[ARC REVIEW] “Check Swing” (Callahan Family #3) By: Carrie Aarons

“Check Swing,” the third book in Carrie Aarons’s “Callahan Family” series is out! You can read my ARC review below, and also read the book for yourself. The fourth book in the series comes out this summer, but you can catch up on the first three now.

About “Check Swing”:

Sinclair Callahan is a trust fund baby.

Born into one of the richest, most notorious families in the country, the black sheep title was stamped on him from an early age. While the rest of his relatives earn their keep at the top tier baseball team they’ve owned for generations, Sin prefers spending his time and money on booze, babes and bad decisions.

Until all three land him in a coma, fighting for his life.

One year later, with a sober chip in his hand, he arrives at spring training ready to turn it all around. But when he meets the only woman who doesn’t recognize just who he is, he can’t help omitting a few important details … like his last name. No stranger to charming women, Sin uses one of his old skillsets to kick off what is sure to be an epic hookup.

But when she shows up five months after their brief Florida fling with a secret that will topple his privileged world, he might just lose everything he’s worked so hard to rebuild. Including a real shot at love with the sassy redhead that he’s been too much of a coward to pursue.

Can he shoulder the responsibility he’s always shrugged off? Or will he balk at the real-life complications and strike out completely?

Francesca Kade is an independent goal-getter.

As one of the only female strength coaches in the league, she’s used to invading the boys’ club. After putting up with being passed over and not promoted for a number of seasons, she’s finally got her shot.

A consummate professional with blinders on, there is no way anything will screw up all she hopes to achieve. Well, except for maybe the new employee with eyes the color of ocean waves and a smirk that’s the definition of sin. When they catch fire in the southern heat, it’s almost impossible to put it out.

Until she finds out that he’s her boss’s boss’s boss.

Burned from the betrayal and panicking with a fresh secret of her own, Frankie is shocked when she lands her ultimate dream job. There is no way she’s turning it down. But when she bumps into Sinclair on day one, all of the old feelings and new problems come hurtling at her like a baseball to the face.

Will she ever be able to trust that he’ll put both her and his responsibilities before his vices? Or will their differences cost them the game?

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review:

Please note: This will contain spoilers for previous books in the series, so read at your own risk!

First of all, I loved getting to see Colleen, Hayes, Hannah, and Walker from the first two books. It was cute seeing how their families have progressed since their stories last concluded. (Y’all know that’s something that I love in books, when former characters show up!)

We’ve seen Sinclair pop up in the previous books, but we got to see him do a lot of growing up in this one. After his accident in “Stealing Home,” this book picks up about a year or so later. Sinclair is able to connect with Frankie in a way that he hasn’t with anyone else before, likely because she doesn’t realize who his family is. At least in the beginning, Frankie actually is higher up in the organization (job wise), so technically she kind of has the upper hand there…a little.

It was interesting to see the dynamic of Frankie being a female strength coach, and how that impacted her interactions with those around her — both her boss’s, and the players that she was coaching. She’s very independent, and I liked that she didn’t suddenly become dependent once her and Sinclair got together.

Overall, I think this was a great addition to the Callahan family series! The fourth book in the series releases this summer (which is previewed in this one!) but I’d be interested in a series following all of their kids as adults sometime in the future as well! Thanks to Carrie for providing me with a copy in exchange for a review!

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