Hi peeps, we have the brilliant Sloan Johnson stopping by with her newest release Curve Ball, we have a fantastic excerpt, a awesome Giveaway and KathyMac’s review to help her celebrate so check out the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~

Curve Ball

Sloan Johnson

Jason Klein’s living with the fallout from a decision he knew was the right one at the time. He never told anyone about the love of his life, which left him to mourn alone when he found out the man he gave his heart to had been killed in combat. Now, his heart has had time to heal, but he’s not sure he’s ready to let himself move on. Until he meets Cam Morgan…

Without a job lined up following graduation, Cam Morgan took his best friend up on his offer to move to Milwaukee and stay with him until he could get on his feet. The last thing he wanted to do the day after getting to town was go to a party filled with a bunch of jocks. Sure, they were “professional athletes” but Cam was convinced that bigger bank accounts didn’t make them any more accepting of people like him. He certainly didn’t expect to meet Jason, the Mavericks’ catcher who broke every stereotype he’d had.

What started out as one hot, sweaty night together quickly grows into something deeper. Jason welcomes Cam into his home and his life, but now he has to teach the younger man that it’s not a sign of weakness to let people help you.

Excerpt

“If you have something to say to me, just say it.” I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel to keep from shaking Drew. He was one of the youngest guys on the team, and right now, his immaturity showed through brightly. It was about time someone knocked some sense into him, before he wound up earning a bad reputation, both on the field and off. “I won’t apologize, because I haven’t done a damn thing to offend you.”

“Really? I shouldn’t be pissed off that I had no clue you were gay?” Drew seethed, his brown eyes narrow slits as he glared at me. “And I should be totally cool with you loading up my friend in the middle of the night to take him back to your place, right?”

“Yeah, actually you should,” I quipped, twisting the wheel tighter. “Cam is a grown man, and if you truly care about him, you should be fucking ecstatic that he’s getting out there to meet people.”

Drew muttered something to himself as he went back to staring out the window. His shoulders slumped forward and he seemed to shrink in his seat. I knew that look. It wasn’t one worn by a concerned or pissed off friend, it was the look of a man who felt the love of his life slipping away from him.

“How long have you felt this way about him?” I asked. My chest tightened, knowing that I wouldn’t stand between them. Drew and I might not be close, but I liked to think of him as a friend, a brother on the team.

“Doesn’t matter.” The response was so quiet I could barely hear the words. As I pulled up to the stoplight, I placed my hand on Drew’s shoulder, unsurprised when he jerked away.

“It does,” I assured him. “And you have to know I wouldn’t have done anything with him if I’d known.”

“Don’t say that. I’ve known for a long time that he’d never feel for me what I do for him.” I suddenly missed the anger Drew showed earlier. “If the way he looked this morning is any indication, you’re exactly what he needs in his life. And if I put my own feelings aside, you’re more than that. You’re what he’s always wanted.”

That was not how I expected this conversation to go. It started exactly as I’d seen it in my mind, but I hadn’t expected Drew to step aside. Maybe I was wrong in thinking that he was immature and selfish.

“Drew, if you say the word, I’ll back off. I’m not willing to destroy two friendships just for a few nights of fun.”

“The only way I’d ask you to do that is if that’s all this is for you.” I pulled up in front of the grocery store, but neither of us moved to open our doors. “Cam is one of the best guys I know. He’s got a big heart, but sometimes, he’s a little too open with it. If you’re only in this for a couple of hot nights, then yeah you should walk away from him.”

I felt backed into a corner. Sure, I’d thought about what it’d be like to explore something more with Cam, but I wasn’t in a place to do that. It had nothing to do with being on the road most of the year and everything to do with my own inability to be open with those around me. I’d grown accustomed to never letting anyone get too close, and Cam had already seen more than people I’d known for years. There was no way I’d be able to hold back if last night and tonight turned into something more.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” It was the most I could promise him.

About Sloan

Sloan Johnson is a big city girl trapped in a country girl’s life. While she longs for the hustle and bustle of New York City or Las Vegas, she hasn’t yet figured out how to sit on the deck with her morning coffee, watching the deer and wild turkeys in the fields while surrounded by concrete and glass.

When she was three, her parents received their first call from the principal asking them to pick her up from school. Apparently, if you aren’t enrolled, you can’t attend classes, even in Kindergarten. The next week, she was in preschool and started plotting her first story soon after.

Later in life, her parents needed to do something to help their socially awkward, uncoordinated child come out of her shell and figured there was no better place than a bar on Wednesday nights. It’s a good thing they did because this is where she found her love of reading and writing. Who needs socialization when you can sit alone in your bedroom with a good book?

Now, Sloan is a tattooed mom with a mohawk and two kids. She’s been kicked out of the PTA in two school districts and is no longer asked to help with fundraisers because she’s been known to lose herself with a good book and forget she has somewhere to be.

Social Media:

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In the Series:

Wild Pitch (Homeruns #1)

There’s never been any question in Sean Tucker’s mind that he’d do whatever it took to make it to the major leagues and be one of the best pitchers of his time. The day he acknowledged to himself that he was gay was also the day he vowed to stay in the closet in order to chase his dreams. The problem is, he never counted on Mason Atley.

