Second Thoughts

By Mindy Klasky

A secret baby gives reunited lovers a second chance in this sexy stand-alone baseball romance!

 

Photographer Jamie Martin gave up her fast-paced New York career and moved to North Carolina to raise an unexpected blessing: her daughter Olivia.  Desperate for clients, Jamie is thrilled to land a job with the Rockets baseball team...until she discovers she must work with her ex-fiancé, who doesn't know he fathered her child.

 

Career-driven second baseman Nick Durban broke up with Jamie at college graduation so they both could follow their dreams. Seven years later, he gets a reality check when he learns about Olivia.

 

Jamie is so determined to keep Nick out of her life that she tries online dating, never dreaming he is her perfect electronic match.  Can this out-of-sync couple get past their second thoughts and learn to trust each other again?

 

The Diamond Brides Baseball Series:

 

Each volume can be read on its own, and the series can be read in any order.

 

Perfect Pitch (DJ Thomas and Samantha Winger)
Catching Hell (Zach Ormond and Anna Benson)
Reaching First (Tyler Brock and Emily Holt)
Second Thoughts (Nick Durban and Jamie Martin)
Third Degree (Josh Cantor and Ashley Harris)
Stopping Short (Drew Marshall and Jessica Barnes)
From Left Field (Adam Sartain and Haley Thurman)
Center Stage (Ryan Green and Lindsey Ormond)
Always Right (Kyle Norton and Amanda Carter)

 

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Book View Cafe
• Release date: Feb 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781611383928

Mindy Klasky

Mindy Klasky learned to read when her parents shoved a book in her hands and told her that she could travel anywhere in the world through stories. She never forgot that advice. When Mindy isn't "traveling" through writing books, she quilts, cooks and tries to tame the endless to-be-read shelf in her home library. You can visit Mindy at her Web site, www.mindyklasky.com.

Book preview

1

Jamie Martin tightened her thighs, shifting her legs to get a better angle. That’s it, she crooned. Almost there…A little more…More…Curl your fingers…Perfect! Hold it! Yes! Oh, yes! That’s it! Perfect!

She lowered her camera and stepped away from her subject, smiling in victory. Some photo shoots took forever—soothing a nervous client, cajoling them to relax, spending hours making them forget the lens was right in front of them. But Anna Benson had made this shoot easy.

And that was a damn good thing, because Jamie didn’t have time to waste. Her rent was due in a week, and Baby literally needed new shoes, and a new winter coat as well. Olivia was growing like a weed after spending four months in her new North Carolina home.

It was all worth it, Jamie reminded herself as she reflexively thumbed through the shots on her camera’s viewfinder. The hassle of moving, the struggle to find an assistant in a new city, the tight finances as she settled in. The boring work.

Jamie had loved the first seven years of her career, photographing bands in obscure New York City venues. After Olivia came along, Jamie had juggled her shooting schedule with overnight babysitters, pre-school, and sniffle-driven sick days. She’d thrived on catnaps and caffeine, reveling in a life she’d built on her own terms.

Until she realized she was missing Olivia’s childhood.

Sure, her daughter had been safe and warm and fed in their Brooklyn walk-up. But Jamie had missed countless firsts—first steps, first words, first day of school. When Olivia’s first baby tooth fell out and the babysitter played Tooth Fairy, Jamie had known something had to change.

She sold her move to Raleigh as a positive decision—to her family, to her friends, and to herself. She’d gone to school nearby. Her college roommate still lived in town—Ashley had even volunteered crash space for the few weeks it had taken Jamie to rent a house. Raleigh had plenty of wealthy families and lots of booming businesses—prime customers for a photographer with Jamie’s skills. Booming businesses like the Raleigh Rockets, a major league baseball team.

Anna Benson had recently taken over the owner’s responsibilities from her grandfather, and she’d decided she needed fresh corporate headshots to highlight her new role. Jamie was grateful for the opportunity—she’d been referred by a former client who happened to be Anna’s best friend. Yes, Jamie was grateful, even if her first vow upon crossing the North Carolina state line had been that she would stay as far away from the baseball park as humanly possible.

