Book Review: The Sweetest Game by J. Sterling

The Sweetest Game (The Perfect Game #3)
by J. Sterling
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Published: December 25th 2013
Format Acquired: ebook from Amazon
Purchase: Amazon

This is the third (and final) installment in Jack & Cassie's story!

“It’s one hell of a sledgehammer to the chest when your baseball career comes to an end. It’s like you finally realize that baseball never loved you back. All the sleepless nights, the hours spent at the gym trying to stay fit, the conditioning, the training, the mental preparation, the holiday’s missed, the birthday’s passed, the memories you didn’t get to make with your family…all for what? It’s not like baseball lost any sleep over you. She didn’t stay awake for nights on end trying to figure out how to make you a better player. She didn’t care. Baseball’s a business. A sport. A game. And as much as my entire life has been wrapped up in it, it’s time to let it go.”

- Jack Carter

When I read The Perfect Game I fell so in love with Jack and Cassie. I thought the book ended nicely but when I found out there'd be a sequel, I knew I had to check it out too. I was a little bit apprehensive but I still wanted more. I wanted to see what else happened to their relationship. Sadly, it wasn't much of a stellar read for me. In fact, I gave The Game Changer 2 stars. I don't know if I simply enjoy punishing myself or that I just wanted some sort of closure but I still went on and got myself a copy of The Sweetest Game, the third and final book in the series.

I wanted closure and that's exactly what I got. The story pretty much revolves around Jack and Cassie's married life, Jack's career and oddly enough Dean and Melissa. I liked seeing what else happened after the wedding and how they adjusted to being married. Well... there really wasn't much of a difference because they lived together before that but when they had a kid though (not much of a spoiler, right?) things definitely changed. It was a major adjustment for the both of them since Jack traveled a lot. It was weird seeing a different version of Jack and Cassie. They went from crazy, love-struck college kids to committed parents. It was weeeiiiiird but in a good way.

At some point early in the story, Jack's career took an unexpected turn. It was a great twist albeit predictable. I like that the story had a little teeny tiny bump along the way. I think it helped develop the characters further without having to put their relationship at risk.

I also liked how Dean and Melissa were included in the story. J.Sterling originally planned a novella for them but then she announced she wouldn't be going through with it because she couldn't find Dean's voice (or something like that). I honestly wanted Dean and Melissa's novella more than The Perfect Game sequels but whatever. So anyway, Jack and Cassie helped their two favorite people to get together. It was a fun little break in the Jack-and-Cassie drama. Plus, you get to see their story instead of having nothing at all. You take what you can get, right?

Now on to the thing that affected my enjoyment: it's too sappy. Maybe I outgrew Jack and Cassie. Or maybe it was all too repetitive? Point is: it's too much. I get that they love each other and that they would never stop loving each other. I just wish there wasn't so much declaration of undying love. I also didn't like how even Matteo and Trina had a way too perfect and sappy story. It was all too lalala for me. Except for the parts where Jack and Cassie fought of course but most of the time lalala~ yep.

So even if I love Jack and Cassie to pieces, I couldn't rave about this book. I like it but I wouldn't go and tell my friends who've read The Perfect Game to go and read the next two books. I just can't. The first book was perfect enough, in my opinion. But if you want to see them grow up and grow older, well then you must read on.