Steal Away Home by Billy Coffey was my first book by Billy Coffey but he has reeled me in for sure! To be completely honest, as I read this book, I could not figure out if I actually liked the book or not. Let me explain.
First of all, the book is based in the sport of baseball and while it is not necessarily technical about baseball, I think it would be enjoyed most by someone who does know about and care about baseball. The book is split into the tops and bottoms of innings in a baseball game and the story bounces back and forth between present day and several different "ages" in the past. At first, that was difficult for me to keep up with but as I learned more about the characters, it wasn't hard to follow at all. By the middle to end of the book, I began to enjoy this back and forth more and truly enjoyed it.
The main character is Owen, a baseball player raised in Appalachia who makes it into college and eventually the MLB to play baseball. The present day story is of him being called up from Double A to a major league game and the innings of that particular baseball game are the setting.
The past of the story is related to him in high school and college as he discovers who he is, what's important to him, etc. He is a part of town that is divided and he meets someone who is "from the other side of the tracks." Their relationship is secret and as it develops, so much changes. This story is complex on so many levels and therefore difficult to explain.
I feel like the main premise if of two main characters trying to discover who they are and what they need in life while things are constantly changing. The family dynamics are interesting and also difficult to read about at times. I loved this story. I loved the ending even though it took a while to get there. I love the way Billy Coffey developed the characters. I'll be reading more Coffey books in the future!
Thanks BookLook Bloggers for the free copy!
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