Present business before past peccadilloes. Besides, some vows were just meant to be broken. Jamie had spent the entire day at the ballpark, and nothing terrible had happened. Yet.

These look great, Jamie said, looking up from her camera. She gestured toward her computer, which had automatically loaded the hundreds of shots she’d taken. I’ll go through and get rid of the ones we’re obviously not interested in so you can review the rest.

Jamie loved that part of the job. Sure, there were some shots clearly meant to be tossed—blinking eyes, smeared lipstick, bodies blurred with movement. But most of them forced her to focus on minute details, reading the slightest changes from image to image. Jamie viewed each shot with a Zen eye, measuring the emotions that radiated from her subjects, the tiny changes from hot to cold, from confident to wary. Sifting through the raw shoot, Jamie always felt she was discovering truths about herself, more about her emotions than her subjects’. She loved the process, even if a lot of people found the detail work stultifying.

Case in point: Anna Benson said, Better you than me.

Jamie grinned. I’ll get the ‘maybes’ to you tonight. Then you can tell me which ones I should retouch.

I appreciate your making this so easy. Anna’s voice was sincere. I’ve been dreading this entire process!

Jamie laughed. You wouldn’t believe how often I hear that. Most people preferred having their teeth cleaned to sitting for headshots. Of course, the average dentist visit lasted forty-five minutes. Anna’s photo session was going on four hours.

As if on cue, Jamie’s assistant poked his head through the office door. Ready for me to help you strike? Robert asked.

Jamie waved him in with a grateful smile. The man was a godsend—as comfortable with camera equipment as he was with makeup and a blow-dryer. She still couldn’t believe he’d responded to her online job posting. Thanks!

But Anna interrupted before Robert could take down the first reflector. I wonder…

Jamie turned to her expectantly. Did you want to try something else? We could take some extras with the blue blazer, if you want a few more traditional poses.

No… Anna crossed behind her desk. Do you have anywhere else you have to be this afternoon?

Jamie shook her head. Just back at the office, going through your shoot. Office. That would be the living room in Jamie’s compact clapboard house.

Great, the other woman said, picking up her phone and punching in a four-digit extension. Zach, could you come in here a moment?

Robert sprang to attention like a foxhound scenting prey. The guy was a committed Rockets fan. The look of excitement on his face now could only mean Jamie was about to be dragged deeper into Raleigh baseball.

Which was fine, she reminded herself firmly. Because red might be a wonderful color for a baseball logo, but it was pretty much a disaster when it came to her bank account. She could handle any baseball-related social crisis, if it meant financial independence.

A quick double knock on the door announced the newcomer. Anna called out, Come in!

Robert was practically vibrating with excitement as someone—Zach, presumably—entered. Mr. Ormond, he exclaimed, gliding forward to shake the guy’s hand. I’m Robert Zeller, and I’m one of your biggest fans. My father took me to see your first game with the Rockets. We went to batting practice, and I caught one of your home runs, and you signed the ball for me before the game!

Down, boy, Jamie said, forcing a laugh she meant to be charming before she introduced herself. Jamie Martin.

Pleased to meet you. Zach’s smile was easy. He’d be a joy to shoot; he had the sort of easy confidence that made the camera melt. Anna Benson obviously thought the guy was great; her entire face lit up as Zach looked at her expectantly.

Anna got down to business immediately. You were in that meeting yesterday, Zach. We still haven’t come up with the right premium for our season ticket holders. What do you think of a calendar?

Like a refrigerator magnet? Zach looked skeptical.

No. Something to hang on the wall, a holiday gift from the team. One player featured every month, with the games written in for the season. Maybe some coupons for food and T-shirts at the park, that kind of thing.

