A cocky minor league pitcher and a laid-back physical therapist … a dream team or a disaster?
Micah Warner is an asshole. Everyone knows it, hell, he knows it, but he’s focused on getting to the big leagues and earning the kind of paychecks that’ll help him take care of his struggling family. He can’t afford to get outed.
Justin Lamb is a romantic. Everyone loves him but his job with the … Everyone loves him but his job with the Cougars leaves a trail of heartbreak in his wake. Getting involved with a player is risky but he makes an exception for the new hot-shot pitcher.
Their hooking up quickly develops into real feelings but when Micah’s catastrophic shoulder injury threatens their careers and relationship, they have one choice to make.
Love or baseball?
Touch & Go contains a cocky pro-pitcher with a secret soft side, a physical therapist with a man-bun and a talent for dirty talk, meddling friends, and a whole lot of baseball.
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I was given a free audio copy from the author and Neon Rainbow for an honest review.
Story = 4.5 Stars
Audio = 4 stars
Micah is the stereotypical jock in the closet. Micah is his PT and is out. They travel together and share the loneliness of the tour. They decide to help each other out no strings attached. This is something done alot in books but I really liked this cause there was an added twist. They are testing the theory of not only can people in business together have a relationship without getting caught but also can a relationship last if your dream is the game and the person you’re with has the potential to ruin it if they bench u. This made me very interested to keep reading to find out.
I haven’t read book 2 yet but I liked this one way more than book 1. All the characters were well developed and I loved both the MCs. They had great chemistry together and were interesting on their own. The plot was interesting and even though I think baseball is the most boring sport ever and there is a lot talk about it, the story kept my interest the whole time. This is def a page turner that I could read all at once even though I believe the runtime was 9 hours according to my kindle and there is lots of .
If I had any complaint it would be that despite being gay Micah has some pretty ignorant messed up opinions about Bi and other gay people. That’s the only thing that prevented it from being 5 stars for me. He could of had his aversion to coming out without slamming other people, especially even after Justin told him he was offended by it. The rest of the book was great.
The narrator had a nice voice and kept a good pace. He expressed the emotions pretty well. The characters voices weren’t distinct which is unfortunate but still a really pleasing listen.
Hurt/Comfort With More Than A Touch of Redemption
Oh, Micah. I didn’t like him at all in the first two books, but Brigham Vaughn did an amazing job redeeming him. This is a beautiful story with excellent characters.
I love hurt/comfort and baseball stories, so this one was perfect for me. Although this can be read as a stand-alone, you’d get more out of Micah’s redemption if you read the other books.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the 5th book I’ve read written by Brigham Vaughn; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
The story of Micah and Justin is slow burning and heartwarming. I love Justin, who is considerate, brave and almost saint like, compared to Micah, who is not so likable with all his phobias and burdens. I did feel that the story dragged on a bit too much for me. But overall it’s an enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is another amazing story by Brigham of finding love and your true self. Micah wants nothing more than to be a pitcher in the major leagues. But he sees being gay as a drawback and so he hides who he really is. Before he knows it, he finds himself involved with the team’s physical therapist, Justin. The two are hiding but when Micah suffers a devastating injury during a game, Justin’s reaction pulls things out in the open. While he is recovering, Micah realizes what’s truly important after Justin puts a stop to things. In the end, Micah realizes that being happy with someone you love is more important than chasing a dream where you have to hide who you truly are.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Micah plays baseball for the Skokie Cougars and is gay and in the closet. Justin is the physical therapist for the cougars and is bi and out. Micah doesn’t want a relationship but wants a friend with benefits. Justin doesn’t get involved with people he works with. They end up together for the benefits but things start to change. I really enjoyed this book.
Be ready to have your emotions tugged in book 3 with Micah and Justin.
Micah Warner is a talented baseball player with high hopes of making in the major leagues. Sacrificing any semblance of a normal life is par for the course when trying to make it big. This includes social sills and personal relationships. Let us also factor in his obnoxious attitude and well, it may explain a lot.
Justin Lamb is the team physical therapist who is in love…with his job. He has hopes of finding that one true love. His job makes any real prospects hard when you are consonantly traveling.
What should have been a no strings situation has now become something more. “Co-workers with benefits” never work out the ways its intended. If Micah and Justin decide to continue this in secret, their careers are on the line. Will their chance at happiness be over before it begins?
**I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.**
What an emotional rollercoaster!
I went into reading this book expecting that it would make me super emotional, and indeed, Micah’s story really took me for a loop.
