Tasty Book Tours Presents: Bottom of the Ninth by Jami Davenport; #Virtualtour, #NowAvailable, #Review, #Giveaway

Can they conquer their demons and find love, 

or will they run from their pasts and abandon their future together?

BOTTOM OF THE NINTH

Seattle Skookums Baseball

Game on in Seattle #6

Jami Davenport

Released Oct 21st, 2016

Rating:  4 Stars

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for review from Tasty Book Tours, the publisher, and the author.  I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising".

This long-awaited story of the third Wolfe brother introduces the Seattle Skookums baseball team.

Zeke Wolfe, the man who’s written off his entire family, rescues a young woman and three children on a stormy
Seattle night. Before he knows it, he has an instant family and a fake fiancé he’s certain he doesn’t want.

Paisley Madison dreams of having a real home for herself and her sister's children. When a handsome baseball player drops into her life, she knows a gift when she sees one and hires herself as his assistant.

As their business arrangement turns into something much more personal, Paisley and Zeke's pasts threaten to destroy their precarious hold on a future together. Can they conquer their demons and find love, or will they run from their pasts and abandon their future together?

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Zeke Wolfe is a man who starts off at the top of my shit list – he appears to be a real jerk.  He later redeems himself a little when I see he has a conscience.  But then he speaks again and he’s right back at the top again.  Paisley “Paze” Madison sets him on his ear and knocks him down a couple of pegs at the same time.  He may grumble but it’s because of him that she’s in his life – and good thing too. 

What I loved about the book was how the author created Paisley as a very resourceful woman.  If she’s going to go up against Zeke she needs to be.  We also see how creative our author is when she can create a character that if he were standing in front of you you’d tell him where to go and that he needs some kind of reality check.  Children have a way of worming themselves into our hearts and the three in this story are no exception.  Ms. Davenport has created a tale where you have no choice but to get involved.

I think there were times where Zeke had some “ah ha” moments but was it enough to redeem himself.  Only you can decide when you finish the Epilogue.  For me, I felt that Paisley could do better or at least make sure he stays on the straight and narrow.  Yes, neither one is perfect but who is.  She knows just the right way to twist him around her finger.  She’s a woman who seems to be very creative and I would have loved to see some of her actual work.  I know we can picture things in our mind but who doesn’t like to see how someone can transform something drab to fab.

Love baseball?  Sad to see the season over?  Do you root for the underdog?  Well you could read this story and extend the season for just a little while.  If you love football, there is one of those in this series and one coming soon.  Maybe you’re a hockey fan, there are several of those as well.  And if you haven’t read the series yet, and you love these sports, what a perfect time of year to get caught up.  Would I continue this series?  Sure, I’d love to see what our author has created.  I’m also curious how she treats her male characters – if they’re all like Zeke - and if the women are strong and resourceful like Paisley.

Paisley startled awake early. She bolted upright and winced when her back protested. Ignoring her whiny body parts, she blinked several times and squinted, attempting to get her bearings. The morning sun cast beams of light across the room and over the sleeping children. Last night flooded back to her in a rush of confusion and hope.

Being drenched. The hot baseball player. The old, creepy house. The pizza.

Checking each child to make sure they were all still asleep, Paisley rose, stretched, and padded out of the bedroom in her bare feet. The place didn’t look so creepy in the daylight. In fact, despite the obvious neglect, it was beautiful. She took her time exploring each room, except the closed door to Zeke’s room.

Zeke. Holy mother of all creation, he was hot. And he was wealthy. She wasn’t a gold digger by any means, but he had the money to pay her for a job well done, which had her wheels turning. She believed in making wine out of any beer that life threw her way. She’d keep her hands off and prove her value to Zeke. He needed someone to manage his life and battle the dust and spiders staking their claim on this grand old house.

He needed her.

Zeke’s house wasn’t just a house; it was a mansion by her standards. Much to her delight, it was perched on a hill among older homes overlooking Seattle and the water. She couldn’t wait to explore the stately old neighborhood. What she could see from the windows indicated the other homes were well kept, unlike Zeke’s. His yard needed as much work as the inside. She’d tackle that project, too.

Yeah, the poor man really needed her, and she’d make sure he knew it.

The house had seen better days and was in need of updating and TLC, but the potential shone through like an unpolished diamond among common rocks, and the view was priceless.

Last night’s deluge gave way to a partially cloudy morning with patches of blue sky. Rays of sun bounced off drops of rain on the leaves of nearby trees. The sun lit up the large expanse of water below. She hadn’t a clue whether it was part of the ocean or something else.

A few rooms in the house were stacked with boxes. Stray pieces of furniture were placed here and there. Zeke didn’t appear to have much in the way of personal belongings. She added shopping for furniture to her assistant to-do list. She’d create a design for each room with an overarching theme among them. Judging from the age of the house and the style, she’d opt for mission style, one of her favorites.

Paisley rubbed her hands together in glee, excited and ready to get started with her day. The kids could help. On Monday, she’d need to enroll them in a local school despite their lack of an actual home. During her nosy explorations she’d found a temporary option. The daylight basement level of this house had been converted into an apartment. It had big windows looking into the backyard and down the hill.

Perfect for her and the kids, and perfect for keeping them out of Zeke’s hair.

Now to work on selling her worth to Zeke. Her strict adherence to maintaining a positive outlook in all situations—last night being an exception—would serve her well. Zeke was a busy athlete just starting the season. Baseball players played over one hundred and fifty games a year, not counting playoffs. He’d be gone a lot to away games.

He absolutely needed her. Oh, yes, he did. She skipped up the stairs, singing a nonsensical happy song the kids loved. Cracking the door, she checked on them again. They were dead to the world. She couldn’t resist a glance into the room Zeke slept in. His suitcase was open on top of a rumpled comforter, but true to his word, he’d left early this morning. She’d heard his SUV as it backed out of the garage.

With a big grin on her face and a bounce in her step, she started her chores in the kitchen, giving it a thorough scrubbing after finding cleaning supplies under the sink. Later, she’d unpack dishes and put them in the cupboards.

The kitchen was beautiful under all the grime and dust. It’d been remodeled recently and had gorgeous wood cabinets, granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances with a professional stove and oven. The previous owners must have run out of money during the kitchen remodel. The backsplashes were missing and the walls were unpainted, as if someone had stripped off layers of wallpaper, then left.

She stood back, hands on hips, and surveyed her work. The kitchen was gleaming. Everything was in its place.

Zeke would be pleasantly surprised.

USA Today Bestselling Author Jami Davenport writes sexy contemporary and sports romances, including her two new indie endeavors: the Game On in Seattle Series and the Madrona Island Series. Jami's new releases consistently rank in the top fifty on the sports romance and sports genre lists on Amazon, and she has hit the Amazon top hundred authors list in both contemporary romance and genre fiction multiple times. Jami ranked Number Seven on Kobo's Top Ten Most Completed Authors, an honor bestowed on the year's "most engaging" authors based on an average page completion rate by their readers.

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