Fire Season ARC Review — let's get lit

I was really (truly) thrilled to get the email from NetGalley, letting me know I’d been approved to snag an ARC of KD Casey’s queer baseball romance, Fire Season. Well friends, I’m here feeling ALL kinds of feelings and ready to tell y’all the (mostly) spoiler free things.

As always, a huge thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for this ARC. Thoughts below are my own.

Without a doubt Fire Season is a deeply, deeply wonderful romance full of longing, connection, joy and bravery. It centres around Reid, a relief pitcher who is in recovery from alcoholism, being called up to the Oakland Elephants, and Charlie, a currently in progress divorcee, Cy Young award winner, anxiety experiencer, and general handsome giant of a man.

The MOMENT these two meet in the clubhouse on Reid’s first day I was SMITTEN. There is such an ease in which Reid and Charlie connect and experience each other. Yes, of course there is genuine attraction to each other, but at its core there is such deep and pure friendship. It’s so authentic, that some moments we get to experience as readers of Reid and Charlie, felt so personal and intimate.

Besides the high-pitched squealing sounds going off like a rocket in my heart, I LOVED that there was not just a centralized story of addiction and recovery, but of personal realizations, of acceptance and of growth. There are so many things I want to say about this book, and I fear that I don’t have enough words to do it all justice.

Avis will melt hearts. Slow dancing in hotel rooms will be set to a swoon factor of ten. Missing someone from the other side the bed? I mean, I am UNWELL. This book just drop-kicked my heart and refused to stop.

Casey does a brilliant job immersing her readers in the minds and hearts of her characters but also of the game of baseball. I was transported each time we found ourselves on the mound or in the clubhouse with Charlie and Reid. It made me love each moment I had with them AND dread coming to and end.

A truly heart first read, Fire Season is everything it sets out to be, and more. Grab your copy when it lands in store July 19th 2022, or anywhere you get your books.

Note: There are heavier themes that this deals with, and with any book, check the content warnings if anything might be a challenge for you to experience.