Rating: 5🌈

The finale story of the Hit and Run trilogy, Double Play brings back Herve Truffaut, the ex boyfriend of Pietro and ex best friend/employer of Thierry as a main character. Herve’s been a truly villainous person and his actions have caused enormous emotional pain as well as huge harm physically to both those men. He’s been hated and his narcissistic, self destructive personality gave no indication he would be redeemed.

Usually, that’s a iffy proposition for an author after making a character so reviled in previous stories. Most of the time it honestly doesn’t work.

Even here, Herve’s prior actions and the severity of the damage he’s caused to others is brought up often, as well as the fact most believe he’s not deserving of forgiveness.

That adds a rawness to the perspective and a darker side to the story and characters.

But Lindsey is able, by creating a fully balanced and multi layered being in Herve, to make us believe in his desire to change.

Now we get the complicated background, the abusive mother, the tormented adolescence, and the deep damage that left on him that helped create the monster he became. And is now trying to redeem.

The illnesses Herve suffers from , narcolepsy and cataplexy, are woven expertly into his life and character. I had little knowledge of both diseases until they were described in detail by Herve’s actions and emotional status throughout this story. The utter vulnerability and scary nature of these Illnesses are well portrayed.

Orion Coulter’s pain and situation derives from a different type of anguish and overwhelming sense of impending loss. That of a man he considers his brother due to ALS. His brother in law is dying and his grief is overwhelming him.

This sensitive issue is beautifully handled from many aspects. From that of the man himself who’s death is swiftly coming, his wife who is Orion’s sister, and then Orion who loves them both and does what his best friend wishes. He’s leaves for a vacation planned for the couple that they will never take.

Bring on the tissues. Because this is a heartbreaking aspect of this story.

The men, Orion and Herve , meet, talk, and begin a complicated realistic relationship, one with a man who’s prone to falling down, has a tight medication schedule and health requirements. Somehow, Lindsey makes it plausible, sexy, and hopeful.

As Orion is a MLB player on the same team as the other couples in the previous books, all those characters make important appearances here.

This is a tale of life, love, and redemption. It’s beautiful and tightly crafted.

I loved the ending and I’m highly recommending it. It’s the finest story, imo, of the trilogy.

Hit and Run Trilogy:

✓ Switch-Hitter #1

✓ Line Drive #2

✓ Double Play #3

Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com › showDouble Play (Hit and Run #3) by E.M. Lindsey

https://www.goodreads.com › seriesHit and Run Series by E.M. Lindsey

Description:

If self-destruction is an artform, then Hervé is a master artist.

After all, he’s perfected self-sabotage since he was young and full of promise.

He’s spent his life running from his past and pushing away anyone who might break down his walls, but it wasn’t until his body betrayed him that he realized just how lonely his present had become. Now he’s in the countryside, trying to figure out if anything is worth salvaging, and wondering if he’s the sort of man who will ever be worth a second chance.

Even when Orion Coulter—one of the star pitchers on the Denver Vikings—shows up in his little village like some sort of predestined knight on a white horse, Hervé doesn’t trust him. How can he when Orion is close to all the men Hervé hurt?

But Orion’s situation is more complicated than Hervé realized, full of pain and grief, looking for some kind of escape. And while Hervé knows that he hasn’t quite earned meeting the man of his dreams, Orion’s quiet voice, tender hands, and impossible promises has him wondering if maybe—just maybe—the universe is willing to give him the chance he doesn’t deserve.

Double Play is the final book of the Hit and Run MM baseball romance series. It features countryside kisses, grief, redemption, long walks, careful handling, and a painfully tender happily ever after.

—-

Unless it’s noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer.