Review: Thrown by a Curve by Jaci Burton

She thinks she knows this player—but he has a few surprise moves.

For Alicia Riley, her job as a sports therapist for the St. Louis Rivers baseball team is a home run—until she becomes the primary therapist for star pitcher, Garrett Scott. Out of the lineup with an injury, he’s short-tempered, hard to handle, and every solid inch, a man.

Right now, the only demand he’s making on Alicia is that she get him ready to pitch in time for opening day. Except the sexual chemistry between them is so charged, Alicia’s tempted to oblige Garrett just about anything. But both their careers are at stake—one bad move and it’s game over for both of them.

Garrett also feels the hot sparks between them, and the way he figures it, what better therapy is there than sex? Now all he has to do is convince the woman with the power to make the call.

Thrown by a Curve picks up with Alicia Riley, Cole Riley's sister, and pitcher Garrett Scott.  It is also the final Riley book and ushers in new characters who happen to be friends of Garrett's from college, now in various professional sports. 

Garrett has been injured and is slowly working his way back into pitching rotation.  His rehab isn't progressing as he would like it to, so when Alicia is observing his treatment, he asks for her opinion.  Shocking them both, as well as the staff of trainers, he decides to have Alicia oversee his rehab.   Garrett would like to push his relationship with Alicia farther, but she is adamant they maintain professional boundaries. 

What I liked about Alicia and Garrett was their banter.  It's brisk and lively with just a hint of sexual innuendo, especially once Garrett imagines having sex with Alicia.  I didn't like that Garrett stopped supporting Alicia's method of therapy once his shoulder became stronger and improved.  That this happens after they've started sleeping together was bad timing on Garrett's part. 

I am interested to see how the Play by Play series can move forward with no Rileys as one of the main characters, so I look forward to reading One Sweet Ride to see how Ms. Burton handles that issue.