What is “Tagging Up” by Carrie Aarons about?

All Anna Callahan wants is her independence.

Being the youngest member of her immediate family, and massive network of cousins, she’s always been sheltered. That ends now. After graduating with her masters in nursing, she’s ready to move out of her parents’ house, whether they support that decision or not. While wallowing in the guilt of that choice at the local bar, she bumps into the one guy she shouldn’t go near.

A player for her family’s team and her cousin’s best friend, Clark should come with a warning label. Not only because he’s the league’s number one playboy, but because he’s significantly older than her.

Unfortunately, they can’t seem to keep their hands off of each other. That initial night together leads to scorching glances across public parties, secret hookups in hidden places, and way more than either of their hearts bargained for.

But being with Clark means lying to those closest to them. When their secret is finally discovered, it sends the already skittish bad boy running for the hills. And although she claimed to want freedom with no strings, Anna can’t help but feel the sharp pull to be with him forever.

Clark Nyle swore a long time ago he’d never be committed to anyone.

After watching his mother ruin his father through adultery and abandonment, he knows that love is for masochists and he certainly isn’t one. Baseball and living life like every day’s a party are his only two passions.

Then his father dies, and he’s forced to question everything. It leads to a barstool, too many drinks, and into the backseat of his car with the one woman he should never have touched.

Now that he’s gotten a taste of Anna, he can’t stay away. Even if their secret affair comes with way too many consequences. Her family owns the team he plays for, not to mention his best friend would cut off his balls if he knew what they were up to. Plus, he doesn’t want anything long-term, and eventually he’s going to break her heart.

But the more time he spends with her, the more he seems to want a different future than the one he always planned on. Until they’re found out, and he’s forced to choose between his demons and the disapproval of his closest friends … or her.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Review:

I can’t believe this is the final book in the Callahan Family series! After meeting Anna and Clark all the way back in the first book of the series, it was great getting to see the two of them finally in the spotlight.

Unlike the rest of her family, Anna’s chosen not to work in the family baseball business, and instead forges her own path. It was interesting to see that dynamic for the first time, especially considering the previous books explored the difficulties that the characters had navigating their familial relationships within the family business, whereas Anna had the pressure of not being in the family business. Well, that, on top of her parents being scared to let her move out on her own, along with the age gap between Clark and Anna.

Clark is dealing with his own family issues too. After his dad dies prior to the start of the book, he struggles with his conflicting feelings on their relationship, along with the added stress of not wanting to have his relationship with Anna end up like the relationship his parents had.

Anna and Clark really have the odds stacked against them, considering Anna’s related to Walker, who is Clark’s best friend. There’s also the whole ‘Callahan dating another member of the Pistons organization’ problem too, which has been present in a lot of the books, but that’s not quite as prevalent here.

Overall, this was a nice ending to the series. It was great getting to see all of the characters from the previous books, and I’m so glad that we got Clark and Anna as main characters! As with all new adult books, I recommend it for 18+ due to some of the sexual content, but you do you.