Zach nodded slowly. We did them years ago, before your grandfather cut the team photographer. With social media, a calendar could be cross-purposed. We could use some of the photos for the guys’ individual accounts, maybe work them into a montage video for Opening Day.

Anna beamed as she turned to Jamie. Are you game?

Baseball. Hot dogs. Apple pie and Mom. A new coat for Olivia and invaluable additions to Jamie’s portfolio. Even as she realized accepting the job would mean spending more time at the ballpark—a lot more time—she said, Absolutely! She almost believed herself.

Anna asked Zach, Is anyone around the clubhouse? As long as Jamie and Robert have all their equipment set up it would be a shame not to put them to work.

I’m not sure, he said. I saw Nick’s car in the lot when I came back from lunch. Let me give him a call.

Jamie’s heart tried to squeeze past her lungs as Zach took out his phone. Quit it, she told herself in her best School Principal voice. You knew there was a chance you’d see him the second you landed the headshot job.

Utterly unaware of School Principal’s tongue-lashing, Robert asked, Nick Durban? He sounded like a man being offered the keys to a Lamborghini.

None other, Zach said, with an amused smile, and then he exclaimed into his phone, Nick!

As Zach launched into a friendly conversation, Jamie’s palms became so slick she had to set her camera on a nearby credenza. You have no one to blame but yourself, School Principal said sternly. You could have chosen to live anywhere in the country. Anywhere in the world. But you had to come back to Raleigh.

Antarctica was looking like heaven right about now. Even if Olivia would need a hell of a lot more gear than a new winter coat.

Zach hung up his phone and announced, He’s on his way.

Jamie’s belly turned over, and she realized she hadn’t drawn a full breath the entire time Zach had been on the phone. Before her conscience could find a new way to undermine her, she asked Anna Benson the first of several vital questions. What type of setting did you have in mind for the calendar? Do you want to do them here in the office? Or maybe around the stadium, taking advantage of some of those gorgeous views?

As they began to discuss the various pros and cons, Jamie’s professional mind took careful notes. A deeper part of her, though, braced itself to see her former fiancé for the first time in seven years.

Nick Durban frowned as he approached Anna Benson’s office. It was his own damn fault, getting roped into this publicity thing. People called it the off season for a reason. He was supposed to stay away from the goddamn ballpark.

But he’d come back for his copy of The Sun Also Rises, the one he was re-reading. The one with margin notes he’d made freshman year in college. The one he’d somehow left on the top shelf of his locker when he cleared out after the last regular season game.

It was just bad luck Ormond had seen his car in the lot.

He should quit bitching. It wasn’t like he had anything better to do. Hemingway could wait for a few hours. And helping out the team’s acting owner had to earn Nick some points along the way.

The office door was open. Ormond looked up as soon as Nick reached the threshold. Great, he said. "I thought they’d have unis ready downstairs."

Nick shrugged, comfortable in his familiar white uniform. It had actually felt good to pull on the high socks, to tug the jersey into place. The off season lasted too long, by about three months. He tucked his book under his arm as Ormond waved him into the office. Ms. Benson, he said to the woman who held absolute control over his contract.

Thanks for coming by, Nick. Her smile was warm. There was a lot of locker room speculation about the things Ormond was doing to keep her happy. Nick agreed with the rest of the guys that whatever it was, Ormond should definitely keep doing it.

He glanced at the white cloth umbrellas that surrounded Ms. Benson’s desk. Nick hadn’t seen photographic reflectors like that since college. A guy stood in the middle of them, carefully adjusting one of the nearby lights. He must be the photographer—he had that artistic look. His jeans were a size too small, and his faded plaid shirt was too ugly to be an accident.

Ormond made the introductions. Nick Durban. This is Robert Zeller.

Mr. Durban, the photographer gushed. Such a pleasure to meet you—I’m a big Rockets fan. LA didn’t have a clue what they were losing when they gave up the Professor!

