In Catcher’s Box or Batter’s Box? by Gayle Keo
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I might have rated this three stars, except that it really needs an intensive edit to fix persistent grammar issues, especially a problem with constant tense switching throughout the main story and the additional free stories in the edition I read. It’s a pity because the characters in the main story are engaging and have credible chemistry. I was a bit baffled by their early interactions, and had difficulty deducing their motivations sometimes from the information the reader was given, but their attraction was strong and clear enough to override that. I would quibble a bit that the story ends a bit abruptly, and reads more like an intro to a longer book. (Which the characters could probably justify.)
Out of the additional free stories, the one with the fairy threesome was cute with some interesting ideas. But really the standout besides the primary story was ‘Jasmine – Life Is Hip, Love Is A Gift’. The charismatic and determined heroine engages the attention and sympathy of the reader, and the credibly sympathetic beta hero is unusual and interesting. (Although given his stated personality and history, his level of sexual experience is a bit of a mystery.)
Overall the tense issue really does detract from the reading experience, and a professional edit might be justified.
alexankarrbooks 
I’d have a really difficult time getting through it with tense switching — that drives me batty. At least the story itself was decent! Great review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m just reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s ‘Big Magic’, and tense switching is nowhere near as bad as her trick – following a colon with a capitalized word! No lie! It’s making me crazy. And this is a Big Pub pro-edited book.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is AWFUL. I’ve noticed that authors considered “popular” by big pubs usually don’t get a lot of great editing done on their books, unfortunately; it might have been them just letting her do her thing because they figured it’d sell no matter what. Or they caught it and she adamantly refused to change it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m actually all in favour of breaking the rules, as long as you learn them first. So I’m a complete hypocrite here, but there are just certain things, individually, aesthetically, that act like nails screeching down a blackboard to a person’s sensibilities. And this is one of them, for me!
LikeLiked by 2 people
BTW it’s a terrific book, totally inspiring. I wouldn’t want to put anyone off it, it’s an incredibly petty little thing that just gets on my last nerve.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally get that, though. I also like breaking rules, but not THAT way, but that is rather nitpicky. :p Good to know it’s a good book aside from that!
LikeLiked by 1 person