In a sleepy seaside town in Maine, recently widowed Eveleth “Evvie” Drake rarely leaves her large, painfully empty house nearly a year after her husband’s death in a car crash. Everyone in town, even her best friend, Andy, thinks grief keeps her locked inside, and Evvie doesn’t correct them.

Meanwhile, in New York City, Dean Tenney, former Major League pitcher and Andy’s childhood best friend, is wrestling with what miserable athletes living out their worst nightmares call the “yips”: he can’t throw straight anymore, and, even worse, he can’t figure out why. As the media storm heats up, an invitation from Andy to stay in Maine seems like the perfect chance to hit the reset button on Dean’s future.

When he moves into an apartment at the back of Evvie’s house, the two make a deal: Dean won’t ask about Evvie’s late husband, and Evvie won’t ask about Dean’s baseball career. Rules, though, have a funny way of being broken—and what starts as an unexpected friendship soon turns into something more. To move forward, Evvie and Dean will have to reckon with their pasts—the friendships they’ve damaged, the secrets they’ve kept—but in life, as in baseball, there’s always a chance—up until the last out.

This was my first time reading from this author. I listened to the audiobook version, and the highlight for me was Julia Whelan’s narration. She is truly the queen of audiobook performances, effortlessly bringing the characters to life and making the listening experience enjoyable. I loved her New England accents! If you’re considering reading this book, I highly recommend the audiobook format solely for her delivery.

The book started strong, immediately drawing me into Evvie’s situation—her husband Tim has died, but instead of mourning, she’s grappling with guilt because she was about to leave him before his accident. However, after the promising beginning, the middle of the book slowed down significantly. The pacing dragged, and I found myself waiting for something compelling to happen. Unfortunately, it never really did. The story meandered through Evvie and Dean’s journey of healing, but it felt more like a series of subdued conversations rather than a plot-driven novel.

Evvie, a professional transcriber, is struggling to rebuild her life in small-town Maine. Dean, a retired MLB pitcher, has lost his ability to pitch and is seeking refuge from the pressures of his past. Their connection is built on a forced-proximity, friends-to-lovers trope, which had potential but ultimately fell flat.

The banter between Evvie and Dean was a highlight—I genuinely laughed out loud at times. However, despite their witty exchanges, I never fully bought into their romance. Their chemistry felt more suited for friendship, and I often found myself thinking they would have been better off staying platonic. The book does an interesting job of showcasing a friendship that others assume will turn romantic, demonstrating that sometimes companionship is more valuable than a love story.

Beyond Evvie and Dean, the supporting cast didn’t leave much of an impression. Andy, Evvie’s best friend and a math teacher with two young daughters, was likable enough, but none of the characters felt particularly deep or memorable. Evvie herself became frustrating as the book progressed—she was constantly defined by the men in her life (her late husband, Dean, her best friend, and her father), making her character arc feel limited and repetitive.

This is a slow-burn romance, which I usually enjoy, but in this case, it felt tedious rather than rewarding. The novel seemed more focused on proving how broken the characters were rather than developing a compelling or engaging romance. The emotional baggage each character carried was emphasized so heavily that it overshadowed any real plot progression.

There’s no spice in this book—some discussions of sex occur, but any intimate moments are fade-to-black. In terms of language, there were quite a few f-bombs, which felt excessive at times. Additionally, there were some liberal-leaning comments sprinkled throughout, but nothing that overtook the story.

The Maine setting is one of the book’s strengths. The small-town atmosphere, changing seasons, and cozy New England backdrop provided a nice ambiance that complemented the story’s themes of fresh starts and healing. Unfortunately, even a picturesque setting couldn’t save the book from its lack of momentum.

This book is a decent romance but not a particularly memorable one. It had its moments—especially the humor in Evvie and Dean’s interactions—but the slow pacing, unremarkable characters, and lack of real plot made it a forgettable read for me. It was cute but predictable, and while some readers may appreciate the exploration of grief and personal growth, I found it lacking the spark I look for in contemporary romance. If you read the summary and are interested, definitely check it out. But personally, I’d say skip it. There are better romances to read.