Love of the Game: A Stardust, Texas Novel

By Lori Wilde

A sexy sports superstar discovers his body isn’t the only thing that needs healing in this newest Stardust, Texas novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde.

With major league good looks and talent, Dallas Gunslingers relief pitcher Axel Richmond was living the good life. Even if the roar of the crowd could never distract him from the loss of his young son. But now with an injured shoulder and his career on the line, Axel is stuck recuperating at a ranch in Stardust, Texas . . . striking out only with his gorgeous physical therapist.

Kasha Carlyle has one week to get Axel back in action or she can kiss her much-needed job with the Gunslingers goodbye. And any chance to seek custody of the orphaned half-sister she never knew existed. She quickly learns that Axel’s guarded heart also needs healing . . . requiring all kinds of sneaky plays and sexy moves in extra innings.

Praise for Lori Wilde’s Stardust, Texas Series and Love Of The Game

“Amusing, passionate, and rampant with sexual tension, this magic dusted escapade is just plain fun and a wonderful harbinger of things to come. Wilde is an expert at developing endearing Texas communities and here gives fans another one to savor.”—Library Journal

“[A] sweet and sexy story of first love, small towns, and family.”—Booklist

“Wilde brings readers to Stardust, Texas, where baseball and romance are the name of the game . . . Wilde has another winner.”—RT Book Reviews

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Apr 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9780062311443

Lori Wilde

Lori Wilde is the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over 90 works of romantic fiction. She’s a three-time Romance Writers’ of America RITA finalist and has four times been nominated for Romantic Times Readers’ Choice Award. She has won numerous other awards as well. Her books have been translated into 26 languages, with more than seven million copies of her books sold worldwide. Her breakout novel, The First Love Cookie Club, was made into a Hallmark movie titled A Kismet Christmas. Lori is a registered nurse with a BSN from Texas Christian University and a MLA from the same university. She holds a certificate in forensics and is also a certified yoga instructor. A sixth-generation Texan, Lori lives with her husband, Bill, in the Cutting Horse Capital of the World.

Reviews for Love of the Game

[scoutmomskf · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good story about two people whose pasts affect their desire for relationships. Axel was focused on his baseball career, not only because it was his dream but also because it was his connection to his dead son. But a shoulder injury put his career in jeopardy and physical therapist Kasha Carlyle was his best chance to save that career. Kasha desperately needed the salary and benefits of her new job if she was going to have what she needed to get custody of her younger sister. Giving in to the attraction could be the death of that dream.I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Axel and Kasha. The chemistry was there from the moment they met. Kasha fought it hard for two reasons. First, Axel was her patient, and she refused to cross that line. Second, Axel stirred up feelings in her that she didn't want. Keeping her emotions under control was very important to her. The things that she experienced as a child watching the interactions of her volatile parents left her with a distrust of passion. Also, her focus has been on gaining custody of Emma. Axel's main focus remained on his healing and return to baseball and his goals. But he couldn't deny how drawn he was to Kasha. I enjoyed their early interactions as Kasha used every trick at her disposal to get Axel to cooperate with her treatment. It was great fun to see him realize that she knew what she was doing. The attraction between them continued to build. I admired how Kasha remained true to her ethics, even as it became harder to do so. I liked how Axel seemed to know just how hard he could push Kasha without scaring her away.I loved how both Axel and Kasha learned to grow and compromise as their relationship progressed. Their time together deepened their feelings, but neither could see how being together was possible. Axel saw his future with baseball creating a conflict between his traveling with the team and Kasha being rooted in Stardust. Kasha's focus on being what her sister needed left her feeling that there was no room for a relationship. I ached for both while they fought their battles with dreams, goals, and expectations. I loved the realism of their solution, as both of them found a way to make it work.I also liked Kasha's realistic struggle over custody of her sister. Her shock at discovering Emma's existence and challenges were believable. I admired her determination to be part of Emma's life and her love for Emma was clear. There were some very sweet scenes of the two sisters together. I also felt Kasha's frustration at the party as her dreams ran up against reality. I liked Axel's support and his intervention at one point was brilliantly handled. I ached for Kasha as she struggled with the right thing to do.Throughout the series, there has also been the presence of a magical hope chest. Kasha claimed that she didn't believe in the magic, but couldn't deny how two of her sisters found love. I enjoyed seeing her fight the truth of the special wine, especially once she discovered that Axel could taste it too. Now the only one left is Suki - where is her story?

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

Sweet Romance down in Texas. Sexy, athletic, injured Axel has a lot to recover from. Sweet, charming, physical therapist Kasha has only a week to get this man in shape in more ways than one. There was a lot more on the line than just not having a job any longer. Axel was you all American athlete that does not know when its time to take a rest. he does not understand its more to life. Or do he? Loss of love has a way to make you not care about a lot of things. Including when you are injured and in need of time to heal. Kasha was strong, goal oriented, and real. She said things the way they were not sugarcoated. Self-control was one of her things. She had one very important goal and that was to attain guardianship of her half-sister, Emma. We have a contemporary romance that was built in Texas around an athlete and a physical therapist for an athletic team but this was not a sports romance. In this romance we find that burn of attraction that builds to a inferno as time goes on. The build of their relationship makes this that much sweeter to savor. Minding hearts, repairing souls, and fixing families can make a romance that much sweeter. Lori Wilde knows how to bring the romance with that special Texas flair. **This ARC was provided via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.**

[rosetyper9 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I DNFd this one. I couldn't get into it. The chemistry felt too forced for me.