After reading the first two books in the series, where we meet Micah acting, like, arguably, one of the worst characters I ever read, I got in touch with the author and told her he’d better redeem himself big time in this book. She replied to me and said that “He is a very, very frustrating man but I promise, he will redeem himself. And under all that surly lashing out is a man who really wants to be loved.”, and well, this just about sums up everything this beautiful book is.
I’m always happy when I discover new authors and new books. Although Brigham is not exactly “new” to me – I’ve read the books she wrote with K Evan Coles – this is the first of her solo books, and what a delight!
Edit: I have read the previous books on the series and I stand to what I wrote below!
Although part of The Midwest Series, this can be totally read as a standalone. And this is one of the many good points of this story: from the beginning the reader can see Micah has a past – a not so nice one – but it’s all explained during the story. So, even if you haven’t read the previous books (like me) you won’t feel out of place or disconnected. The sports part was also a nice surprise to me. I have zero knowledge in baseball. I know the basics and that’s it. Same goes for physical therapy and all related. Yet, everything here felt so simple and so well explained that I felt almost like a native player hahah. And that’s quite an accomplishment in a book. This only shows how the author made an extensive research for her story: the cultural aspects of Micah’s life, the city, the teams, everything! So all this, combined with good and somewhat stubborn characters made this book one of the most enjoyables ones for me this year!
This is the 3rd book in the Midwest series. Micah and Justin are great characters. Their careers are on the line if anyone finds out about them. What will they decide to do?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Micah Warner, a Skokie Cougars rookie starting pitcher, awoke and rolled his shoulders. The one was okay, but the other caught in mid-roll and a stab of pain went through him, for the third night in a row.
Justin Lamb, a physical therapist, asked Micah how his shoulder was. He had noticed him icing it more often, during practices and workouts. But Micah tried to brush him off, fearing he would be put on the disabled list. But Justin told him he wanted to check out the shoulder, so he couldn’t refuse. Although Justin didn’t feel any pops or clicks, he warned him to watch for that. Those injuries were one of the major career-ending injuries for pro pitchers, but Micah was sure that couldn’t possibly be what he was experiencing.
Micah and Justin eventually decide to go for a no-strings hookup to help with the tensions. Micah is still resolute about not coming out. His career is too important to risk public backlash. But the decision may be taken away from him as he is injured in the game. He needs to realize his career in baseball might be over. He still hasn’t made his sexuality known, which effectively keeps Justin out of reach. So he has some decisions to make. Give up baseball and leave behind the career he has coveted since he was 5 years old? Continue hiding his sexuality? And is he willing to give up Justin and not take a chance for a HEA with him?
This book will definitely hook the reader’s emotions. Micah has sacrificed to get where he is, wanting to care for his mom and sister because his father had never done that for them. He puts all of his own needs and desires second. His injury changes everything. Can he come to terms with this new reality? Will he make the right choices for his life? Will he realize that love is the one thing that truly matters?
I love this series and the characters. I took a chance on this author because I liked the story blurb and I was not disappointed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is so hard to write because I really like the series and I enjoy reading this author but I really really did not like the lead in this book. I think he is selfish and childish and angry and not deserving of the love and patience from people that he has not earned. (I’m talking about Micah, Justin is perfect)
Maybe it is because I know angry guys like Micah, but he really bugged me. Ok, enough about that…
TOUCH AND GO is book 3 in “The Midwest Series” and it can be read as a stand-alone. Told in 3rd person, the book follows Micah & Justin and we also get to see the characters from books 1 & 2 (which I always like).
Do I recommend this book? Of course!! Micah was just not my favorite of all the guys. It’s all good.
tags: mm, lgbtq+, booksprout, sports romance
This is the third book in the Midwest Series and it can be read as a standalone. However a lot of the characters that appear from the first two novels do play a part in this book so I would advise reading them beforehand just for some more context on the inner-relationships between everyone. This novel picks up before the end of the second book where Micah is currently playing pro-baseball. All his life he has dreamed of making it big so he could help take care of his family. Except with the majors comes a lot more stress and pressure and it doesn’t help that Micah has been experiencing some pain with his pitching arm. Justin is the team physical therapist and is openly bisexual. Micah overhears a conversation between Justin and another team member and he decides that he should hit Justin up about a no-strings-attached hook-up. What starts out innocent enough gets overly complicated; even further so when Micah ends up hurting his shoulder and requiring surgery. No with a bleak outlook on his baseball career; his refuseful to come out of the closet and his desire to push everyone away Micah is struggling for some semblance of control. Micah has a choice to make and he needs to decide if he’s all in with Justin or if he must stay in the closet forever…
I liked this novel a lot better then the first novel in the series but maybe not as much as the second. I do think it was the most interesting though in terms of character growth. Micah has been minor appearances in the first two novels now and frankly he’s been a major (insert swear word here LOL). I don’t think this novel gives him the overarching redemption one would except but I think the reader finally gets some justification of why Micah has done the things he has done. I wouldn’t completely justify him for all his choices but it was nice to have some context and closure for some other characters in this series. So, in this aspect I believe that Justin was really the gamechanger in Micah’s character growth. I’m not gonna saw Micah is my favorite anytime soon but his story definitely made be dislike him a little bit less LOL. If you like character redemption kind of books and somewhat forbidden love this book is for you!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Yes he knew just how obnoxious he’d been..