When Nick had started his professional career, he hadn’t known what to do with fans like this. He’d felt embarrassed, cornered, like he had to say something perfect or he’d ruin their dreams forever. In the past seven years, though, he’d learned that a handshake and a nod went a long way. And an autograph, if there happened to be a stack of publicity stills around. Not that a photographer would want a general issue publicity still. Now, he laughed and said, Call me Nick, please.

Nick. The guy looked pleased.

So, what are we working on today? Nick asked, including Ormond in the question. You said some type of calendar?

The former catcher nodded. It was Anna’s idea.

Okay, then. Even if Nick had considered lodging a complaint, he’d hold his tongue now. The owner’s granddaughter got to do whatever she wanted to do.

Nick turned back to the photographer. So, where do you want me?

Actually, Zeller said, Jamie will tell you that. I’m here for hair and makeup.

Nick followed the direction of the guy’s gaze, into the shadows behind that forest of white umbrellas. Even as he realized the magnitude of his mistake, Ormond said, "Nick, this is Jamie Martin. She’s the photographer

Reviews for Second Thoughts

[momof3boys-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Klasky effortlessly combines baseball and romance and has written a captivating drama that is sure to please. She had a way of strongly developing the characters, Jamie and Nick, giving them solid chemistry right from the beginning. The sexual tension between them is sure to keep readers absorbed and in a state of anticipation. If you like baseball and romance this is a book for you!

[hellonicole_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Book #4 in the series, and the formula might be starting to get to me. Klasky's writing is great, but the stories are becoming pretty predictable. And the proposals all seem so rushed. I'll keep reading because they are easy, enjoyable reads, though.

[mksmith327 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quick and easy read! Very sinplistic, but that's what you'd expect from something in this genre. Being based in my hometown, I thought that would add to it and I would recognize some of the places or names. Sadly, everything is completely fictional, which was a disappointment. Still, a fun read!

[mverga_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the second book in the Diamond Brides series that I have read. I recieved this book, Second Thoughts, through the Early Reviewers program on LibraryThing.Jamie and Nick have a history together but have not seen each other since college when Nick ended their engagement the night before graduation as he left for a professional baseball career. Jamie and Nick's story is fast paced and I enjoyed it. My only complaint was about the online dating thread.

[andrea15-4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Some spoilers... I enjoyed reading this one. I was rooting for Nick the entire time, I believe in second chances and I felt for Nick because he didn't know he had a daughter and he deserved to be apart of her life. I liked Jamie I completely understood her skepticism in trusting Nick and not wanting to have him hurt her daughter. We all do stupid foolish things as kids that we regret so it was nice to see Jamie was willing to put her hurt away and realize this. I appreciated the fast pace of the story between the characters it was enough to build the connection and chemistry between them but not too much that you were like alright already, you both love each other so just take a risk and just get back together. I was slightly disappointed with the ending. I would have liked there to be more perhaps a scene where Olivia is told Nick was her daddy!! But I loved the emotion in the book I felt for both characters and what they went through an were going through. My eyes watered and I laughed out loud a few times. I also loved the way the author described the reasons how and why Jamie liked being a photograph. It wasn't what she did for a living it was more like who she was, I liked that. My first read by this author and I will definitely try another...

[schmapp_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read other books by Mindy Kiasky in this series. I love a second chance romance which is what this is between the two main characters. Nick and Jamie have a past and end up reconnecting after seeing each other at the Rockets field where she is now working on a project. What Nick doesn't realize is that when he broke up with Jamie in college she was pregnant and the two have a daughter. The story is a good one is getting a second chance at love. One of my favorite parts is the online dating service and how they get matched up. This is a good read and I did enjoy it but not as much as some of the other books in the store.

[jennatonic84 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I always enjoy a good romance gone wrong and a happy ending in all. I love that these are a quick and engaging read. Simply could not put it down until I was finished! Jamie is strong and grew so much since Nick walked away and for her to still understand that power of love in the end even after 7 years and for Nick to lay it all out there in the end even after finding out that he had a daughter she never told him about. Well in the world of fantasy romance it's perfection. In real life however doesn't seem to work that way. I love a book that gives people hope that true love does win sometimes! I love!

