Review: The Wild Card by Piper Rayne (The Dugout #2)


Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the authors via Valentine PR.

Did I correctly guess who the male main character was going to be in the second The Dugout book? Nope! I went with the wrong twin, but whether you guessed wrong or right, the writing duo that is Piper Rayne still delivered a highly entertaining and swoon-worthy accidental pregnancy, falling-for-your-sibling's-best-friend (or alternatively, falling-for-your-best-friend's-sibling), sports romance. If you've read the series starter, The Hotshot, then you know that at the end of the book, thirty-year-old podcaster Callie Carlisle shared a bit of news with her best friend; One hot hook-up has led to her being pregnant. The Wild Card reveals who the father is, and if you've read the blurb, then you know that it's none other than Foster Davis. Yup, it's none other than the thirty-three-year-old closing pitcher for the Chicago Colts, who also happens to be Callie's brother's closest friend AND teammate. How these two deal with impending parenthood, becoming roommates, and an attraction that just won't quit on top of all their secrets?

Kudos to Piper and Rayne for putting forth a fake pregnancy romance that isn't like majority of the ones that I've read. There were numerous things about Callie and Foster's story that were unexpected, all in the best ways possible. I'm not going to enumerate what those are because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone who has yet to read it. Also, I think discovering those surprises allows for a better appreciation of how Callie and Foster's relationship developed over the months they spent actually getting to know each other. I will say that I loved both Callie's independent spirit and her vulnerability when she brought her guard down with Foster. As for the guy nicknamed "The Reaper", suffice it to say that there is so much more to him than the glimpses readers got of him in the first The Dugout book. This Davis brother has definitely raised the bar for his twin, but I'm sure that Decker's story won't disappoint (knock on wood!). The Wild Card receives five stars!

Release Date: 02 April 2026

Date Read: 27 March 2026

Learn more about Piper Rayne.

Pre-order The Wild Card on Amazon.

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