Review: High Balls by Tara Lain (Balls to the Wall #5)
Note: This ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
High Balls is book number five in the ongoing Laguna Beach-set Balls to the Wall series penned by Tara Lain. Admittedly, this series had a rough start with me. I wasn't a fan of the first book and the second one was better but still not what I had hoped it would. However, it hit its stride with the third and fourth books, and now, with this fifth and latest one, I do believe I've found my favorite in the bunch (so far!). If memory serves me right, this is the longest story to date, but it's still short enough that you may be able to finish reading in less than two hours' time.
Theodore Walters and Crystal Waters "Snake" Erasmo are new characters, although Theodore has established friendships with past characters featured in the series. Twenty-six-year-old graduate student Theodore is dad to seven-year-old Andrew, aka Andy. With his late wife's parents on him about his dissertation, Theodore knows he can't afford any distractions if he wants to be able to successfully write and defend it. His future and that of his son's are counting on everything turning out well. But is being with Snake a distraction or exactly what he needs?
Hands down, Andy was my favorite character in this story. My heart went out to him, especially with all the browbeating he was getting from his grandparents regarding religion and the bullying from the children who went to the same church his grandparents went to. Andy was adorable and it was easy to see how much he loved his dad and how easily he took to Snake. There was a lightheartedness and an innocence to the seven-year-old, but there was also this great maturity and the kind of acceptance that you wish adults in real life came to more easily.
I liked both Teddy and Snake, though Snake tipped the scales more towards his favor because he wasn't quite as neurotic as Teddy. There was just enough angst here to keep me satisfied, with Teddy nearly all of said angst. Can you tell that I'm a tad peeved with the single dad? Maybe it's because he wasn't happy that Snake had kept a secret from him, yet he was keeping one from the bartender as well. But overall, I quite like what Tara Lain did with this fifth book, and that sneak peek at Snow Balls has me excited for its upcoming release. 4.5 stars for High Balls. ♥
Theodore Walters and Crystal Waters "Snake" Erasmo are new characters, although Theodore has established friendships with past characters featured in the series. Twenty-six-year-old graduate student Theodore is dad to seven-year-old Andrew, aka Andy. With his late wife's parents on him about his dissertation, Theodore knows he can't afford any distractions if he wants to be able to successfully write and defend it. His future and that of his son's are counting on everything turning out well. But is being with Snake a distraction or exactly what he needs?
Hands down, Andy was my favorite character in this story. My heart went out to him, especially with all the browbeating he was getting from his grandparents regarding religion and the bullying from the children who went to the same church his grandparents went to. Andy was adorable and it was easy to see how much he loved his dad and how easily he took to Snake. There was a lightheartedness and an innocence to the seven-year-old, but there was also this great maturity and the kind of acceptance that you wish adults in real life came to more easily.
I liked both Teddy and Snake, though Snake tipped the scales more towards his favor because he wasn't quite as neurotic as Teddy. There was just enough angst here to keep me satisfied, with Teddy nearly all of said angst. Can you tell that I'm a tad peeved with the single dad? Maybe it's because he wasn't happy that Snake had kept a secret from him, yet he was keeping one from the bartender as well. But overall, I quite like what Tara Lain did with this fifth book, and that sneak peek at Snow Balls has me excited for its upcoming release. 4.5 stars for High Balls. ♥
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Read my reviews for the Balls to the Wall series:
Volley Balls (book one) - 2.5 stars - My Review
Fire Balls (book two) - 3.5 stars - My Review
Beach Balls (book three) - four stars - My Review
FAST Balls (book four) - four stars - My Review
High Balls (book five) - 4.5 stars - My Review (posted above)
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Release Date: 04 October 2017
Date Read: 04 October 2017
Learn more about Tara Lain.
Thank you so much for reading High Balls! I'm so glad you liked it. : )
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