[chutzpanit · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a great and quick summer read. I loved the interaction of baseball and photography and thought that the online dating situations that were portrayed made it feel very realistic. If you are looking for something deep, this isn't it but if you want a good beach read. . . here's one.

[lms8esmith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nick and Jamie are great, no, HOT, in this installment of the Diamond Brides series. I enjoyed the back story of the characters, and I was very pleased with the ending. Klasky continues to seamlessly weave these characters and their lives together to form this close group of baseball players and their brides. (I need a Nick in my life!) :)

[crazy4reading · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mindy Klasky introduces us to Nick Durban the second baseman for the Rockets. We also meet Jamie who is a photographer.Jamie and Nick have a past. Jamie also has a secret. Jamie has a daughter named Olivia and her father is Nick. Jamie is doing a photography job at the Rockets stadium when Nick shows up. You can feel the tension between them as soon as their eyes meet.I loved the interaction between them. Jamie is doing a calendar shoot for the Rockets and has to bring her daughter. When Nick sees her he knows that Olivia is his daughter. She has his red hair and green eyes. Jamie and Nick both join a dating site and begin communicating with their alter egos. I loved it when they decide to finally meet for a first date.The way that plays out is entertaining. Another great read for the summer.

[b.j.o. · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Second Thoughts is a baseball, contemporary romance that centers around a second chance love story. This is my third Diamond Brides series book, and I have found Mindy Klasky's writing style and the topics that she weaves into her romances truly enjoyable! When you read and/or listen to as many books as I do, it is so refreshing to find an author that brings a fresh perspective! The Diamond Brides series centers around players and other members tied to The Raleigh Rockets, a Major League Baseball Team. Each book centers around a different couple and therefore may be read as a standalone. College sweethearts, Jamie Martin and Nick Durban, were once engaged to be married. But as is frequently the case with young love, Nick ultimately breaks up with Jamie, so they can chase their career dreams. Unbeknownst to Nick, Jamie was pregnant.Later, Jamie moves to Raleigh, NC in the hopes of finding a nice hometown to raise her daughter, Olivia, after landing a job with the Rockets baseball team. To her immense surprise guess who else is working for the team: Nick is now their second baseman! Convinced she needs to find a different match, Jamie attempts online dating. But when the chemistry between a couple is so strong could there possibly be any avoiding their HEA? Moreover, can they ever fully trust each other again this time around to make their HEA possible?If you're looking for a sports romance, and enjoy romances built around the second chance trope, then I suggest you give Second Chances a read. At only 180 pages, it's short and sweet, and could easily be read in one sitting.

[barbsn-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was lucky enough to win this e-book to review. It's the first of Mindy Klasky's that I have read and I really enjoyed it. Jamie Martin is a professional photographer and single Mom, trying to establish a new business while building a life for her and her daughter after moving back to Raleigh, NC. Nick Durban plays baseball for the Raleigh Rockets, he's also the man who broke Jamie's heart seven years ago when he broke off their engagement the night before college graduation to follow his dreams to play pro baseball. He never knew he left Jamie pregnant with his child.Jamie doesn't want to see Nick again, but when she is offered the contract to photograph the new CEO and then the team, she can't turn down the opportunity. She could pretend all was fine until the day she had to take Olivia (her daughter) with her to Rocket Fields and Nick showed up. He couldn't miss the fact that Olivia was his - she's the spitting image of her father.This is a lovely story of forgiveness, and forgetting past mistakes in order to embrace a new future, of finding the courage to face your fears and risk it all for the possibility of something great, of trusting the person you love to accept you as you are.My only issue, if you can call it that, with the book is that it ended so abruptly. I had expected way more detail of the make-up and move forward part of the story.Nevertheless, a lovely story, well worth reading.

