REVIEW: Caught by You by Jennifer Bernard

In Caught by You (Love Between the Bases #2) by Jennifer Bernard, Donna MacIntyre has one primary goal right now and it is not to fall (more) head over heels for Kilby Catfish catcher Mike Solo: she needs to get custody of her four year old son Zack. She’s walking a fine line between proving herself more responsible and wanting to fall into her old flirtatious ways with the ball player. And Mike isn’t helping, with his sexy grin and laughing ways. But operation Get Zack Back is on in full swing. Until one misunderstanding sets to derail the whole plan.

“…Now everyone thinks we’re engaged. So…” He sank onto one knee and held the bouquet toward her. “Donna, will you marry me?”
For one long, frozen moment, Donna couldn’t move.

Mike has once again taken his Vow of Celibacy at the beginning of the season so there’s nothing to focus on other than baseball. Well, okay, so baseball and feisty & gorgeous Donna. But he’s not going to act on his thoughts even though she is the most tempting woman on earth. Mike changes his tune, though, when it turns out he can help Donna with her current situation by offering a sort-of fake engagement. Although what starts off as an emotion free promise soon turns into something that just might change his life forever in the best of ways.

“Are you wearing a football pin? Now you’re just breaking my heart.”
“Welcome to Texas,” she said, all sassy. “Where football is king, and baseball in the nerdy neighbor boy your mom makes you play with.”

Caught by You was such a fun ride! With two completely endearing main characters as well as a four year old cutie pie, lots of small town craziness, and a killer plot that had me both laughing and crying, I want to re-read this book already. Seriously.

I have to say that Jennifer Bernard writes some of the best crazy-hot chemistry in romance today. And not only that, but her plots are just flat out fun–without losing emotional depth, which I love. I totally fell for Mike and Donna’s personalities and the way they just clicked together. There was a lot of wonderful joking/teasing while they bonded, making this not only a fun read but it made Donna and Mike seem like real people. And I liked that even though their situation was far from perfect, they didn’t get discouraged. Instead it made them work harder to see things work out.

Mike really was a charming character. He was solid, loyal, sexy and tried to do what was right. Not to say he didn’t make mistakes or have a lovely mischievous (read: dirty) streak to him. *sigh* But he was a guy, so let’s face it…he was a little boneheaded in the romance department sometimes. It worked out well for us readers because his mess-ups were highly entertaining. I think some of my favorite scenes with Mike, though, were with his older brother Joey. They had a bond that was so heartwarming, so special that it caused me to tear up more than once.

And then there was Donna. Such an energetic, sassy woman who was also trying to do the right thing. Especially in getting back her sweet little boy Zack. I’ll leave the details of that family drama for you to discover as the story unfolds, but I will say that it gets messy and frustrating, but ultimately works out well. I loved the pairing of Donna with Mike. Like I said, they just worked so well together. They both had a wicked sense of humor and used it to get out of tough spots in their lives. But it was the more tender moments when she showed her serious side with Mike that I truly thought showed how caring and loving a person Donna was.

Baseball has never been so entertaining. Whether you read this as a standalone or as part of the Love Between the Bases series, I think romance fans will be absolutely taken with Caught by You.

Book Info:

Publication: Published December 29th 2015 | Avon | Love Between the Bases #2

Love comes out of left field in the second novel in USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Bernard’s sexy baseball-themed series

Months of alternately flirting and bickering with Kilby Catfish catcher Mike Solo just turned into the hottest kiss of Donna MacIntyre’s life—and that’s a major league complication. Any hint of scandal could keep her from getting her son back from her well-connected ex. Then Mike comes up with a game-changing idea: a marriage proposal that could help win her case— even as it jeopardizes her heart . . .

Mike hasn’t been able to get the gorgeous, gutsy redhead out of his fantasies. The least he can do is fix the mess he helped create. Yet their engagement is quickly becoming about a lot more than doing the right thing. Because after swearing he’d never risk love again, Mike has found a passion that puts all his emotions in play, and a woman he’ll go to bat for again and again . . .