A review by liaareads
The Plan (Hale #1) by Janiah Benitez

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense 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

5.0

⚠️SPOILERS⚠️

“You bring me peace.”

If you’re looking for a new author, and want to read a second chance sports romance filled with every emotion possible, this is for you.

“You remembered?”
“A promise is a promise…”

Sports physical therapist, and a stickler for the rules, Vidia Gomez is the gorgeous Afro-Latina who not only captured pretty boy, Sire Griffin’s heart, but he caught hers as well, despite her not wanting to date for another few years. 

“I’m hopelessly fucking in love with you.”

A pitcher for the LA Dodgers, and a recovering addict, Sire Griffin is nothing shy of persistent and lovable, who would do anything to keep his family happy, even if it sacrifices his own.

“From our first…
to my favorite…
to the only one I broke…”

From the moment Sire first laid eyes on Vidia, he knew he wanted her. He didn’t care about anything else, or the fact that she was the daughter of an MLB coach; he just wanted… her. Vidia being someone who didn’t want to break her ‘before 25’ rule, is consumed by the stubborn baseball player, and eventually gives into what she wants… him. Sire pays attention to every little detail about Vidia, and Vidia helps him throughout his recovery journey, being the person who he can lean on and be there for him physically and emotionally. The two of them are there for each other through all their moments, the best and the worst, and their chemistry is like none other.

“I wish we didn’t waste those four years hating each other.”
“I never hated you, I could never hate you, my love.”

Sire is a recovering addict. There will be times when he either is struggling to fight the urge to relapse, or will actually give in and relapse. Vidia is perfectly aware of this, and is one of his biggest supporters through it all. There’s also one problem. Vidia recently learned that Sire’s love towards her was just a façade. A plan, if you will. The other problem? That’s only what she thinks. Things between the two go downhill when another baseball player tells Vidia that they all came up with a plan that involved getting with Vidia to get drafted into the baseball team in which her mother coached. What she didn’t know? Sire wanted to be with her long before then, and didn’t care about whatever ‘plan’ anybody came up with. Now, 4 years later, when they’re stuck together, with Vidia being his physical therapist, Sire has to do everything in his power to prove to Vidia that everything between them, 4 years ago, has been nothing but real and legit.

“I’d do anything she asks, with a smile.”

——

I expected this book to be good. Not because I’m friends with the author (I had interest in this before we became friends); however, I did not expect this book to consume me. This book ate me alive. I laughed. I cried. I giggled. I screamed. Everything. As a debut book, this was phenomenal, and I just know the writing is going to get even better from here. CHECK TRIGGERS before reading, but honestly, I feel like if you give this book a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

Sire Griffin, a pitcher for the LA Dodgers, is nothing but a gentleman. Though he has his struggles with his addiction, he’s still a person anyone would be safe and have fun around.  I loved how I not only felt as though I knew Sire personally in the present, but I could also deeply empathize with him from the past. His growth and development is definitely one of my favorites, and I love how genuine he is when it comes to his family and close friends. One thing about Sire is that he protects those he loves and will always put their feelings above his own. Even if he’s not his best, he’ll make sure everyone he cares about is taken care of. Especially when it comes to a certain curly-headed sports physical therapist. 

Vidia Gomez, the sports physical therapist for Sire Griffin’s baseball team, has never expected that she would break her ‘before 25’ rule, let alone with the one person she’d never expect to fall for. Not only falling for him, but also being hurt by him, without knowing the full story. She’s always put others’ feelings above her own, just like Sire; however, when things fall apart, you know what they say: hurt people hurt other people. The way we were able to read about Vidia and Sire’s love story just proves that when you truly love and care for someone, those feelings NEVER go away, even when you wish nothing more for them to fade.

——

some quotes i think of all the time:

“I’m one hundred and ten percent sure if she could choose to never have you and also not having to go through that with him, she’d choose to have him put her through hell all over again.”

“It’s me and you till the wheels fall off…”
“And even when they fall, we’re pushing that shit across the finish line.”

“I struggle to breathe without her. I actually couldn’t breathe without you. You saved me, August.”

“You’re still the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen, and I’m still in love with you. Always have been.”

“If the thing I love is baseball, then yeah, it was worth it. If it was her on the line, then absolutely not. I would’ve let him kick my ass and not swing back once.”

*i voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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