[loribivens · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is my first Diamond Brides novel, but I am definitely a fan! Klasky has put together a great light read for escaping everyday life. I do have to complain just a bit about the resolution of the novel because it seems unrealistically easy and quick, but again, this is a beach-type novel that you can read in one sitting if you are anything like me. For fans of the new adult genre (though the series does tend a bit more towards the traditional romance novel), this is an easy sell.

[ljtljtljt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lucky me, I won a copy of Mindy Klasky's book, Second Thoughts, through LibraryThing. Ms. Klasky is a "new to me" author and I am so glad I got the opportunity to read this book from her Diamond Brides series. At this point there are five books in the series, with more to come. Each book focuses upon one of the players from the Raleigh Rockets, a professional baseball team. The two main characters of this story are former college sweethearts, Nick Durban, the second baseman for the Rockets and Jamie Martin, a professional photographer.Seven years ago and the night before they graduated from college, Jamie and Nick were madly in love. However, Nick got cold feet in addition to some poor advice and abruptly broke off their engagement. Both were devastated, Jamie even more so, since she found out a couple of months later that she was pregnant with their child Olivia. As Nick was working himself up through the minor to the major leagues, Jamie was making a name for herself as a photographer in the New York City cover band community. In order to be a good mother to Olivia, and spend as much time with her as possible, Jamie decided to move back to her college hometown, for a slower and more meaningful lifestyle. The only drawback, marketing herself and her work to attract business. Her first opportunity, a Raleigh Rockets baseball calendar.Jamie and Nick are one hot couple. Ms. Klasky does an amazing job of creating heat and sexual tension. She also weaves Olivia's existence with great care, when Nick sees her for the very first time. Jamie and Nick are still very much in love and I felt it with every word Ms. Klasky composed. Overall, this is a great story, with an engaging plot, well-defined characters and a happily ever after that left me smiling from ear to ear.Complimentary copy received by LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.

[medavis66 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Once again, I'm in love with this author and this series! In Second Thoughts, I really liked both Jamie and Nick. They had been college sweethearts and broken up before both had awesome careers - the ones they had each dreamed they would have. When Jamie moves back to Raleigh, she knows she may run into Nick and that he may discover they have a 6-yr-old daughter together, Olivia. When Jamie ends up taking pictures for the Rockets, the team Nick plays second base for, instntly the sparks reignite. They both can't get each other off their minds. Then, by chance, Olivia is at the field one day while Jamie is working and one look is all it takes for Nick to know he's a dad. After all, she has his red hair. Mmmm, so much more to tell...but no, I'll let you read the rest. I can't wait for third base, as we got a glimpse of both main characters in this story.ARC provided in exchange for honest review.

[books4nana · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Second Thoughtsby Mindy KlaskySecond Thoughts is the fourth book in Mindy Klasky's The Diamond Brides series. Second Thoughts is a romance featuring a couple who were college sweethearts for four years and were engaged to be married. They had the perfect relationship until the day before graduation when Nick unexpectedly breaks off the engagement. Jamie is devasted. NeitherJamie or Nick knew she was pregnant when he broke her heart. He has made no effort to contact her since the breakup so she makes the decision not to tell him about the baby. Jamie Martin spends the next seven years moving on with her life. She has to make some tough career decisions as a single mom. She eventually moves back to Raleigh to build her photography business in an environment condusive to her daughter's schedule. When she lands a contract with the professional baseball team fate seems to have stepped in as Nick is one of the first players brought in for the photo shoot. Seeing him again brings back so much pain and reminders and are almost too much for Jamie. What will happen if he sees her with her daughter? Klasky's writing style is smooth and easy to follow. She does a good job in developing Jamie's character but is weak in developing supporting roles. The sexual scenes are explicit and seem not to fit the tone of the story.It was an interesting book to read.Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[lulu150 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this 4th book in the Diamond Brides series. It is a fun, quick romance to read. Great for the beach or just sitting at home on a cold rainy day. While you could read this book on it own I do recommend reading the first three, they are just as good! Cannot wait until the 5th one.

