 “Quint and Annie sitting in a tree…K.I.S.S.I.N.G.” Quint Lawson and Annie Weber heard that childhood song over and over and it never bothered them. Even though Quint was only five, Annie wasn’t just his neighbor. She would become his best friend and the love of his life. Annie wasn’t interested in dolls, or girly things when growing up. A tomboy at heart, having a boy as a best friend suited her just fine. That same boy captured her heart. Quint had two passions, his girl and baseball. From kindergarten to college, Quint tore up every baseball diamond he played on. His position was shortstop. His talent was undeniable. Professional ball was most definitely in his future, and he was ready for it. Annie would be right by his side. When everything in life is perfect, it’s hard to imagine heartbreak in any form. Quint wasn’t immune to its power. This shortstop had no idea what any form of heartbreak could do to his perfect world. When it hit, there were many casualties left in its wake…the most important one was Annie. Can a person be prepared for, understand, or even endure a misfortune if they’ve never experienced one before? In Quint Lawson’s case the answer is no. The Shortstop is a contemporary romance stand alone novel meant for readers who are 18+ due to mature content. Review by Ashley It is no secret that I adore A.M. Madden and her work so I didn't even think about not reading this book. She really hit it out of the park with The Shortstop. It had all the elements of Madden's writing that I love. There is laughter, drama, sweetness, steaminess and a hearty dose of angst. This book, especially the second half, had me an emotional wreck. I'm still trying to sort out my thoughts and feelings. From the first page I was pulled into this tale. I instantly connected with both Annie and Quint and related to their story. Annie and Quint are best friends turned lovers (I love these type of books). They've been through every major milestone in life together. From running through sprinklers to prom to college graduation they were each others rock and safe place. They've laughed, cried, celebrated and cheered each other on. Through it all, Quint has been striving towards his ultimate goal, to play professional baseball. He is good, damn good- and all the pieces are falling into place. He has the tools and he definitely has the talent. He is on the cusp of having it all and right by his side is his number one cheerleader, the other half of his heart, Annie. But life can change in an instant. One second in time changes the course of not only Quint's life but Annie's as well. I knew something was coming but I wasn't expecting the fallout to leave such a big wake. I both loved and hated that their perfect world got turned upside down. I liked that it brought out Annie's fighting side. She is a giver, a true fixer and has such a big heart but one can only take so much before they break. I liked that even though she was dying inside she did her best to get through to Quint. This situation brought out the worst in him. He was a completely different version of himself- pushing everyone away and turning to unhealthy outlets to try and numb his anger and pain. While he was completely justified in his feelings, the way he went about expressing them was just wrong. He was selfish and childish in how he treated not only his friends and family but himself as well. It takes another tragedy befalling him to bring him out of the shell he's been living in. I just kept thinking to myself how much more can they take? But it was the push Quint needed to get himself back on track. I loved seeing the "old" him come roaring back to life. Doing what he needed to do for himself, his family and Annie. He was both patient and relentless in his pursuit of what he always knew he needed. I could go on and on and on about The Shortstop and all its gloriousness (but I feel I've done enough of that already). This book is so much more than a sports romance. It is about what you do when your dream is torn from you in unimaginable ways. It is about being the best version of yourself when life tries to get in the way. It is about digging yourself out of your own grave of pity and despair. It is about friendship, forgiveness, compassion and love. A.M. Madden once again gave me a cast of characters that I adored. She also made me laugh, cry and swoon in equal measures. I could not put this down and when it was over I wanted so much more of Annie and Quint. And that ending, can you say full circle? This book is an absolute MUST read. About the Author  AMAZON and BARNES & NOBLE BEST SELLING ROMANCE AUTHOR A.M. Madden's romance debut is The Back-Up Series, consisting of Back-Up, Front & Center, and Encore. A.M. Madden is a wife, a mother, an avid reader of romance novels and now an author. In Back-up she aspired to create a fun, sexy, realistic romantic story. She wanted to create characters that the reader could relate to and feel as if they knew personally. A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, she loves getting lost in a good book. She uses every free moment of her time writing, while raising teenage boys. PURCHASE LINKS: Books AMAZON: http://ow.ly/tSauf BARNES & NOBLE: http://ow.ly/tSaxB SMASHWORDS: http://ow.ly/tSaB9 The Back-Up Series Store available at www.ammadden.com Back-Up original song - Reason I Am - iTunes download http://ow.ly/tTmWu Due to mature content, The Back-up series is for 18 or older only. The books in this series are not stand alone novels. website - www.ammadden.com Facebook - A.M. Madden, Author Twitter - @ammadden1 Email - am.madden@aol.com Buy The Shortstop
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