Max Maldonado loves baseball. He knows playing first base at a private college probably won’t get him to the big leagues, but he doesn’t mind. He loves the game and his teammates. If he has to stay in the closet until he graduates, that’s okay. Baseball comes first. Relationships are complicated anyway. And after his recent messy breakup, Max prefers to keep things simple.Phoenix Bell is a … is a fabulous theater geek. He’s excited about his recent transfer to a new school with an elite liberal arts program. Life has been on hold for a while, but this opportunity feels like the fresh start he was hoping for when he moved to California. And the chance reunion with the hot closeted jock is an unexpected surprise. The two men have nothing in common and their timing couldn’t be worse. However, when their unconventional alliance blossoms into friendship and perhaps something more, it may be time to make some hard decisions. And perhaps risk it all…out in the field.
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4.5 stars
Heat Level: 3.5
Narration: 4.5
I love this series!!
I love the characters Lane has created and this one is another great one. It was hard to top the others in the series as books 2 and 3 are my all-time favs but this is still a great friends-with-benefits to love story.
As well all of the Out in Collage series, Lane manages to include the profound “coming out” moment but makes it realistic, real, and powerful every time and I loved this one. I think Nix and Max are perfect for each other and complement each other so well. I strongly disliked Max’s ex and his blatant manipulation and I was saddened that Phoenix just believed it. I also felt for Max when he comes out to his family. The “we already knew” happened to my BFF in real life and it’s hard because this is still a monumental moment for the individual regardless of whether you knew or not, so I felt for Max with his parents. I guess it all works out in the end LOL.
I’m loving these stories and every couple has a special place in my heart. A fantastic listen too!!
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Let me start off with how much I loved Max and Phoenix together. They complimented each other perfectly. It was easy to see how quickly the feels snuck up on these two. What started out as casual and fun soon changes to deep and meaningful.
I just loved the dynamics and chemistry between these guys. Phoenix is adorable, comfortable in his own skin and so encouraging to Max. Max has just been waiting for the right time to show everyone his true self….there’s no time like the present when the reward is a real relationship with Phoenix! I loved this story and will want to revisit with Max and Phoenix again.
This is #4, in the Out In College series. This book can be read as a standalone novel. For reader enjoyment and to avoid spoilers, I recommend reading these stories in order.
Max finds out someone he had met in the past is now attending his school. It would not matter, except this is someone he cannot forget. Now he can’t stop thinking about him night and day. Can he get past the hang ups and take a chance?
Phoenix AKA “Nix” is thrilled to be at a school that offers so much more. When he runs into Max – he is not sure how to react. He knows he is not out and there can be nothing more than a hook up. The real questions is can he keep his heart out of it?
I thought this was a great addition to the series. I loved the banter and the very real conversations these characters had. I felt like this was a very real story. This is the best book of the series so far, in my honest opinion. I give this a 5/5 Kitty’s Paws UP!
***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review only.
Baseball….one of my favorite sports!! But you don’t have to love baseball to love this book, it’s an awesome love story!! Max loves baseball, plays in college and holds a very deep secret from everyone except for his long time friend. Then he meets Phoenix one night and that night stays with him for months.
On campus he runs into Phoenix, shocked it was him, that same feeling comes over him. He wants this so bad but knows he just can’t come out, afraid his family will be disappointed, his team will shun him, what would he do? But Phoenix brings out his smile, makes him happy, except they can’t be a couple, they can’t hold hands and go on dates around campus.
When Phoenix finally says enough, something breaks in Max. He has to find a way to be himself, tell his family, his team and friends if he ever wants to have Phoenix be his.
This book is fun, sexy, some anxiety and overall smiles and happiness. I couldn’t put it down, like at all. I wanted them to have their happy ever after, I wanted everyone to love them together, I wanted to see what happened, so I didn’t sleep a lot lol. It’s a fantastic read, this whole series is fantastic!! Must read!!!