[krow134 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another great book by Ms Klasky! I really enjoy her writing style. I get so involved in her book that I can not put them down once I start reading. This book was another "out of the park hit". Jamie and Nick clicked so well together. I would love to read a book about them in the future. How they settled with Olivia. I can not wait for the next book in the series! Thanks again for another great book!

[ash_p-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Oh boy! this series just gets better and better. A lovely story about second chances.

[mjhughes12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I’m such a sucker for a second chance romances, and when you throw the sports theme on top of it I’m sold! This was another quick, fun read in the Diamond Brides series that had me turning the pages and smiling to get to the happily ever after.When Nick breaks up with Jamie right before college graduation, neither of them ever really moved on. And when fate lands them both back in Raleigh and brings them together again, Nick is sure surprised to find out that Jamie has kept a real big secret from him for the past 7 years…the fact that he has a daughter. As these two try to navigate around the old feelings that still exist between them, Jamie also needs to figure out what to do about their daughter – if she can trust Nick to be part of Olivia’s life and not hurt her.*******“Jamie?” Nick said, and she heard the dark challenge in his voice, the fire beneath his words that matched the gleaming copper of his hair.She shook her head. “No. You don’t have the right. You don’t have any rights at all. You’re the one who walked away.”He closed his eyes like she’d slapped him, and he kept them closed as he said, “This is different.”“How?” There she did still have some anger to draw on. It scorched that single word like wildfire. She let a little more of her rage bleed into her voice as she said, “Is it different because there’s an innocent child you can walk away from now? I don’t trust you, Nick. I’ll never let you hurt Olivia the way you hurt me.”******And when an online dating service match-up goes awry, Nick and Jamie spend a night together…only the next morning brings to light lies and half-truths that threaten to keep these two apart.I really enjoyed Nick & Jamie’s story. They were both great characters. Jamie was awesome as a single mom. She did whatever she had to in order to raise her daughter right, which is what ultimately landed her back in Raleigh. Nick knew that he screwed up, and even though youth was part of the factor, he ultimately owned the fact that his decision was made for selfish reasons. You could tell that their love story didn’t really end with their college years, and it seemed to me that the two of them were better in a lot of ways by the seven years spent apart…except for where Olivia was concerned, but even though I may not have made the same choices that Jamie did, I can understand what led her to her decisions regarding Olivia.I think my only complaint with this story would be that the ending seemed a bit rushed…there was conflict and then – boom – all was forgiven and we moved right to the HEA. But even so, I still really enjoyed this book and will continue on with the series. If you like quick reads with a bit of conflict, a bit of sexy, and a whole lot of sweet, then this is a series to check out.I received this book from the publisher through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.

[riikkat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While looking for a more stable life for her and her daughter Olivia, Jamie takes a risk and moves back to her old college town. Jamie knows very well that she might run into her former fiancè and Olivia's father Nick. What she hasn't taken into account are old feelings rushing back. Can Jamie and Nick resolve their differences and continue where they left off?This was my third Diamond Bride Series book and I have to say that I'm still fully entertained. I still don't understand the first thing about baseball, but luckily I don't need to. Jamie and Nick's story was lovely and I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

[dejah_thoris_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Realizing she’s missing her daughter Olivia’s childhood, photographer Jamie Martin decides to leave New York City and late nights shooting hot bands behind. She picks Raleigh, NC where she went to college and where her best friend still lives as their new home. She wants desperately to avoid another resident of Raleigh: Nick Durban. The professional baseball player for the Raleigh Rockets dumped her the night before their college graduation and she hasn’t seen him since; nor has she told him he’s the father of her child. But when one of her first gigs involves the Rockets, the confrontation Jamie’s been avoiding for seven years seems inevitable…..I only occasionally read contemporary romance. I usually pick it up when I want something light, entertaining and uncomplicated. Second Thoughts by Mindy Klasky fits the bill. This short romance is perfect summer or vacation reading and if you’re looking for more there are three other Diamond Brides Books that precede it. Since I’m a baseball fan, I was disappointed that baseball was mentioned very little, but I know that many other readers won’t mind that a bit. Second Thoughts seems to be occasionally subtitled ‘A Hot Baseball Romance’ and indeed there is some fairly explicit sex, which I skimmed. If at times plot elements resembled “The Shop Around the Corner” / “You’ve Got Mail” a little too much, it wasn’t too distracting. Over all, Second Thoughts is a pleasant, straightforward romance.This e-book was provided to me as part of the Early Reviewer program in return for an honest review.