Sean showed rookie short stop Mason Atley the ropes, both on the field and off. The two forged a friendship which continued as both of them moved through the ranks of the farm system and into the majors. Unfortunately, there’s always been one secret Mason never felt he could share with Sean. Until now.

For seven years, Sean lived with the fact that he loved a man who would never reciprocate. When Mason admits that he’s always known he’s bisexual but has never allowed himself to pursue a relationship with a man, will Sean be able to put aside his reservations about starting a relationship with the friend he’d always assumed was straight? And more importantly, will they be able to find a way to stay together when their careers keep them apart more than they can be together?

Buy Links:

Amazon | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | B&N | Kobo | ARe

Giveaway!

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Review

Title: Curve Ball

Series: Homeruns, Book 2

Author: Sloan Johnson

Genre: Contemporary, Sports, M/M Romance

Length: Novel (225pgs)

ISBN: B012UKW5DW

Publisher: Sloan Johnson

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer: KathyMac

Blurb: Jason Klein’s living with the fallout from a decision he knew was the right one at the time. He never told anyone about the love of his life, which left him to mourn alone when he found out the man he gave his heart to had been killed in combat. Now, his heart has had time to heal, but he’s not sure he’s ready to let himself move on. Until he meets Cam Morgan…

Without a job lined up following graduation, Cam Morgan took his best friend up on his offer to move to Milwaukee and stay with him until he could get on his feet. The last thing he wanted to do the day after getting to town was go to a party filled with a bunch of jocks. Sure, they were “professional athletes” but Cam was convinced that bigger bank accounts didn’t make them any more accepting of people like him. He certainly didn’t expect to meet Jason, the Mavericks’ catcher who broke every stereotype he’d had.

What started out as one hot, sweaty night together quickly grows into something deeper. Jason welcomes Cam into his home and his life, but now he has to teach the younger man that it’s not a sign of weakness to let people help you.

Product Link: http://www.amazon.com/Curve-Ball-Homeruns-Book-2-ebook/dp/B012UKW5DW

Review: Curve Ball is the second book in the Homerun series, by Sloan Johnson. Wild Pitch is still my favorite between the two, but I did enjoy this one, also.  Each book can probably be considered a standalone, but there are a few references in the story that related to the first book, but I don’t think it would hinder your reading.

Cam is Drew’s friend that we briefly met in Wild Pitch. He has just finished culinary school and has nowhere to go so Drew invited him to stay with him for a while. These two are best friends and have been for years. As far as Cam knows, Drew is straight and has girls lined up every night. And, that is the picture Drew paints but he has been holding a pretty big secret from Cam for a long, long time.

Drew wants Cam to go with him to a cook out the team is having. Cam has had terrible experiences with male athletes so he is not looking forward to going. But, he doesn’t want to hurt Drew’s feelings so he makes a desert, because that is his specialty, to take with them.

Losing your first love has affected the way Jason lives his life. Almost a hermit other than when playing baseball, he has fought nightmares and guilt for the past 7 years. Spending time with the other players on the team during their off days helps Jason to keep from going stir crazy.

Jason is pretty new to the team and hides his sexuality from every one. As soon as he sees Cam at the cook out he is interested. He’s not put off by Cam’s flamboyance clothes or style. As a matter of fact he is pretty enamored with him. He spends most of the evening talking with Cam hoping they can get much closer.

Curve Ball is about Jason and Cam, primarily, but Drew has secrets that once exposed gives him quite a bit of page time. Cam has had a rough family life and he pretty much holds those experiences against everyone. Even when Jason is sincere and committed, Cam still has trouble believing him.

Jason had a first love that was killed in combat in the military. He carries a lot of guilt for not getting to say the things he wanted to him and now he won’t ever have the chance. He finds it very hard to give himself and his heart to anyone else because he still has nightmares about Adam, his first.

I understand Jason wanting to hold onto his first love and even being afraid of giving his heart to someone else. What seemed a little unbelievable to me was once he decides to share the story, they were young teenagers and I think they only kissed. They really weren’t even a couple and Adam goes to the military soon after. Jason has held onto his memory for seven years which seemed a little extreme.

Cam is a little wishy-washy in his feelings, as well. He doesn’t want charity from anyone nor does he want anyone to think he is helpless. He continuously refuses anyone’s help even when they are only trying to offer support and help.

I didn’t feel the passion and the connection with Cam and Jason like I did with Sean and Mason. I did, however, love the moments the author put in showing us bits and pieces of Sean and Mason and where they are with their family now. Mason was hysterical in this book and became one of Cam’s closest friends.

There wasn’t any angst to dwell on and the sex was spontaneous but didn’t light up the sheets. I still enjoyed it and I am more curious than ever about Eric and hope he gets his own book soon. The next book will be about Drew and Bryce who is a friend of Jason’s. Bryce, for what we got to see of him, seems like he will be really interesting so I’m looking forward for that book.

The ending is not really a cliffhanger but it left some things unanswered which kind left me with a *whaaaat?* feeling. I’m sure we will find out in the first pages of the next book, I hope anyway. I would recommend this story especially if you read the first book, and also, if you like low angst slow burn love stories with some baseball players in the mix.