Welcome to Litsy!

I woke up with something that isn‘t Covid but might be a small flu. Blah.

At least it‘s nice enough to read outside this afternoon. Gonna dig into Cat Sebastian‘s sports romance and wish I hadn‘t drunk this mango-flavoured Island Soda. It was tasty, but it didn‘t interact well with the maybe-flu.

This book is super sweet - thank you @Reggie for your review which put this on my radar. Its 1950s New York - Mark is a journalist grieving the death of his partner, Eddie is a new trade to a famous baseball team who arent speaking to him because of a tirade he made to the press. Two unhappy and very different men living in an era where homosexuality is a dangerous secret. Lovingly drawn characters, a hug of a book, medium heat.

I loved this book so much. Thanks @Jas16 for sending it to me. It‘s 1960 and newly traded baseball player Eddie is having a horrible hitting slump. Mark is the reporter assigned to him to do a piece to make him more likable. Of course sparks fly.This is charming and sweet, discusses the things we deserve from those who love us. It also discusses grief and I don‘t really feel like there was a climax but I didn‘t care. I was just sad that it ended.

1) No. I'm very unlucky so I think placing bets would be cursing whoever I wanted to win. I don't gamble in any way.

2) This book is so good. I hate baseball and NYC and I don't usually like historicals set this recently, but Sebastian is just that good.

#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

BASEBALL, QUEER HISTORY, AND GAY LOVE!! What more could you want? This was a lovely historical romance set in 1960s NYC. Cat Sebastian somehow manages to address and include the time period's intense homophobia but keep the book soothing and sweet. I am BEGGING Cat Sebastian to give this kind of care and attention to some mid-century queer women (*cough the women's pro baseball league *cough) Beautifully performed by Joel Leslie in #audiobook!

I liked but didn‘t love this book. Both characters- the slumping ball player and the reporter doing a story on him- were easy to like, and there was no real mystery that they were going to get together. And then things just kept going well… I guess it felt a little one note because of that? Not that I wanted bad things to happen to them, but the book didn‘t have much to propel it forward.

I read 11 books in June.
The Return of Ellie Black 4⭐️
Truly, Madly, Deeply 4⭐️
My Season of Scandal 5⭐️
Eruption 3⭐️
Twelfth Knight 4⭐️
A Talent for Murder 4⭐️
There is No Ethan 4⭐️ #BookSpin
You Should be So Lucky 5⭐️
Butcher & Blackbird 3⭐️
The Rom-Commers 4.5⭐️
The Last Murder at the End of the World 4⭐️

I got one bingo for #BookSpinBingo.

Honestly, Cat Sebastian can do no wrong in my eyes. I always enjoy her characters and stories. This book was no different. Eddie is a baseball player traded to New York and having an awful season. Mark is the newspaper reporter assigned to do a series of articles about Eddie. They both are lonely and Mark's still grieving his previous relationship. Their friendship and love is sweet. And I love Eddie's eventual dynamic with his teammates.

Starting the newest Cat Sebastian.

One of many heartbreaking moments. Mark can't even conceive of an accepting parent. 💔

(I don't think it's much of a spoiler to mention Eddie's faith is justified.)

Lovely, lovely book. How did Sebastian manage to follow up We Could Be So Good with something worthy of it? Is that even allowed?

#HistoricalRomance #LGBTQ+

I think this book (and Sebastian's other mid-century romances) are kinda perfect. They give me the exact thing I want. What gifts!

🤣🤣🤣

I'm working Penguicon in Ypsilanti, Michigan this weekend, but when there are no customers in sight I'm definitely reading the new Cat Shaw ARC behind the counter. 😅