[dotland101 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Book four in the 'Diamond Brides' series from Klasky. This time, it's the story of a college sweetheart: Nick Durban and Jamie Martin that ended up in a bad break-up and heart break when Nick decided to go 'pro' right after college and left his fiancée, Jamie behind. Jamie since then has tried to make the best of her life, and fulfilling her dream job as a photographer, without Nick. Seven years later, when Jamie decided to leave the safety of her family, and moved back to North Carolina with the hope of starting a new life on her own, just the two of them, she and her daughter, Olivia (Nick's daughter, but of course he didn't know at the time). Jamie had hoped that she wouldn't run into Nick again, though knew it's possible, but it's hard to 'avoid' running into Nick when she took up the job with the Rockets team where Nick is playing, but since the money is tight and she needed the business. Well, she would just have to try her best to avoid that situation, she thought. Not only didn't it take long for Nick to find out that he has a six-year-old daughter who is a spitting image of himself... it didn't take long for both Nick and Jamie either to realize that they still love each other, but can Jamie forgive Nick for abandoning her, and how could she trust Nick not to walk out not just on her again, this time there's Olivia to think about? Nick certainly has a lot cut out for him if he truly wants Jamie back, and a second chance for a family with Jamie, and their daughter, Olivia.Another episode in this baseball series with contemporary cute romance from Klasky. A quick summer read for anyone who loves pro sports and a heart-warming romance. Reading this book by the beach with a tall glass of iced tea just can't go wrong either.

[stacejb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the story of Nick, a player for the Rockets, and Jaime, his former fiancée he left to go to the pros seven years ago. Now Jaime comes back to North Carolina, with her six year old daughter, Olivia, in tow. A professional photographer, Jaime gets hired by the Rockets to do headshots for the team, which leads to her first encounter with Nick since he walked out of her dorm room the night her broke her heart.Overall I enjoyed this book, but I had a couple of major issues with it.First, the ending felt rushed. I've read other books in this series and have felt the same way, but not as badly as this one. One minute Jaime is saying she can't trust Nick because he lied to her, then in the next breath she's considering marrying him. It just felt extremely rushed, and as a result, unsatisfying for this reader.The second thing I had an issue with was how things were concluded between Jaime, Nick, and Olivia. My problem was that they weren't. Throughout the book, Jaime kept Nick from Olivia, not telling her he was her father. Then she found out Nick lied, and she decides to keep the truth from Olivia because she doesn't want her to get hurt. Then there's the rushed forgiveness, in which Jaime tells Nick he can go to Olivia's school concert and basically gave him permission to tell the girl that he's her father. That was it. There was no big reveal to Olivia, no dealing with the repercussions of such an announcement. I would have liked to see that, and without it, the book seemed incomplete.The storyline was predictable, but that didn't bother me. This was definitely not my favorite of the series, but if you've read the other books and want to see what happens in Nick's story, then you should read it. Just keep in mind you're going to be disappointed if you want a complete ending.

[eleasha-8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed her new book. I found it to be a lot similar to you've got mail. Which is one of my favorite movies so it was a bonus for me. It is a really quick read and I was able to sit down for an a couple of hours and finish it. So over all cute, fast read that had a nice enjoyment factor that I could complete. This book was given to me by early reviews to post a honest review.