The Cedar Creek Thunder: Book 2
Publication Date: May 19, 2026
I’ve thrown some curveballs in my life, but none hit as hard as my one night stand showing up, telling me she’s pregnant.
After losing my parents and spending eight years being “bro-dad” to my younger siblings, I’m ready for the chance to focus on myself again. And that starts with getting back on the baseball field, playing for the Cedar Creek Thunder.
But I didn’t count on Sage McCallister, the gorgeous brunette who made me laugh with just one line, showing up in my small town, half a country away from where we met. We had one unforgettable night two months ago, and now she’s pregnant.
With my baby.
She’s fiercely independent, and expects nothing from me, but there’s no chance I’m walking away from the woman I can’t stop thinking about, or my unborn child.
Now she’s staying in my apartment, and even if she thinks it’s only temporary, I’ll stop at nothing to prove to her that what we have is more than just a joint responsibility for the child growing inside of her.
We’ve both lost too much to believe in fairy tales, but somehow, we’ve found each other. She’s not just carrying our baby, she’s carrying the future we both deserve.
I’ve made no secret that there is just something about Julia Jarrett’s writing and storytelling that hits me in the gut every time. I get drawn into her stories and can’t put them down until I get to The End. So when I got the chance to listen to an advanced copy of The Curveball, I wasn’t going to turn it down.
I’ve also never shied away from the fact that the accidental pregnancy trope is one of my least favorite in romance since I often feel it isn’t handled up to my expectations. So, first and foremost, know that while this is a sports romance, it also has an accidental pregnancy. I also appreciated how Ms. Jarrett handled what could be a tricky topic. I felt that the couple had a proper romance and never felt that it was all because of the baby.
The Curveball follows Brady, a minor league baseball player, and Sage, a traveling nurse. They meet in a bar and have a one-night stand before they both are getting ready to head in different directions for new job opportunities. Then Sage finds out she’s pregnant and has to bail on her upcoming assignment. She visits her friend and tries to figure out the next steps for finding Brady so she can let him know about the baby when they cross paths again.
Brady and Sage were completely likable characters and really worked as a couple for me. The two were both orphans and felt very strongly about both being involved in the baby’s life and trying to figure out how that would happen. As they got to know each other, feelings grew, and it was a well-rounded romance that totally hooked me. Honestly, the only thing that I needed was some more conflict, something to shake things up just a little. I didn’t need a third-act breakup, but since there was very little conflict throughout most of the book, I just needed something for them to overcome to reinforce that they will get their happily ever after.
While The Curveball is the second in The Cedar Creek Thunder series and can be read on its own, people from the first book do make appearances, so it’s a nice Easter egg for those who read The Game Changer. I can’t wait to see which Thunder player will be Cupid’s next target.
If you’re a fan of small-town romances, with a little sports action thrown in, I highly recommend The Curveball. 
Julia Jarrett is a busy mother of two boys, a happy wife to her real-life book boyfriend, and the owner of two rescue dogs. She has a passion for writing sexy, sweet, contemporary romance novels that are full of relatable heroines, and the swoon worthy men who fall in love with them.
If you’re looking for Julia, she’s probably sitting in a comfy chair somewhere, drinking tea and dreaming of a sunny vacation. Find her on Instagram and Facebook by clicking the links below.
