Matt and Iggy are major-league baseball players (for the "Brooklyn Eagles"), who start a secret relationship. Matt is Italian-American, in his late thirties, and struggling with a bad knee. Nearing retirement, he has no idea what he will do next. Iggy is Dominican-American, in his early twenties, and a rising star in baseball.

Both experience increasing frustration with having to keep their sexual orientation secret, but they feel they have to in order to protect their sports careers. (There is a chilling scene where Iggy experiences harassment during a game from a stadium of spectators.) Both men love baseball almost to the exclusion of anything else.

Over the next few years, they face complex and realistic challenges in their personal and professional lives. What will Matt do after retiring? How will he cope with his all-too-human jealousy of Iggy’s career? How will both men deal with their frustration over having to keep secrets? What will Iggy, in particular do? Since his career is just starting, he is the one who stands to lose the most if their secret relationship becomes public knowledge.

This is a smoothly written, realistic love story, featuring the usual strong setting in New York City for which this author is known. Iggy and Matt have real pressure and frustrations, but the book doesn’t register as a hugely angst-laden read due to the main characters’ disinclination to whine or engage in emotional theatrics.

Iggy and Matt are refreshingly stoic and practical about their situations, and it makes them seem absolutely believable both as men and as athletes / sportsmen, who are accustomed to handling high pressure and losses. Out in the Field is a deeply engaging book, and though I know nothing about baseball, I’m glad I read it. I had no trouble following the action. The characters' sex scenes are hot and are just enough and just detailed enough to perfectly complement the story.

This would be a perfect read for any newcomer to gay romance fiction, who fears getting into anything too unusual or unbelievable. These characters are ordinary guys who could be your best friend. They're immensely appealing and you want them to have their happy ending.

Type of Romance: LGBT – Gay
Title: Out in the Field
Author: Kate McMurray
Publisher: Loose Id
Subgenre: Gay contemporary romance
Setting: New York City
Sex scenes: medium explicit
Viewpoint: two close third-person viewpoints alternating by chapter
Note: I purchased this book with personal funds. I received no compensation for this review from the author or publisher. Look on Amazon.com for Out in the Field