First Love, Second Draft

I made the mistake of reading this rom-com on the plane and caught a few side-eyes from all my snort-laughing. A second chance/forced proximity romance between a baseball star ex-husband and his failing author ex-wife (or wife as he thinks of her)—he has enlisted her to write his memoir to save both their careers. I loved the humour and heart in this book. The extended cast of characters are quirky but very real, and the whole thing comes together in a sweet HEA for all.

I enjoyed reading First Love, Second Draft, a delightful sports romantic comedy set in small town Illinois. Gracie is a romance author who split up with her professional baseball player ex-husband, Noah, five years ago. She’s living on five acres in the house where she has happy memories of her marriage.

Gracie is on a tight deadline to finish her contracted romance novel. The story isn’t progressing well and Gracie’s literary agent is concerned the editor will reject it. Gracie fractured her pelvis in an unusual riding accident and requires help to rehabilitate at home and finish her hot mess of a novel. Gracie is shocked when she discovers her nephew has arranged for Noah to rent the cottage on her property and assist her in recovering from her injuries.

Noah is forty years old and his baseball career with the Seattle Mariners is over. They dropped him from the team’s postseason lineup and Noah jumps at the opportunity to return to Illinois and win Gracie back.

Gracie is independent and struggles with impaired mobility from her injuries. She dislikes needing Noah’s help, which creates many LOL hilarious situations. The forced proximity means Gracie and Noah can’t avoid facing the issues that led to their marriage breaking down, including infertility issues.

I loved the charming romantic subplot and quirky cast of characters. I cheered for Noah and Gracie to remember why they loved each other and to put in the work to rebuild their broken relationship. The story includes…