Tucker Cassidy is the good-looking pitcher for the St. Louis Rivers professional baseball team. Although the sexy, delicious man can -- and does -- have any woman he wants, he has the penchant for picking out the wrong kind of woman. After a painful (in more ways than one) breakup with his current girlfriend while at a party, his wounds are seen to by the delectable Dr. Aubry Ross, who just happens to be the team owner's daughter. Immediately intrigued, Tucker goes out of his way to seek out Aubry's attentions, which she's not very willing to accept. The young doctor is focused on her career, and not looking for a relationship.

Aubry has worked long and hard to become a doctor. Her current residency in the ER is grueling and time consuming; with a doctor supervisor who watches her every move with a critical eye. She doesn't have much inclination to start up a romantic liaison, and her father has deemed her preparations to be a doctor more important than pursuing relationship. Still, Tucker is awfully cute, sweet, and persistent. Throwing caution to the wind, Aubry begins what she perceives to be a no-strings relationship. She and Tucker both lead very busy lives, and can't see each other very often. What's a little sexual fling going to hurt?

ALL WOUND UP is the tenth book in author Jaci Burton's wildly popular Play-By-Play series. The books are all sports-themed, fun, and intensely sexual. There are mentions of previous characters from earlier books in the series, but nothing to hinder the reader from reading this as a standalone. Tucker and Aubry were both engaging characters. Tucker truly respected Aubry's work, and the fact that she didn't always have time for him. He was always as willing to work around her professional requirements, just as she is his. That is a refreshing change for a male lead, who usually expects a woman to work around his personal wishes. As for Aubry, she was a vibrant, intelligent woman who enjoys sex and isn't afraid to voice her needs in the bedroom. That's also refreshing to read. I wasn't too crazy about her overprotective father's machinations, as it was a little predictable and cliché.

ALL WOUND UP is a quite enjoyable read. Even after ten books, the Play-By-Play series is still going strong. That's a strong testament to Burton's exceptional writing skills; she can still keep the reader entertained and intrigued with the long running series. Not only is the reader treated to the expected look into a professional athlete's career, we also spend a fair amount of time in the ER with Aubry, following the dynamics of her challenging career. As always, the family interactions in this series keep the reader impatiently waiting for the next family member's story. A winning entry in an always intriguing series.

Book Summary

In the latest Play-by-Play novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Quarterback Draw, a sexy baseball player is done striking out...

Tucker Cassidy is going through a slump—both with his curveball and in his dating life. After having a painful altercation involving his ex-girlfriend’s knee, the professional baseball player is convinced things couldn’t get worse…until a gorgeous doctor comes to the rescue at his most embarrassing moment. As the daughter of the owner of the St. Louis Rivers major league baseball team, Dr. Aubry Ross has been around jocks all her life. She knows the ins and outs of all their games, and she isn’t interested in playing. When Tucker repeatedly lands in the hospital where she’s working, Aubry starts to think he’s getting injured just to see her. Tucker is both funny and sexy, and Aubry is pleasantly surprised to discover he actually respects her job. But when her father disapproves of their relationship, will Tucker let threats of a trade get in the way of a game-changing love?