No Breaking My Heart

Angell’s latest sports romance (after No One like You) is a letdown, with inconsistent characterization and a flimsy story. The Richmond Rogues is a baseball team whose players are all very popular with the ladies, and none more so than handsome Halo Todd, who has lovers up and down the East Coast. When he’s accosted by Alyn Jayne, who’s dressed as a chicken (though she doesn’t seem the type to do that at all) and agitatedly begs him to join her on a game show, Halo’s kind heart forces him to agree, though the gig makes him late leaving Richmond for spring training. Soon he’s captivated by modest, serious Alyn and her mother and brother. The family accompanies Halo to the Florida boardwalk town of Barefoot William, where Alyn’s little brother, Danny, gets to hang out with his baseball idols and Halo tries to show wary Alyn that he can be faithful to one woman. The push and pull of their attraction creates some appealing moments. Angell’s latest entry contains more baseball, but the descriptions of the play are not very convincing, and the players keep adopting dogs with no mention of what will happen to them when the team goes on the road. But her fans will enjoy the familiar setting and cameos by previous characters in the series, and the supporting cast is delightful. (Aug.)