MAN OF THE YEAR

Author: Lisa Ruff ISBN: 9780373752188 6/2008 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: HARLEQUIN

Advertising executive Samantha James is looking for a ballplayer who can turn the city's losing team into a winning package. From the moment she sees pitcher Jarrett Corliss in that steamy locker room, she knows she's found her star candidate. She also knows she needs to steer clear of the arrogant player outside the boardroom. Jarrett agrees to be Samantha's poster boy on one condition-that she goes out with him. Even though the team's owner has forbidden fraternization because of recent scandals that almost brought down the ball club, Jarrett isn't about to strike out. He needs the team to win this season to save his career, but he also needs Sam.and this is the one time where he hopes his pitch lands a home run.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I've got to admit I've got a soft spot for baseball. When I saw MAN OF THE YEAR, I figured this could either be very good—or awful, depending on how much the author knows about the sport. Turns out Lisa Ruff knows her baseball—and her writing! MAN OF THE YEAR is one of those feel-good, heartwarming stories that begs to be read over and over again. I loved it.

While the mechanics of baseball aren't the primary focus of this story, there is enough about the sport, players and behind-the-scenes team time to satisfy any baseball fan. Samantha comes to the Raniers from Emerald Advertising with one thought in mind. She wants to push the team from the slump they're in to a winning streak, and she knows that to accomplish that she must find someone to lead the team. Samantha knows Jarrett is the man to do it, but the savvy baseball player has an agenda of his own and Samantha's the first item on his list.

I think the thing I loved the most about this is the author's voice. Ms. Ruff tells this upbeat romantic tale without relying on any diversions. There's no fancy prose, no unnecessary detours. Instead, this story is told in a straightforward, often enchantingly humorous, way. I felt like I was sitting with a girlfriend dishing over life and love with the occasional baseball reference thrown in for good measure, as if it was meant to remind us we had just left the ballpark.

MAN OF THE YEAR by Lisa Ruff is a delight!

Kay James