I’ve never disliked an ex more than I dislike Max’s ex, Skye. He has some groveling to do in the next book. Since I’m a big fan of Lane Hayes, I’m gonna hear him out. That said….Max and Phoenix are perfect examples of how opposites can attract, and that attraction can be bone deep. Like Phoenix, I’m not a baseball fan, but I don’t hate it. If Lane writes it, I will read it. She’s my own Field of Dreams. Like the others before it, this can be read, or listened to, as a standalone. However, reading/listening to the previous ones will enhance your experience. You run into Max’s roommate, Christian, and his boyfriend Rory. Their story is the previous book, and it’s a good one, too. Oh, I forgot to mention the sexy times are NOT lacking in this book.
4.5 stars-
I’m really impressed at this author’s ability to keep things fresh in a series. Out in the Field is the fourth book in the Out in College series and not only is it different from the others in the series, but it’s my favorite one yet.
As usual, Miss Hayes’s casual, welcoming tone and smooth banter made for a relaxing, enjoyable read. This was helped along by the likable characters who were simply adorable together. I loved the contrast of the closeted jock Max and the animated theater junkie Phoenix. While not an unheard of dynamic, Miss Hayes made this pairing all her own with sexy, sweet banter and a secretive friends with benefits arrangement I really wasn’t expecting at the start of this book. Though I definitely enjoyed the heat between Phoenix and Max, it was the easy connection that developed between them that really cemented Out in the Field as my favorite in the series. It seems the books from Out in College just get better and better, so I’m definitely excited for what’s on the horizon.
*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*
Ok..why cant’ i give more than 5 stars? Seriously, this was fantastic!
I absolutely flew through this book! Max and Pheonix caught fire and burnt up the pages. Their teasing, friendship, want to learn about the others passions.. theatre for Pheonix and baseball for Max, was wonderful. Their “agreement” wasn’t well thought out cause I knew it would go far beyond that for them. But they’re young. It happens.
A few bumps, like Sky coming back but otherwise smooth sailing, bed shaking, liplocking, grabby -grabby, kissy-facy.
I ADORE Max’s parents!! I love Sunny, Pheonix’s twin.
Again , AMAZING story! Looking forward to the next.
Crossing fingers for a double wedding someday with best buds Christian and Max and their soulmates? A girl can hope!
I have been looking forward to Max’s story, I knew we’d get it and we did! I have to say two things, first this was my favorite of the series so far, and second I love a good second-chance-romance and that is what we have here.
If you have read Out in the Offense (Out in College, #3) , you’ll remember Max he was Christian’s best friend and also his first everything. He was also in a relationship with Sky (whom I really didn’t like) at the time. All three of the men were keeping their sexual preference a secret so no one knows that Max is gay. Max also meets Phoenix in that story as well but once again he was with Sky so even though there was a definite attraction on both sides nothing could really be done about it, there was also the fact that they lived in different parts of California.
In this story Lane Hayes takes us on a journey of Second Chances, what if the guy you had met a few months ago and still thought about happened to bump into you at school one day, a school you knew he didn’t attend when you met? Would you take fate by the horns and run with it or would you run away because of your fears?
Phoenix is an openly gay man and he doesn’t care who knows about it, he wears eyeliner and lip gloss, he is part of the drama club, oh and he has a thing for athletes even though he doesn’t like sports. Max is in the closet, so deep I don’t think he can see the little bit of light that comes through the bottom of the door. Max has so many fears about being outed and not being accepted that he has only had two relationships, one with Christian for five years and the other was an open relationship with Sky, his worst fear is that his teammates will find out and won’t want him on the team anymore and baseball is his life.
This story was well written and had me at the very first page. I am a big baseball fan, in fact my son plays for his college, so I really enjoyed watching Max show Phoenix the ins and outs of the sport as they got closer. OUT IN THE FIELD is the fourth book in the series but each of these books can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading OUT IN THE OFFENSE first just so you can see how Max and Phoenix met and get a better understanding of Max’s relationship with both Christian and Sky.
Happy Reading!!!
This book is Excellent….as is the whole series!I