Star catcher Connor Hart's knees are bothering him again. At twenty-seven, he knows he still has a few good years, as long as those knees hold up. Connor hates reporters, and publicity of any kind, even his publicist, his older sister Sophia, can't convince him of the necessary evil. So when a drunken kiss happens between team publicist Gia Kubic and Connor, Sophia is wary of Gia. Connor had managed to resist his attraction to Gia for some time, but when Gia comes up with a publicity stunt that no one can resist, even Connor, one kiss then leads to another and more.

The Indianapolis Bobcats are going into the last stretch with HARD AND FAST, and Kathy Lyons is on a winning streak. This third book in the fantastic Locker Room Diaries series shines just as much as the previous ones, and for those unfortunate who have not read the other installments, HARD AND FAST stands perfectly on its own. There is a bit more baseball in this book, but nothing to deter non-sports fans, as Ms. Lyons delves into what I could almost call psychological warfare on a personal level. Connor's backstory is positively fascinating, and the conflict that occurs in HARD AND FAST is one I had never seen before; it was utterly realistic and somewhat unnerving. Connor is a lovely man, but facing a crushing dilemma, which nearly tears him apart. I loved Gia for her honesty in declaring where she stands, and she behaves in a way that is seldom seen for a romance novel heroine. She's confident in her professional abilities, but not so secure in her personal life; still, she goes right ahead and tells Connor where she stands, and what she wants and hopes of their interactions.

HARD AND FAST has some stellar dialogues: between Connor and the players, with his sisters, and of course with Gia. Ms. Lyons' prose is, at times, wonderfully lyrical -- so much so that I highlighted some sublime passages while reading. You can almost sense the sparks fly between Connor and Gia, and the sex scenes are intense, blazing with unbridled passion, and moving at the same time because of some intelligent dialogue that occurs, particularly in one pivotal scene; I also loved Gia's way of thinking of erudite insults. Ms. Lyons' perceptive insights on the fragile reality of an athlete's physical condition, where an injury can cut short a lucrative career, are utterly fascinating. The perils of family life and romantic relationships mixed with a sports star's professional life are treated very realistically, and boy, it's not easy! I loved that the conflicts happened organically, they were difficult to navigate, and they were expertly handled by the author. Kathy Lyons demonstrates once again that steamy contemporary romance needn't be bland, and that what makes a truly satisfying happily ever after doesn't come from miscommunication and misunderstandings but through clever plotting. Another hit for Kathy Lyons!