, and I think they both ended up better off where they landed compared to where they started.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
Because both of them were so busy, this book spent a decent chunk of time exploring Thad's work at King Sports and Kelley's baseball games with the Philly team. I thought it was exciting to see Thad stop coasting along and find his passion for being a sports agent, and I got similarly invested in the outcome of Kelley's team's games. Romance wise, these guys moved along at a fairly slow pace, partially because they didn't have much time to see each other and partially because there was a potential conflict of interest with Thad working for the agency that repped Kelley. I knew that was going to come to a head at some point, but even by my standards it was a messy reveal and threw quite the wrench into what Thad and Kelley had been building. I'm pleased that they both reflected on how important they'd become to each other and decided to take the leap of faith, but I won't lie and say that it was easy for either of them to get to that point. For me, the uptick in angst was worth it to see how happy Kelley and Thad were in the end, and I think they both ended up better off where they landed compared to where they started.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
The Backup Plan is the first book in the new Kings Sports series and if this book says anything for the series I cant wait to read the rest!
Thad works a an intern in Damons „King Sports“ agency. Being a sports agent is his back up plan after failing to make it in pro ball. But the still lingering bitterness about it is affecting his internship and his interactions with the athletes. Especially when hes assigned to Kelley, a hotshot rookie pitcher. Kelley struggles with anxiety, overthinking and rejection sensitivity disorder. So he gets heavily triggered by the negative comments on social media after his coming out. Thad and Brady have to spend two weeks babysitting him in a cabin in the middle of nowhere to help him with his social media anxiety and keep him from reading anything about him.
The initial conflict is quickly resolved during their time there and Kelley and Thad start to trust and help eachother after realising their wrong judgement of the other and the situation. Thad understands that mental health and logic doesnt always go hand in hand and starts to understand the struggles Kelley faces.
Thad gives Kelley the safety to drop his guard around him without the constant worry of what comes afterward. He helps him to get out of his head so he can truly let go and be himself for the first time in his life.
When their babysitting time is over they need to go back to their real lives – where they dont live in the same city and spending time could put Thads internship at risk. But Kelley struggles with the need to prove himself with his team after coming out and his anxiety and Thad still has to fight against his self sabotage behaviour and fear of failure in his internship.
I wont go into anymore detail of what happend after they got back from the Cabins to not spoil anything of their journey. I really enjoyed watching them come together trough all the chaos and the distance. And im happy that the blurb was only about the first part of their story and I could experience the rest blind.
Exciting story from start to finish, wonderfully written, lots of funny and loving scenes. Loveable characters and side characters. We meet family, friends and work colleagues of both which lead to a big cast of side characters. Some of them we already new from previous books and some are new introduced (I hope we see them again in the next books of the Kind Sports series.) I really enjoyed how the couples from Edens previous books were mentioned or were part of the book. Who doesn´t love some office gossip?
The banter between the characters is great and I love the texting between Thad and Kelley. It even had one of my favorite mikrotropes: drunk inside thoughts said out loud. I even liked Thads brief moments of possessive jealousy. It was really wonderful to read how their relationship developed.
Thad works a an intern in Damons „King Sports“ agency. Being a sports agent is his back up plan after failing to make it in pro ball. But the still lingering bitterness about it is affecting his internship and his interactions with the athletes. Especially when hes assigned to Kelley, a hotshot rookie pitcher. Kelley struggles with anxiety, overthinking and rejection sensitivity disorder. So he gets heavily triggered by the negative comments on social media after his coming out. Thad and Brady have to spend two weeks babysitting him in a cabin in the middle of nowhere to help him with his social media anxiety and keep him from reading anything about him.
The initial conflict is quickly resolved during their time there and Kelley and Thad start to trust and help eachother after realising their wrong judgement of the other and the situation. Thad understands that mental health and logic doesnt always go hand in hand and starts to understand the struggles Kelley faces.
Thad gives Kelley the safety to drop his guard around him without the constant worry of what comes afterward. He helps him to get out of his head so he can truly let go and be himself for the first time in his life.
When their babysitting time is over they need to go back to their real lives – where they dont live in the same city and spending time could put Thads internship at risk. But Kelley struggles with the need to prove himself with his team after coming out and his anxiety and Thad still has to fight against his self sabotage behaviour and fear of failure in his internship.
I wont go into anymore detail of what happend after they got back from the Cabins to not spoil anything of their journey. I really enjoyed watching them come together trough all the chaos and the distance. And im happy that the blurb was only about the first part of their story and I could experience the rest blind.
Exciting story from start to finish, wonderfully written, lots of funny and loving scenes. Loveable characters and side characters. We meet family, friends and work colleagues of both which lead to a big cast of side characters. Some of them we already new from previous books and some are new introduced (I hope we see them again in the next books of the Kind Sports series.) I really enjoyed how the couples from Edens previous books were mentioned or were part of the book. Who doesn´t love some office gossip?
The banter between the characters is great and I love the texting between Thad and Kelley. It even had one of my favorite mikrotropes: drunk inside thoughts said out loud. I even liked Thads brief moments of possessive jealousy. It was really wonderful to read how their relationship developed.
funny
informative
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
Great book! Loved Kelley, he was a sweetheart. Once Thad got his head out of his ass he was great too. His roommates seem fun hope they pop up in a book or two. Can’t say I like his brother hope he gets his shit together. I don’t really care for Brady, he seemed stuck in his own world. I’m excited for the next book, hopefully about Archer and Lincoln.