Out of Reach Series Review (Books 1-3)
OUT OF REACH SERIES
TAKE A DIVE INTO A NEW SPORTS ROMANCE SERIES
Today on Okie Dreams, we have a trilogy of book reviews for the first three books in the Out of Reach series by contemporary romance author Kaylee Ryan. To start, we will be diving into Beyond the Bases then we will follow that up with Beyond the Game and, finally, Beyond the Play. Each book can be read and enjoyed on its own, as each story features a brand new romance couple to meet. However, books two and three do feature characters you meet in the first book, Beyond the Bases, so those who love a good long series, will have plenty to enjoy in this one.
BOOK INFORMATION
Beyond the Bases by Kaylee Ryan Series: Out of Reach #1
Published by Self-Published on July 20, 2018
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Pages: 227
Format: eBook
Source: Amazon Purchase
Buy: Amazon | B & N | iBooks | Goodreads
RATING:
Also in this series: Beyond the Team
What happens when you want more in life than just running the bases?
You hang out at home plate and stop playing the field.
He's sexy and irresistible. I've done my best to ignore the magnetism that flows between us. I don't need complications in my life. I can't get wrapped up in his world, the last thing I need is to get attached to a professional athlete. I don’t have time for heartbreak.
Something about her pulls me in. I want to get to know her. I want a chance to show her I'm more than just my career, my paycheck. I'm the man for her. I know I am. No matter how much she resists this connection between us. It doesn't change the fact that she’s my grand slam.
BOOK REVIEW
Easton is a baseball player who is looking for more than just a one-night hookup. However, the girl he meets in his favorite bar thinks he’s a true player and isn’t telling the truth about what he does for a living. That doesn’t stop Easton from pursuing Larissa and wanting to get to know her, which is something he makes very clear on multiple occasions. But no matter what he does or how he presents himself, Larissa still turns him down. Of course, that changes as he learns more about Larissa and her past, and even more so once he discovers one of her responsibilities is her daughter, Paisley.
My favorite part of the book was definitely Easton and his interactions with Paisley. He is a really good guy and Larissa keeps him at arm’s length for a long time out of a need for self-preservation, which is understandable but also frustrating because she pre-judged him without giving him any kind of chance to prove her assumptions wrong. This went on for a little longer than I would have liked to have seen personally, but at the same time, I know that the author was building up to a deeper connection between the characters. So, it’s important to know going into this read that this book is not a rush straight into love and romance kind of story. It takes its time to build things up, and once it gets there, it’s super sweet and fun.
I do have to admit that I didn’t get why Easton was so enamored with Larissa, at least not in the first quarter or so of the book. He put in a lot of effort right from the start but there was nothing really to show why he felt such a huge connection to Larissa, especially since he barely knew anything about her. The story felt a little off in that aspect during the first quarter or so because Easton put forth so much effort to get to know Larissa but aside from liking the way she looks and the chasing of a girl who doesn’t fall all over him at first sight, it doesn’t feel like the effort he put in matched the interactions he and Larissa had to that point. This confusion during the first half of the book pulled me out of the story more than a few times, though I kept reading because I wanted to know why these two people should be together. And I am so glad I did.
The middle and second half of the book are so much better than the first. A lot of really great couple and character moments, ones that made me super glad I stuck this out and kept going with the book. The multiple epilogues were cute and I loved that we got to see a bit into future with this couple.
Overall, this was a great read for me, with good characterization and solid writing. While it didn’t overly wow me at the beginning, it turned out to be a delightful story with good pacing and enough things happening to keep the story moving forward despite the few issues I had with it in the beginning. And in the end, I really enjoyed Easton and Larissa story, and reading about how they fell in love.
BOOK INFORMATION
I received an advanced reading copy (ARC) of this book from the author, publisher, or publicist. The receipt of this ARC did not influence my choice to review the book on this site. It also did not influence how I felt about the book or its characters, storyline, and overall feel. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. As such, they only deal with what is written on the pages of the book and how what is written and otherwise presented made me feel during and after my reading of the book.
Beyond the Game by Kaylee Ryan Series: Out of Reach #2
Published by Self-Published on November 7, 2021
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Pages: 259
Format: E-Arc
Source: Publicist/PR
Buy: Amazon | Goodreads
RATING:
Also in this series: Beyond the Team
Paisley
One minute I’m sitting at the ballpark chatting with a handsome stranger, the next his lips are on mine and sparks are flying, while the whole world watches us reach first base on the kiss cam.
As the daughter of a former professional baseball player, I know all too well what it’s like living in front of the lens. Which is why I chose a career behind the scenes and away from the spotlight—that included my love life.
Post-kiss, I never expected to see Cameron Taylor again and certainly not playing for my team. I might want him more than my next breath, but I’m not willing to jeopardize either of our careers to make it to second base.