by and1515
Micah was use to all the aches and pains
But baseball was his dream and he wasn’t about to give up.
His father had been a big jerk who wrecked all of there lives even after he abandoned them to poverty and only his grandparents help kept them from being homeless.
Micah possessed many character defects and some of those flaws were as big as the Grand Canyon.
Justin knew his job and relationships weren’t compatible especially after his last one ended so badly.
He honestly couldn’t believe what he’d all made a huge error yes their attraction was mutual but he wasn’t about to risk his livelihood.
They both knew this was a dangerous dance but neither one was willing to stop.
Micah was to stubborn for his own good even when Justin tried to make him listen however things ended in a spectacular disaster.
Micah couldn’t believe the situation he was sadly in he’s likelihood of ever pitching again probably slim at best and he was almost positive everyone knew.
He just couldn’t bring himself to tell them the truth because Micah knew how that probably would end.
Micah never saw it coming until he stood there trying to understand what just hit him after all his nice house of cards just came tumbling down and he had absolutely no idea how to fix it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved Touch & Go. It totally kept me hooked. I liked that Micah was a bit of a jerk (okay, maybe a lot, and I’d probably use a different word if it wasn’t a review). I thought Justin and Micah were a great couple, they definitely balanced each other out. It was a great book in the Midwest Series. I’ve enjoyed them all and I like that Caleb, Nathan, Lowell and Brent were part of the story. I admit I also love sports stories, not necessarily do I understand the sport but I love the dedication and work these athletes have and I love to see it showing through in the story. I definitely recommend this book and the series.
Loved the book, the story was well written and the characters were intriguing. Once I started I could not get enough, from the start till the end I was engrossed I was even on the edge of my seat with twists and turns, lust and passion, strength, happiness with a happily ever after. Do yourself a favor and buy the book you want be disappointed.
Thank you for allowing me to review your book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another terrific story in this series. I have found this author’s writings to be extremely well written, well told and very engaging. This one holds special meaning because the town where Micah’s family lives and he grew up in, Riverside, California, is where I grew up, as well. Very relatable for me. The story itself, the characters, both main and supporting are sometimes charming and sometimes a little unalluring. The “relationship” our heroes form is a bit iffy at best, but the end result, when all is said and done, is one worth waiting for. It’s always fun to meet up with old friends as we enter into the lives and worlds of the new friends we meet along the way. This book is another good story with heat, passion and turmoil, all the things that make for good reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
For most of this book,I’ve been in shambles watching the way Micah wears his anguish like a second skin. Afraid of being a failure, scared that someone might discover the truth about his sexuality, terrified of seeing his dreams shattered ,not knowing who he could be,if not a baseball player. All the while, bearing his struggles alone,not willing to allow anyone close.
Admittedly, he has also irritated me a lot of times,because he’s been acting like a class A a**hole. In the past and even with Justin.
I love Justin. Burned up and left broken enough by men in the closet, he has the greatest heart. Caring,understanding,gentle and so,so patient with Micah.
For a lot of reasons, from when they first met,all trough Micah’s recovery and their ”mutually beneficial, only sex ” relations, both Justin and Micah did their best to deny that what they feel goes way deeper than that. Trying to pretend that they only have a crazy intense sexual chemistry,content to just be in each other’s lives. I’ve never been happier than when they got their heads out of their backsides,lol (mostly Micah) and finally, finally do everything to be together, rather than find excuses not to.
It was & a lot of times in the story: Micah’s shoulder situation and subsequently his baseball career, and definitely in regard to Micah and Justin’s relationship. Brigham Vaughn was brilliant, once again, at writing characters that are strong yet vulnerable, and make their emotions become my own. I swore at them many times, I laughed and cried alongside them, felt their passion and their love.
Great book and definitely a must read.