i think that harper and jamil definitely had a lot of chemistry. i love that they found each other again and it ended up working out for them!

unfortunately this book fell flat for me. i really wanted to like it but it just didn’t do anything for me.
i didn’t care for any of the main characters and j thought that harper was insufferable the first few chapters.

there was absolutely nothing wrong with how the book was written, it just simply wasn’t for me.

thank you so much to embla books for the eARC.

Ally Wiegand’s Triple Play has all the ingredients for a winning contemporary romance: a high-stakes career opportunity, a swoony sports star, and the promise of a second-chance connection. When sports reporter Harper Nelson is sent to Chicago to cover the Cougars’ baseball season, it’s her shot at proving she belongs in the industry — to her boss, her doubting parents, and maybe even herself. The last thing she expects is to run into Jamil Edman, the MLB’s rising star and, inconveniently, the man she recently spent a very memorable night with.

Right out of the gate, the chemistry between Harper and Jamil is strong. Their banter is genuinely fun, with a great rhythm and charm that makes you root for them early on. Jamil in particular is an absolute standout — sweet, a little awkward, and totally smitten in a way that’s both endearing and entertaining. Their flirty moments, when they happen on the page, are delightful and definitely one of the book’s strongest elements.

But despite that spark, the story never quite settled into a rhythm for me. The romance moves very quickly — within just a few chapters, both Harper and Jamil are emotionally invested in a way that felt a little too intense for how little time they’d actually spent together. While I can appreciate the romantic ideal of a life-changing night, the story leans heavily into instant connection territory without much build-up, making it harder to fully buy into the depth of their feelings.

The writing style is earnest and often introspective, with lots of big emotions and sweeping metaphors. For some readers, this will add a poetic flair — but for me, it sometimes tipped into melodrama, making the story feel weightier than it needed to be. The characters spend a lot of time in their own heads, reflecting on their fears, flaws, and futures, which left me wishing for more lightness or moments of genuine joy outside their romantic tension.

Harper’s professional storyline had a lot of potential — a woman navigating the male-dominated world of sports media, trying to make a name for herself — but it didn’t always come through with clarity. Her frustration is valid, especially in an industry where women are often overlooked, but her actions sometimes undercut the message. I wanted to cheer for her more than I actually did, and the conflict around ethics and ambition muddied the waters further.

That said, I did appreciate the inclusion of deeper topics, like gambling addiction, and how that storyline was handled with compassion. Wiegand often writes about family dynamics with care, and that sensitivity shows here too. Jamil’s internal struggles added complexity to his character and helped ground his story beyond the typical athlete persona.

In the end, I found myself wanting to love this book more than I actually did. While there were moments of swoon and charm, the overall emotional intensity, pacing issues, and repetitive beats left me feeling a bit disconnected from the characters’ journey. I ended up putting it down around the halfway point.

That said, I can see this appealing to readers who enjoy whirlwind romances with deeper emotional undertones and characters grappling with their personal and professional identities. Triple Play didn’t quite hit it out of the park for me, but Jamil and Harper’s connection may still win over readers looking for a love story with a side of soul-searching.

I always lap up any sports romance, they’re my palate cleansers the ones you know that always hit the spot the ones you don’t put down until you’ve finished them and this book was exactly what I needed!
I loved how the author perfectly balanced the deeper story line with the mushy feel good romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

I normally enjoy sports romance books, which is weird as I don't care for sports. This one made me realise that I really don't care for baseball; I find it boring! Despite that, this book was enjoyable overall.

Jamil plays for the Chicago Cougars, a professional baseball team that won the World Series (don't ask me what he plays; I don't know baseball enough to remember, lol), whereas Harper works for a sports network with the goal of winning a desk seat. At the moment, she works as a field reporter (begrudgingly) but wants something more stable and rewarding, which she seems destined not to get as things constantly go wrong.

A chance encounter with Jamil in Florida for his training leads them to enjoy a night together, only for her to be assigned to report on his team a few weeks later. This is uncomfortable for her, as she wants to prove herself to her network, and all Jamil wants to do is win over the beautiful woman he hasn't been able to stop thinking about.

The only problem is that Jamil is the hot topic in the sports world - how will Harper be able to navigate working this closely to him when the media is ready to swoop?

This book had a great cast of characters outside of our main character, and I think that's because this is the third in a series. I've not read the other two, but I believe they follow different sports, so if you're a sports lover, you might want to check them out, too. Jamil himself was a sweetheart with a heart of gold, and I appreciated how much he cares for his friends and family. Harper struggled a little, but I liked how she held her integrity in what matters and worked to improve herself. Her slowly gaining a friend circle was also lovely - I can't imagine how lonely it must have been beforehand!

Despite this, I wasn't hugely engaged with the story and only gave it three stars. It was nothing against the writing, which was great, but something about the story didn't hook me in. Either way, if you want a nice little palette cleanser, love sports romances or want to check out something themed around baseball, this is a great option!

"I don't make a habit of ignoring the blessings life puts in my path."

I’ve loved the entire Chicago Heartbreakers series and have been so lucky to be an ARC Reader for the entire series.

Triple Play was about sports reporter Harper Nelson and professional baseball player Jamil Edman.

It dives into the struggles individuals people can face with their families. It discussed addiction, feeling invisible, and feeling unfulfilled in your workplace.