Cameron
A rare day of relaxing at the ballpark turns out to be so much more. I can’t take my eyes off the gorgeous brunette sitting next to me. The only thing hotter than her perfect pink lips is listening to her talk baseball.
Life throws me a curve ball when I get called up to the majors and Paisley Monroe is introduced to me as the team trainer. She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met—beautiful, passionate, driven, and off-limits.
When the media goes into a frenzy over our relationship, the rules change. But the love I have for Paisley goes beyond my love of the game, I don’t need the kiss cam to tell the world that she’s mine. I can do that all on my own.
BOOK REVIEW
Beyond the Game is the second book in author Kaylee Ryan’s Out of Reach series and features Princess Paisley all grown up. In the opening, Paisley is sitting in the stands enjoying a game when she gets caught on the kiss cam, where she ends up locking lips with the hot-guy stranger seated next to her. After the kiss, he gets called up to the majors and placed with her team, where she is the new athletic trainer, and that’s when things get complicated.
Paisley was one of my favorite parts of the first book in this series, so I was really excited to dive into this second book and read about her journey to love. Her connection with Cameron is fun and I was immediately invested in their story. That could be because I enjoyed her so much in the first book, but honestly, I think the author’s writing style has improved with this book. It feels more organic to me, with a more natural storytelling rhythm and character reveal.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I loved the story, the characters, and the relationship buildup between Paisley and Cameron. Cameron is a charmer, for sure. Paisley is a strong, independent woman who both wants to be swept off her feet and also remain her own person, with her own goals and ambitions. It made for a great dynamic between them.
Cameron is a really good guy, and he’s good for Paisley, which means they were a fun couple to read, and their chemistry was fantastic. The writing in this is compelling, too. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop.
If you’re looking for a great sports romance with amazing characters and a beautiful love story, this one might just fit the bill for you. It did for me. Now I can’t wait for the next book in the series, and luckily, I don’t have to as it is already available to read.
BOOK INFORMATION
I received an advanced reading copy (ARC) of this book from the author, publisher, or publicist. The receipt of this ARC did not influence my choice to review the book on this site. It also did not influence how I felt about the book or its characters, storyline, and overall feel. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. As such, they only deal with what is written on the pages of the book and how what is written and otherwise presented made me feel during and after my reading of the book.
Beyond the Play by Kaylee Ryan Series: Out of Reach #3
Published by Self-Published on January 2, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Pages: 251
Format: E-Arc
Source: Publicist/PR
Buy: Amazon | Goodreads
RATING:
Also in this series: Beyond the Team
Parker
Of all the hot guys in the club, of course I find myself tangled up with a baseball player. Our chemistry is out of the park, igniting as his athletic body moves next to mine.
I know exactly who he is, but the infamous Holden Bailey has no idea who I am, or my connection to the team. I prefer it that way. I give in to one dance with Holden and send him home alone.
He can have any woman he wants, but for some reason, he wants me. His pursuit is relentless. He wrote the playbook on being a player, though. Giving in could cost me my heart.
Holden
I thought getting traded to the Blaze was life changing, but it’s nothing compared to meeting Parker Monroe. From the moment she bumps into me on the crowded dance floor, I can’t tear my eyes away.
She’s gorgeous, intelligent, and definitely not interested. At least not in the player the media portrays me to be. I need to convince her that with her, I’m authentic, and what we have is the real thing. Game on.
When the truth gets twisted, it looks like I’m playing her. But she has it all wrong. The way I feel about Parker is beyond the play. She’s my end game.
BOOK REVIEW
Beyond the Play is the third book in the Out of Reach series and features Parker Monroe, Easton and Larissa’s middle daughter, and Holden Bailey, a brand-new player for the Tennessee Blaze. Instead of meeting in a bar like Easton and Larissa, or in baseball stadium stands like Paisley and Cameron, Parker and Holden meet in a nightclub. But like her mother and sister, Parker is not interested in dating a man she doesn’t feel could be serious about her
Much like the second book in this series, Beyond the Play was immediately immersive, putting me right into the story. I liked Parker’s scenes in the last book, so I’m sure that’s part of why I loved her in this book. Either way, I thought she and Holden had great chemistry and I enjoyed their romance a lot.
Like with Paisley and Cameron, Holden and Parker feel natural and authentic here, and so does their romance. The writing style still has the same organic flow as the previous book, which kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next for these two.
All in all, this is another solid sports romance, with two more great leads, more fun scenes with previous characters, and a wonderful, emotionally satisfying romance with plenty of setting details to make you long to go watch a major league ballgame. Or maybe that’s just me?
If you’re looking for a romance series that holds up to its promise, delivering fantastic characters falling in love for the first time, this is definitely a series you should check out. It checks a lot of boxes for both new and long-time romance readers. I enjoyed it a lot.
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