Title: Cricket
Series: N/A
Author: Anna Martin
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel (280 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (July 1st, 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
Blurb: New York native Henry Richardson needs a change. His boyfriend just dumped him, and his business has fallen victim to the economy. But is jumping on a plane after a surprise phone call taking things too far?
The promise of a new opportunity drags Henry away from the city to a tiny village in the English countryside and an enormous manor house his great-grandmother wants to bequeath him. As an experienced wedding planner, he sees the potential in renovating the dilapidated building and using it for events. All he needs is to find some local businesses to provide the essentials.
That’s how Henry meets Ryan Burgess, the shy but hardworking owner of an organic farm. The spark between them sizzles slowly while work on the house continues, but Ryan is deeply in the closet and unwilling to take the last step. They finally find something that clicks in cricket, something that Henry, a former amateur baseball player, is surprisingly good at. For him, cricket helps bridge the gap between England and New York—but unless Ryan can find something to span the divide between his sexuality and his fear, their relationship doesn’t stand a chance.
Product Link: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3996
Reviewer: GiGi
Review: Bloody hell! I think this is one of the sweetest love stories I’ve read! Let me tell you it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy. I relaxed into the warm, salt of the earth atmosphere of the Cheddar countryside as I read along Martin’s romance. From the grand old house, to the honest, hard-working farm boy Ryan, I fell in love with this sweet story. Martin paints with words the perfect likeness of the British public house, a place where families gather to share a pint, have a dinner of beef and roasties, and shout over a game of cricket. Also, the history and diversity of the British countryside.
I enjoyed watching Henry regain his confidence, work his way into getting to know the locals, and reconnect with family he had thought long gone. The only thing that could have made this story better would have been a more in-depth description of some of the Stretton House renovations, and that’s only because I’m a This Old House junkie! I highly recommend this wonderful story, but warn you you’ll want to book a flight to the British Isles when you finish!