Was is my favourite book of the series? No. But it had arguably some of my favourite Main Characters.

I love a forced proximity, forbidden workplace romance and this was exactly that.

Read Time ⏱️ 2 hours

*****

“I wanted to know why the guy with the biggest smile in the room looked like he carried more weight than he could manage when he walked into that bar. I wanted to know why the guy that everyone assumed had the world at his fingertips and was supposed to be so happy, was clearly not.”

"You are like the moon shining in the dark for me tonight."

"If this is one of the nicest things someone has done for you in a long time, Harper, then you haven't been around people that value you."

Really enjoyed falling back into the Chicago Heartbreakers series, and reading Harper and Jamil's story.

Eagerly hoping for a fourth now with Derek and Olivia, something is definately brewing there.
I was so lucky and grateful to be offered the chance to read this after reading and reviewing the first two in the series, and this one did not disappoint.
My thanks to Ally, her publishing team and Netgalley.

This series was so good and this book was so good. it was cute and cosy and would highly recommened you to read this book when it comes out

Triple Play was such a heartwarming read! It’s the third book in the Chicago Heartbreaker series, but works perfectly as a standalone.

Harper and Jamil had great chemistry, even with the fade-to-black style romance. They made a lovely couple, and I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow. Jamil isn’t the usual “grumpy” love interest—he’s more of a misunderstood cinnamon roll, and honestly, so endearing. I really appreciated the themes of addiction recovery, found family, and learning to stand up for yourself. They added depth to an already sweet story.

Ally Wiegand’s books always leave me feeling warm and satisfied, and this was no exception. Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley, Embla Books, and Ally Wiegand for the ARC!

I am utterly obsessed with Ally Wiegand and her gorgeous sports romance books. The CHICAGO HEARTBREAKERS series is fast becoming one of my favourites and I just loved Jamil and Harper.

Harper reports about sports. Jamil is a famous baseball player. They meet by chance when they're both at their lowest and that's just the beginning of the story.
I've read all of the Chicago Heartbreakers series and this is probably my favourite so far. Some of the dialogue veers to the wrong side of cheesy for me but I really enjoy how good natured everything is. Sure, there's some drama but it's understated and the focus is instead on found family and supporting the people you love. I would definitely read whatever Ally Wiegand brings out next.

4.5🌟
This was so cute! Always love a sports romance and really enjoyed other Ally Wiegand books I've read. Jamil has everything, a loving family, a well paying sports job and thousands of fans. However, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Alongside some family issues and the pressure of the media, can he handle it? Along comes Harper, an immensely talented sports journalist who happens to get posted at his team whilst trying to prove herself to her company and her parents...

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and didn't want to put it down! I found the whole serendipitous, coincidental encounter such a meet cute - let alone when their paths crossed again! An easy, heart warming read with 2 lovely, wholesome main characters who are both dealing with different family scenarios and difficulties in their daily life.

This was such a great sports romance! I enjoyed sharper and Jamil’s story so much. They had great chemistry and J loved seeing how there love story played out especially since it is a bit rocky to start add in all the sports drama and you got yourself an action packed read!

This was a cute romance!
Harper and Jamil's chemistry was so good, and the connection between them was very noticeable! I really liked how they held each other up while going through their own struggles. They both matched each other very well and complemented each other in the relationship. I really liked how independent Harper was in this book and how determined she was to move up in her career despite the obstacles she hit. I also really liked the cameos from the previous couples in this series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC!

Love, love, loved this.
This is the third book in the ‘Chicago Heartbreaker’ series, however, it can definitely be read as a stand-alone.

This is ‘fade to black’ spice level, and it’s done well. There was still some great chemistry between Harper and Jamil throughout. I think they make a wonderful couple.

I’ve seen some people refer to this as a ‘Grumpy x sunshine’ book, but it really isn’t. Jamil is definitely more ‘misunderstood cinnamon roll,’ and doesn’t have a bad bone in his body.

I loved the plot, and the themes of overcoming addiction/ found family/ standing up for yourself.

The ‘happily ever after’ was a nice touch. Ally’s stories always leave me feeling so fulfilled, warm and fuzzy!

I’d recommend reading this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.75-4/5 🌶️0.5/5

Tropes:
⚾️ Grumpy X Sunshine
⚾️ Forced Proximity
⚾️ He Falls First

Harper is a sports reporter gunning for that big interview to give her the promotion she desperately wants. Jamil is the rising star of the Chicago Cougars and may just be the big break Harper needs ( not to mention the one night stand they had weeks earlier they’re both still hung up on) what could go wrong?

I really enjoyed Harper and Jamil’s dynamic and loved the way they supported each other with their respected struggles, Harper keeps Jamil grounded and Jamil promises to help Harpers dreams come true and shows up for her always.

Harper is my favourite FMC in this series thus far, she is independent and I admired her willingness to claw her way to a host position despite watching her nepo baby colleague get the same position handed to him (Siri play “the man” by Taylor Swift) she just didn’t give up and refused to compromise her morals to get there faster.

We also had some characters from the previous books show up which really elevated the interactions and found family vibes. Yet again Ally Wiegand has hit it out of the park ⚾️✨, such a solid sports romance with a nice depth and character development, I can’t wait for book 4 ( again I beg, Olivia and Derek 🤞🏻)

A big thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC.