First published 1987
Jake "Nails" Morrison grips his bat in the on-deck circle as the crowd roars. The rookie outfielder has clawed his way up from small-town obscurity to the major leagues, but success brings unexpected dangers. Team veterans pressure him to join their gambling scheme. His agent pushes performance-enhancing drugs. His childhood girlfriend back home threatens to expose secrets that could end everything. Morrison must navigate clubhouse politics, media scrutiny, and his own ambitions while trying to stay true to the values his father taught him. Each game becomes a test not just of his athletic ability but of his character. The pressure mounts as the season progresses and Morrison realizes that winning in baseball means nothing if he loses himself in the process.
Genres: fiction, drama, contemporary, sports
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
215 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday & Company