Playing for Keeps
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Narrated by:
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Daisy Guevara
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Bailey Carr
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By:
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Jennifer Dugan
About this listen
From the author of Some Girls Do comes another heartfelt YA sapphic romance—starring a baseball pitcher and a student umpire who are definitely not supposed to fall for one another.
“Sapphic sports romance perfection. Swoony and romantic, but unafraid to tackle grief, family expectations, and fighting for your dreams, this is a home run of a book.”—Rachael Lippincott, coauthor of the #1 New York Times Bestsellers Five Feet Apart and She Gets the Girl
June is the star pitcher of her elite club baseball team—with an ego to match—and she's a shoo-in to be recruited at the college level, like her parents have always envisioned. That is, if she can play through an overuse injury that has recently gone from bad to worse.
Ivy isn't just reffing to pay off her athletic fees or make some extra cash on the side. She wants to someday officiate at the professional level, even if her parents would rather she go to college instead.
The first time they cross paths, Ivy throws June out of a game for grandstanding. Still, they quickly grow from enemies to begrudging friends . . . and then something more. But the rules state that players and umpires are prohibited from dating.
As June's shoulder worsens, and a rival discovers the girls' secret and threatens to expose them, everything the two have worked so hard for is at risk. Now both must choose: follow their dreams . . . or follow their hearts?
©2024 Jennifer Dugan (P)2024 Listening LibraryListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"This sweet romance is a home run."—People Magazine
"Charming . . . Without sacrificing the banter or sincerity that make up this winning romance, Dugan skillfully crafts parallel story lines in which the weight of loss and pressure to succeed haunt the protagonists throughout their everyday lives as they work toward their own futures."—Publishers Weekly
“Playing for Keeps is sapphic sports romance perfection. Swoony and romantic, but unafraid to tackle grief, family expectations, and fighting for your dreams, this is a home run of a book.”—Rachael Lippincott, coauthor of the #1 New York Times Bestsellers Five Feet Apart and She Gets the Girl
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- By: Jennifer Dugan
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Elouise (Lou) Parker is determined to have the absolute best, most impossibly epic summer of her life. There are just a few things standing in her way: she's landed a job at Magic Castle Playland...as a giant dancing hot dog; her crush, the dreamy diving pirate Nick, already has a girlfriend, who is literally the princess of the park; and it turns out that this will be their last summer at Magic Castle Playland - ever - unless she can find a way to stop it from closing.
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Hotdog Girl
- By Mary on 07-23-19
By: Jennifer Dugan
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Wish You Weren't Here
- By: Erin Baldwin
- Narrated by: Valerie Rose Lohman
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Juliette doesn't hate Priya Pendley. At least, not in the way teen movies say she should hate the hot popular girl. They don't do cat fights, love triangles, or betrayal. To survive their intertwined small town lives, they’ve agreed to a truce. They complete group projects without fighting, never gossip to mutual friends, and stand on opposite sides of photos so it’s easy to crop each other out. Priya seems to have everything during the school year—social media stardom, the handsome track captain boyfriend, and millions of adoring fans—and Juliette is at peace with that.
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One of the best books ever
- By Kelly A Badiane on 12-04-24
By: Erin Baldwin
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Home Field Advantage
- By: Dahlia Adler
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus, Lori Prince
- Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Amber McCloud’s dream is to become cheer captain at the end of the year, but it’s an extra-tall order to be joyful and spirited when the quarterback of your team has been killed in a car accident. For both the team and the squad, watching Robbie get replaced by newcomer Jack Walsh is brutal. And when it turns out Jack is actually short for Jaclyn, all hell breaks loose. Amber tries for unity, but it quickly becomes clear that she's only got a future on the squad and with her friends if she helps them take Jack down. Just one problem: Amber and Jack are falling for each other.
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Really freaking excellent
- By Kindle Customer on 06-12-22
By: Dahlia Adler
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Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl
- By: Brianna R. Shrum, Sara Waxelbaum
- Narrated by: Marli Watson, Kristen DiMercurio
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Margo Zimmerman is gay, but she didn’t know until now. An overachiever at heart, Margo is determined to ace her newly discovered gayness. All she needs is the right tutor. Abbie Sokoloff has her own gayness down to a science. But a flunking grade in US History is threatening her acceptance to her dream school. All she needs is the right tutor. Margo agrees to help Abbie get her history grade up in exchange for “Queer 101” lessons. But as they spend more and more time together, Margo realizes she doesn’t want just any girl—she wants the girl.
