Love in Play Series by Becca Jackson

DUCKIENot being able to keep my D in my pants has landed me in hot water with my boss—having your bare butt plastered across multiple sports publications will do that. To teach me a lesson, he’s transferring me from writing about hockey gods to Banana Ball, and not only do I have to pretend to like the not-so-professional sport, I have to go on tour with them. If I can just keep it in my pants and focus on the writing, I’ll earn a return to the sport I love... moreDUCKIENot being able to keep my D in my pants has landed me in hot water with my boss—having your bare butt plastered across multiple sports publications will do that. To teach me a lesson, he’s transferring me from writing about hockey gods to Banana Ball, and not only do I have to pretend to like the not-so-professional sport, I have to go on tour with them. If I can just keep it in my pants and focus on the writing, I’ll earn a return to the sport I love. Problem is, the gossip writer who got me into this mess is on tour too. Ian’s determined to prove he’s meant for sports and not gossip columns, so when he suggests we create a public rivalry that’ll boost our reader engagement and get us both what we want, I reluctantly agree. But the more time I spend with him, the more confusing my feelings for him become, and suddenly I’m looking at labels I never thought would apply to me. After an explosive kiss it becomes so much harder to focus on the writing and faking our rivalry, but taking a chance on him means risking more than just my game plan to get back to the ice, for the first time in my life, I’ll also be risking my heart. less

DUCKIE. Not being able to keep my D in my pants has landed me in hot water with my boss—having your bare butt plastered across multiple sports publications will do that. To teach me a lesson, he’s transferring me from writing about hockey gods to Banana Ball, and not only do I have to pretend to like the not-so-professional sport, I have to go on tour with them. If I can just keep it in my pants and focus on the writing, I’ll earn a return to the sport I love... moreDUCKIE. Not being able to keep my D in my pants has landed me in hot water with my boss—having your bare butt plastered across multiple sports publications will do that. To teach me a lesson, he’s transferring me from writing about hockey gods to Banana Ball, and not only do I have to pretend to like the not-so-professional sport, I have to go on tour with them. If I can just keep it in my pants and focus on the writing, I’ll earn a return to the sport I love. Problem is, the gossip writer who got me into this mess is on tour too. Ian’s determined to prove he’s meant for sports and not gossip columns, so when he suggests we create a public rivalry that’ll boost our reader engagement and get us both what we want, I reluctantly agree. But the more time I spend with him, the more confusing my feelings for him become, and suddenly I’m looking at labels I never thought would apply to me. After an explosive kiss it becomes so much harder to focus on the writing and faking our rivalry, but taking a chance on him means risking more than just my game plan to get back to the ice, for the first time in my life, I’ll also be risking my heart. less

Harrison’s love life is a parade of fun, flirty encounters thanks to every dating app you can imagine, but nothing sticks. Finally, sick of the endless cycle of Friday night hookups, he hits uninstall on the apps and challenges the universe to show him that he deserves someone better. What he didn’t expect was the universe throwing him a curveball in the form of his best friend’s younger brother... moreHarrison’s love life is a parade of fun, flirty encounters thanks to every dating app you can imagine, but nothing sticks. Finally, sick of the endless cycle of Friday night hookups, he hits uninstall on the apps and challenges the universe to show him that he deserves someone better. What he didn’t expect was the universe throwing him a curveball in the form of his best friend’s younger brother. Despite being best friends with Gordon for years, he’s never actually met his siblings and even half-joked they didn’t exist. But there they are, at a party at Gordon’s place, and one brother, Arlo, is seriously hard to ignore. He’s nothing like Gordon. Quiet, adorable, and totally off-limits… which sucks. But when Harrison spots an opportunity to help him steady his nerves on his children’s book tour, he jumps at the chance to get to know him better, because spending time with him feels like the most right thing he’s done in forever. The more time they spend together, the less Harrison can imagine being with anyone else. But going after what he wants means betraying his best friend. Can he find the courage to catch life’s most unexpected of pitches? less

Alan. When you’re crushing on a guy, the last thing you want is to get caught singing their name while naked in the locker-room showers. Thankfully, Ryan pretended not to notice. I can play the denial game with the best of them, but I can’t ignore the growing feelings I have for him. We’ve been rivals on the field for two years, but lately, my eyes keep finding him off the field as well, drawn to his piercing blue stare and brilliant smile... moreAlan. When you’re crushing on a guy, the last thing you want is to get caught singing their name while naked in the locker-room showers. Thankfully, Ryan pretended not to notice. I can play the denial game with the best of them, but I can’t ignore the growing feelings I have for him. We’ve been rivals on the field for two years, but lately, my eyes keep finding him off the field as well, drawn to his piercing blue stare and brilliant smile. As fate would have it, we’re paired together for a sequence of Star-Crossed Lovers skits, and while I’m excited at the prospect of spending more time with him, with rumors of team cuts at the end of the season, it makes me wonder if there is any point in starting anything at all. Maybe we’re just destined to stay on opposing sides. Ryan. Being on the other side of the world from your entire family is hard, especially when you see everyone else going home to theirs every night. So, when I moved in with Duckie and Ian, I was excited to at least have people to come home to. But they aren’t the only ones I see every day. Across the alley lives an old man and his cat who greet me with a demonic howl and a gruff reminder that my favorite game isn’t “real” baseball. Good thing I’m not easily offended, and while I might be still on the fence about the cat, imagine my surprise when I discover the old man is Alan Beaker’s grandfather. Suddenly, my days aren’t just filled with on field practice and rehearsals with the guy I’ve been crushing on hard, they’re also filled with time spent with him off the field too. It isn’t long until I notice just how devoted to family Alan is, and the more time I spend with his, the more they make me feel like I belong. Now if only I can get Alan to take a chance on us, then I can make this feeling last forever. less

Tim is the life of every party - whether he’s smashing it on the banana ball field or hosting a team game night on his rooftop terrace. With his killer smile, endless energy, and a social media game as big as his personality, he’s becoming the guy everyone wants to watch. But Tim doesn’t really believe the hype. In fact, he spends most of his free time scrolling through the comments looking for the boost that comes from other people’s praise. Enter Lion. Tim‘s ultimate fanboy... moreTim is the life of every party - whether he’s smashing it on the banana ball field or hosting a team game night on his rooftop terrace. With his killer smile, endless energy, and a social media game as big as his personality, he’s becoming the guy everyone wants to watch. But Tim doesn’t really believe the hype. In fact, he spends most of his free time scrolling through the comments looking for the boost that comes from other people’s praise. Enter Lion. Tim‘s ultimate fanboy. The guy who knows every stat, every play, and every witty one-liner Tim has ever posted. When they meet, Lion’s attention brings the same electric buzz that the online praise does, and their connection feels as easy as a rooftop barbecue. But Lion’s not just your average cheerleader. His fan vibes come with a sprinkle of obsession. The kind of obsession that has multiple profiles dedicated to hyping up Tim‘s game. And while Lion’s adorably naive to how that could look to the outside world, Tim can’t help but wonder if he can trust something that started as a fan crush. Will Lion’s over-the-top devotion strike out their chance of something real, or will Tim see that his biggest fan can become his heart’s MVP? less

Continue the Love in Play series with Totally Played. Heep an eye out for the cover and blurb coming soon.