Step into the steamy, heart-pounding world of Boys of Summer, where professional baseball players swing for the fences both on the field and in love! Heidi McLaughlin’s bestselling contemporary romance series blends sports drama with sizzling relationships, capturing the highs and lows of chasing dreams and finding happiness. Fans of heartfelt stories and athletic heroes will find themselves cheering for every stolen base and tender moment.
Centered around the Boston Renegades, this series dives into the lives of players navigating fame, ambition, and romance. McLaughlin’s knack for crafting complex characters and emotional depth makes Boys of Summer a home run for readers craving love stories with a side of stadium action.
How Boys of Summer Began
Heidi McLaughlin, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, launched Boys of Summer with a passion for weaving romance into the high-stakes world of professional sports. Inspired by her love for baseball and its emotional intensity, McLaughlin created the series to explore how love can flourish under pressure. Her Pacific Northwest roots and Vermont home add a grounded, relatable vibe to her storytelling, which shines through in the series’ authentic character dynamics.
The first book, Third Base, hit shelves in November 2015, introducing readers to the Renegades and setting the stage for a series that balances on-field grit with off-field heart. McLaughlin’s dedication to baseball’s nuances, paired with her romantic flair, quickly won over fans.
The Heart of Boys of Summer
The series kicks off with Third Base, where Ethan Davenport, Boston’s most eligible bachelor, falls for Daisy, a reserved college student and Renegades fan. Their romance blooms amid secrets and public scrutiny, showcasing McLaughlin’s ability to blend sweet flirtation with emotional stakes. Home Run follows rookie Cooper Bailey, whose laser focus on baseball wavers when he meets zookeeper Ainsley Burke, leading to a life-changing twist that tests their bond.
Grand Slam steals the show with Travis Kidd, a charming left fielder, and PR agent Saylor Blackwell in a second-chance romance packed with legal drama and heartfelt redemption. Hawk rounds out the series, featuring injured pitcher Hawk Sinclair, who returns to Montana and sparks fly with single mom Bellamy Patrick as they coach a Little League team. Themes of ambition, trust, and balancing career with love run deep, set against vibrant stadiums and intimate small-town moments.
McLaughlin’s style is light yet poignant, with steamy chemistry and baseball lingo that immerses readers without overwhelming them. The Boston setting and glimpses of Montana add texture, making each book a vivid escape into the Renegades’ world.
Why Boys of Summer Resonates
Boys of Summer stands out in contemporary romance for its authentic portrayal of athletes as flawed, relatable people chasing more than just trophies. Fans praise McLaughlin’s ability to craft stories that feel real, with conflicts like family drama, career pressures, and personal growth mirroring everyday struggles. The series has carved a niche among sports romance lovers, earning high ratings on Goodreads and inspiring readers to root for love and second chances.
Its lasting appeal lies in its universal themes—finding balance, overcoming obstacles, and embracing vulnerability—wrapped in the excitement of baseball. Whether you’re a sports fan or a hopeless romantic, the series delivers emotional payoffs that linger long after the final page.
- Publication Years: 2015–2019
- Number of Books: 6
- Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
- Setting: Primarily Boston, with Montana in Hawk
Grab Third Base and dive into Boys of Summer’s world of romance and rivalry—your heart will be stealing bases in no time!