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Amazing From Beginning to End
- By Kerri on 05-29-23
By: Brianna R. Shrum, and others
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When You Smile
- By: Melissa Brayden
- Narrated by: Lula Larkin
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Have you ever had a crush on your babysitter? Taryn Ross sure did. Sixteen-year-old Charlotte was sophisticated, thoughtful, gorgeous, and fun. Taryn counted the minutes until they’d hang out. But Charlotte and her family moved away. Now a transfer student at Hillspoint University, Taryn is ready to officially come out when she runs into a familiar face at a party. Charlie, now a grad student, insists on walking a drunk Taryn home. To the detriment of Taryn’s heart (and libido), Charlie has only grown kinder (and hotter) with time.
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How well the characters are put together.
- By Anonymous User on 07-29-24
By: Melissa Brayden
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Here for the Wrong Reasons
- By: Annabel Paulsen, Lydia Wang
- Narrated by: Mara Wilson, Lindsey Dorcus
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Krystin knows exactly what she wants: a husband, a horse, and a place to hang all her competitive rodeo blue ribbons. But when none of the eligible bachelors in Montana end up being right for her, she turns to reality TV. On Hopelessly Devoted, Krystin will compete against dozens of other women for the heart of this season’s Hopeless Romantic, Josh Rosen. She’s determined to win the perfect life she came here for—if she can just ignore the glossy brunette whose crimson smile gives her goosebumps.
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All the right reasons!
- By Amber on 12-12-24
By: Annabel Paulsen, and others
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She Gets the Girl
- By: Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus, Valentina Ortiz
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Alex Blackwood is a little bit headstrong, with a dash of chaos and a whole lot of flirt. She knows how to get the girl. Keeping her on the other hand…not so much. Molly Parker has everything in her life totally in control, except for her complete awkwardness with just about anyone besides her mom. She knows she’s in love with the impossibly cool Cora Myers. She just…hasn’t actually talked to her yet.
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Crushes & Self Awareness
- By Anonymous User on 04-06-22
By: Rachael Lippincott, and others
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Imogen, Obviously
- By: Becky Albertalli
- Narrated by: Caitlin Kinnunen
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Lili drops a tiny queer bombshell: she's told all her college friends that Imogen and Lili used to date. And none of them know that Imogen is a raging hetero—not even Lili’s best friend, Tessa. Of course, the more time Imogen spends with chaotic, freckle-faced Tessa, the more she starts to wonder if her truth was ever all that straight to begin with. . .
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Sweet, lgbtq+ YA story
- By Leena on 07-01-23
By: Becky Albertalli
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Not My Problem
- By: Ciara Smyth
- Narrated by: Sarah Jane Drummey
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Aideen has plenty of problems she can’t solve. But when she stumbles upon overachiever Meabh Kowalska having a full-blown meltdown, she sees one that she can actually fix. Meabh is desperate to escape her crushing pile of extracurriculars. Aideen volunteers to help - by pushing her down the stairs. Problem? Solved. Meabh’s sprained ankle is the perfect excuse to ditch her overwhelming schedule. But when one of their classmates learns about their little scheme, more “clients” start asking for Aideen’s “help”.
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Fantastic book
- By Jackson Theofore Keys on 08-18-21
By: Ciara Smyth
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Looking for a Sign
- A Novel
- By: Susie Dumond
- Narrated by: Kimberly M. Wetherell
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Reeling from a breakup with her long-term partner, Gray—an optimistic lesbian Aries—relocates to New Orleans for a new job. Gray wants to meet someone, settle down, and build the loving, accepting family she’s always wanted, but having been out of the dating scene for a decade, she has no idea where to start. After visiting an iconic astrologer, Gray and her best friend, Cherry, draw up a dramatic scheme: Gray will go on a date with someone of each zodiac sign to test their compatibility and get a jump start on creating the queer family of her dreams.
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Call me out why doncha?
- By Kindle Customer on 07-08-24
By: Susie Dumond
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Director's Cut
- A Novel
- By: Carlyn Greenwald
- Narrated by: Rachael Franco
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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At twenty-nine, Valeria Sullivan is a celebrated, award-winning actress. But when her attempt to transition to directing is complicated by a bad interview on a late night show, Val decides she's had enough of Hollywood. Intent on pursuing her other passion, she pours herself into a guest professorship at USC, hoping to transition to academia fulltime. Standing in her way is her co-professor, Maeve Arko, whose brilliance and beauty is matched only by her contempt for Val. As Val rises to the challenges that teaching throws at her, though, Maeve starts to soften, and soon sparks are flying.
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Val
- By Jay on 08-07-24
By: Carlyn Greenwald
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Here We Go Again
- A Novel
- By: Alison Cochrun
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus, Jeremy Carlisle Parker
- Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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A long time ago, Logan Maletis and Rosemary Hale used to be friends. They spent their childhood summers running through the woods, rebelling against their conservative small town, and dreaming of escaping. But then an incident the summer before high school turned them into bitter rivals. After graduation, they went ten years without speaking. Now in their thirties, Logan and Rosemary find they aren’t quite living the lives of adventure they imagined for themselves. Still in their small town and working as teachers at their alma mater, they’re both stuck in old patterns.
