As the daughter of a retired NFL player, college softball’s number-one-ranked shortstop, and someone usually considered an all-around good time, I’ve never had an issue getting attention. But getting the attention of the person I most want it from? Now that’s a different story.
When Dallas Rivers, my brother’s best friend who also happens to be one of my dad’s players on the NEU football team, is struggling in school, I find myself volun-told to help. I should be thrilled with this arrangement. After all, I’m in school to become a teacher.
Except, I’ve always made it a point to keep a respectable distance from him. Because the one person whose attention I’ve always longed for? Yep, you guessed it … it’s Dallas Rivers.
Against my better judgement, I agree to help him out, telling myself I need to keep it strictly professional and not blur any lines. Everything seems to be going smoothly, but the closer we get, the more my ex-boyfriend seems to pop up out of nowhere, and suddenly, the only time I truly feel safe is when Dallas is close by.
And the more I learn about him, the more I begin to realize that he’s been keeping me safe for a whole lot longer than I ever knew.
Though Dallas fights it, eventually, the attraction between us is indisputable, and he gives into the pull. But after wanting him for so long, I know that it’s too good to be true. The universe is about to throw me a major curveball—I’m sure of it. I just didn’t know that when it did, Dallas would be the one to pull me out of harm’s way.
(ARC Read)
Saving the Shortstop completely blindsided me in the best possible way.
“I always said if I ever got the chance to kiss you again, I’d never want to stop.”
I went into this book expecting a fun college sports romance, but what I got was one of the most emotionally impactful romances I’ve read in a long time. Hannah Gray somehow took a story filled with mutual pining, childhood friendship, family dynamics, healing, suspense, and scorching chemistry and made every single piece feel equally important. I devoured this book.
Dallas Rivers absolutely stole my heart. Beneath the confident exterior he presents to the world is a man carrying years of guilt, fear, and heartbreak. His childhood left scars that convinced him he would never be worthy of the kind of love and acceptance everyone else seemed to receive so effortlessly. Watching him struggle with those feelings while simultaneously doing everything in his power to protect the people he loves broke my heart over and over again. Dallas is the kind of hero who puts everyone else first, even when it costs him something, and I found myself wanting to reach through the pages and remind him that he deserved happiness too.
And Haven? She was exactly the person Dallas needed.
I loved that Haven wasn’t simply there to fix him. She had her own dreams, ambitions, and strength, which made their relationship feel balanced and authentic. She’s confident, funny, fiercely loyal, and refuses to let Dallas carry the weight of the world by himself. What I loved most about her was her willingness to keep showing up for him, even when he tried to convince himself he didn’t deserve it.
“You deserve love, Dallas. In its truest form.”
The friends-to-lovers romance in this book was everything I want from the trope. The tension was unreal. For years these two convinced themselves the other either wasn’t interested or would be better off without them, while everyone around them could practically see the sparks flying. Every glance, every moment of jealousy, every argument, and every awkward interaction felt loaded with years of unresolved feelings. The yearning was exquisite.
“You think I’d be willing to give up everything just to keep you safe if I didn’t—” he stops, his breathing labored. “If you don’t see the way I really feel, then open your fucking eyes, Haven.”
And when those walls finally came down?
Good lord.
The chemistry between Haven and Dallas was incredible. After years of mutual pining, emotional buildup, and tension that practically crackled off the pages, their relationship finally explodes into something passionate, intimate, and impossible to resist. Dallas and Haven both have filthy mouths, neither one holds back, and every spicy scene felt earned because of the emotional connection that came first. The power dynamic between them was one of my favorite parts too. Whether they were teasing each other, challenging one another, or standing shoulder to shoulder through difficult moments, they always felt like equals.
“We, Haven…we are inevitable. I’m still terrified. All my fears are still there. But it doesn’t matter because I can’t escape you. And I don’t want to anymore either.”
One of my favorite aspects of the story was seeing Dallas’s protective instincts come to life when Haven’s safety is threatened. The man would do absolutely anything for her. Sleeping on an air mattress beside her bed, dropping everything to make sure she’s okay, putting himself between her and danger without hesitation—it all felt so natural because loving Haven had become second nature to him long before either of them admitted it.
And can we please talk about the rescue dog? Because giving Haven a rescue dog so they could heal together was unfairly sweet and I’m still not emotionally recovered.
What makes this book stand out isn’t just the romance. It’s the healing. It’s the found family. It’s the way Hannah Gray tackles difficult topics while still giving readers hope, humor, and so many heartwarming moments. Dallas’s journey toward believing he was worthy of love hit me hard on a personal level, and I appreciated how thoughtfully his emotional growth was handled throughout the story.
“You make it easier to show you all of me, because you don’t run away from the darkness, Haven. You stand up to it.”
The balance between heavier emotional moments and lighter scenes was perfect. Dallas and Haven’s banter had me laughing one minute and tearing up the next. Their relationship felt messy, complicated, frustrating at times, and completely inevitable in the best possible way.
By the time I reached the final page, I was smiling through tears and immediately wishing I could read it again for the first time.
Saving the Shortstop gave me butterflies, made me laugh, broke my heart, set it back together, and reminded me why I love romance so much. Dallas Rivers is officially one of my favorite book boyfriends, and Haven and Dallas’s story is easily my favorite in the series so far.
And Hannah Gray? If you’re reading this, I am begging for Gigi and Noah’s book immediately because those glimpses were nowhere near enough.
Release Date: June 11th, 2026
Thank you to Hannah Gray for the ARC read!