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I don’t even like romance
- By Anonymous User on 11-10-24
By: Alison Cochrun
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The Girl Next Door
- By: Cecilia Vinesse
- Narrated by: Jennifer Aquino
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Film club nerd Cleo Ferrara’s senior year was like a storyboard waiting to be filmed. She knew the scenes, the players, and the eventual happy ending. Attend film school with her boyfriend, Daniel Sheridan. Become a film-making power couple. Take Hollywood by storm. Cut. Print. Fade to black.? But in a plot twist Cleo never saw coming, Daniel dumps her for Kiki Pearson, the head cheerleader.
By: Cecilia Vinesse
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Verona Comics
- By: Jennifer Dugan
- Narrated by: Michael Crouch, Taylor Meskimen, Rebecca Soler
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Jubilee has it all together. She's an elite cellist, and when she's not working in her stepmom's indie comic shop, she's prepping for the biggest audition of her life. Ridley is barely holding it together. His parents own the biggest comic-store chain in the country, and Ridley can't stop disappointing them - that is, when they're even paying attention. They meet one fateful night at a comic convention prom, and the two can't help falling for each other.
By: Jennifer Dugan
What listeners say about Playing for Keeps
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- K
- 09-01-24
Good
Embraced the YA readers, enjoyed the narrative and would have loved to have had this as a youth. Breaking grounds with the new norms. I liked this book very much.
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- MLTU
- 05-19-24
Playing For Keeps
This was cute. It really highlights the pressures teens can feel when trying to live up to parents' expectations. Everything feels so big, and it all is teetering on a very fine line. June and Ivy are dealing with their own pressures about their futures when they first meet. They were in opposing positions, so it didn't make for the best first impressions. After realizing they actually have more in common than they think, they fall in love... but Ivy being an official and June being a player, they are not allowed to date. So they do it secret.
As the pressure starts to mount, things get complicated for the couple. It becomes quite a mess of things towards the end, but it was sweet how it all got sorted out. A good read for the YA crowd.
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- Brian
- 05-17-24
A Swoon-Worthy Pitch (and Home Run)
As someone who has delighted in Jennifer Dugan's exploration of young adult themes in "Some Girls Do" and the playful adult romantic comedy "Love at First Set," I stepped up to Playing for Keeps with high expectations—and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. This latest offering is a heartwarming tale of two young women, a baseball pitcher and a student umpire, whose paths cross in the most conflicting yet charming ways.
From the moment I pressed play, I was hooked. The narrative, expertly delivered by narrators Daisy Guevara and Bailey Carr, captured the perfect blend of youthful zeal and serious undertones. Both narrators have a knack for bringing Dugan's characters to life, with a warmth that feels like you're listening to old friends recount their lives. I particularly enjoyed the heartfelt portrayal of June and Ivy, whose dreams and ambitions resonate deeply with me both in women I personally know and the other glass ceiling shatterers out there.
The story itself is both light-hearted and profound, exploring themes of love, ambition, and personal growth. The banter between June and Ivy is filled with the kind of witty repartee that makes you laugh out loud, yet their struggles with family expectations and personal dreams add a layer of depth to their journey. The intersection of their careers in sports—a field where women continue to break barriers—is portrayed with honesty and admiration, reflecting Dugan's commitment to telling stories that resonate with authenticity and empowerment.
Moreover, the romance that blossoms between June and Ivy is delightfully complex. It's not just about the forbidden allure of a player-umpire relationship; it's about how two people with seemingly incompatible roles on the baseball field can find harmony and understanding off it. The development of their relationship is paced perfectly, capturing the essence of a slow-burn romance that's worth every minute of the wait.
Playing for Keeps is a home run in the world of YA sapphic romance. It balances the light-heartedness of young love with the weightier themes of personal identity and professional ambition. Jennifer Dugan continues to impress with her ability to weave captivating narratives that are as entertaining as they are meaningful.
In essence, this audiobook is a testament to the power of love and dreams. It serves as a reminder that sometimes, playing for keeps means more than just winning a game—it's about understanding and embracing who we are and whom we love. Dugan has done it again, delivering a story that not only entertains but inspires. I'm already looking forward to her next pitch!
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- Jason Mark
- 05-09-24
Stupid romcom secrets caused me to skip so many chapters because I couldn’t deal with it anymore
I love this author’s writing style and really enjoy some of her other books, but I skipped so many chapters of this one because she just kept going on and on about people keeping stupid useless secrets that are gonna blow up at the end like a crappy sitcom from the 90s
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