Curve Into Forever

Vancouver Tridents #5

by Julia Jarrett

Isabelle Murphy and baseball have always been the two great loves of my life. One has never let me down, but eight years ago, the other one broke my heart.
Now she’s back…as my coach’s new step-daughter.

Isabelle and I met in college and forged a friendship over being the only two Canadians on our Florida campus. A friendship that quickly turned into love. Everything was going great, until she went to Italy for spring break.

Two weeks turned into two months. Then two months turned into forever.

But now she’s back in my life. And off-limits, in more ways than one. The head coach of the Vancouver Tridents, my team, has made it clear. No one messes with Isabelle.

The problem is, resisting the one woman to ever see the real me, the only woman I’ve ever imagined a future with, is next to impossible. The friendship we built our relationship on proves to be strong enough to work through the pain of our past. And it’s clear our physical chemistry never died.

They say second chances don’t come around very often. Is letting myself fall for her again worth the risk of losing my heart - or my career?

Genres: Second Chance, Sports Romance, Baseball, Sports, Romance, Second Chance Romance, Contemporary Romance

312 pages, Paperback

Published July 15, 2025

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been loving every single Vancouver Tridents baseball romance and this latest one features pitcher Kai and his college girlfriend Isabelle who left him when she moved to Italy to reconnect with her birth father.

Reunited eight years later when Isabelle's mother marries Kai's coach, the two can't deny there are still strong feelings between them but can they stay just friends with Isabelle planning to go back to Italy or is their love worth sticking around for??

Steamy and full of heart, this can be read as a standalone but had lots of cameos from previous characters in the series, including Kai's little sister. It was also fantastic on audio narrated by Samantha Brentmoor and David Lee Huynh.

Fans of second chance, dual POV baseball player romances won't want to miss this one! Many thanks to the author and @homecookedbooks for an ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

And just like that the series is over 😭😭😭😭❤️Second chance romances hurt especially when it’s the end of an era!!!

Isabelle & Kai were college besties turned lovers & whe Isabelle went to go meet her family in Italy, she decided to stay, hurting the both of them in the process. 8 years later they get reunited when Isabelle’s mom ends up married to the coach of Kai’s baseball team!! What are the odds?!

Kai was so swoony but also hot af AND PIERCED!!??? Um hello🥵🥵 he definitely loved to eat which was a 10/10 from me

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: ebook

Tropes:
⭐️ baseball romance
⭐️ Coach’s daughter
⭐️ Forbidden romance
⭐️ Second chance
⭐️ it’s always been you
⭐️ secret tattoo
⭐️ playboy hero with a broken heart
⭐️ interracial couple
⭐️ pierced, golden retriever MMC
⭐️ curvy, chef FMC

[CourtneyS · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF review
I DNF'D at 27%, and here is why.
I was absolutely annoyed with the female character. She bugged the ever loving snot out of me. I do not understand how she could be pissed at Kai when she was the one who chose to leave when they were in college and came back 8 years later to find that he is a bit of a player? her mix signals when they "talked" was also annoying. Needless to say. I disliked the FMC and when i am struggling this much with the MC's its time to dnf. I hope this book got better and other enjoyed it. i might come back around and attempt again but for now. it was a no for me.

[Oakley’s World 🌎 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was so bittersweet. It’s always sad when you read the last book in a series but this book was so sweet. Kai is our quiet, broody and intense guy. I’m so happy he found his happily ever after. I enjoyed Isabelle. Seeing how close she was to her mom was so heart warming. These two belonged together and there was no doubt about it. I appreciated them not breaking up all over again and hurting each other more. I’m so happy for them and even though it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to a great series, their story was a wonderful way to close it out.

I received a free ARC copy of this story and I’m voluntarily leaving my review. Thank you to Julia herself for this free copy.

[BookishRaquel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ | 3 🌶️ | 4.5 🎧

What to Expect:
- Baseball Romance
- Coach's Step Daughter
- Second Chance
- Forbidden Romance
- Right Person/Wrong Time
- It’s Always Been You
- Interracial Couple
- Dual POV
- Dual Narration

Curve Into Forever is the fifth and final book in the Vancouver Tridents series. Isabelle and Kai's second-chance romance pulled me right in. They fell in love in college but were separated when Isabelle moved to Italy. As fate would have it, they end up back in each other's orbits eight years later. Isabelle's stepfather is now Kai's baseball coach. They see each other at a team event, and although both are surprised to see each other, it's clear there is still something between them. Kai was really hurt when Isabelle left and decided to stay in Italy. Although I disagreed with how she handled the situation, it seems the time away gave her time for self-discovery and growth.

Second-chance romance stories can sometimes be heard because of the pain each has caused the other, but these two were able to forgive and reconnect in a deep and meaningful way. Overall, this was an enjoyable story, but I had a hard time with Isabelle. I tried to understand where Isabelle was coming from and give her character arc grace, but there were several times her actions made me audibly and viscerally upset. Some of her decisions were just not decisions a reasonably normal person would make. Kai was perfect, and honestly, he deserved better, but I'm glad he at least got his happy ending.

Narration:
Samantha Brentmoor and David Lee Huynh performed this audiobook using dual-style narration. They were the perfect voices for Isabelle and Kai, and did a fantastic job bringing these amazing characters to life. Samantha is one of my favorites, and I am always impressed by her storytelling. David is new to me, and he was wonderful as Kai. Both narrators fully captured the heartbreak, hope, and healing associated with a complicated second-chance romance.

Thanks to Julia Jarrett and Home Cooked Books for the gifted ALC. Opinions expressed are my own.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Their love was too big to be separated by an entire continent and a half plus an ocean 🥰🥰

This book is about first loves coming back into your life a number of years later.

Kai and Isabelle met in college but she broke it off due to not wanting to do long distance and hold each other back but then Faye brings them back into each other’s lives eight years later and those feelings that they both thought were gone? Ha!

They were super cute together! I loved watching them go from absolute shock at seeing each other again to head over heels in love (again lol)

From friends to lovers to nothing in college. From past lovers reunited to friends to lovers to forever partners 🥰

I loved also that the last three books in the series had a friend’s first element to them!

[AddictedToReadingRomance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kai, oh Kai! He is definitely the perfect book boyfriend. Reading and listening to this book was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my summer. Spending all day listening to Kai and Isabelle fall in love again was perfection. All the teammates and the previous couples are here too. Love keeping reading about all of them. Samantha and David were the perfect narrators for this story. This is the last book in the Vancouver Tridents series, but what an ending! It was exactly what I needed—and more. I’m a little sad because I wasn’t ready for it to end, but I’m so happy to have read these stories and gotten to know all the couples. Be prepared for the amazing epilogue ever. I can’t wait for everything Julia has coming for us!

[Jetscarbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just did not like h and she kind of ruined the whole book for me. Her reasoning on why she just left/broke things off never made any sense at all. Then the fact she got mad at H for his playboy ways during their 8 year separation was just wut?

H deserved better 🤷‍♀️

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really disliked the FMC the whole book. Idk maybe second chance isn’t for me. She just seemed really selfish and expected to have her cake and eat it too. Wtf was her questioning his decisions over the past 8 years when she broke his heart?! Like you don’t get to have an opinion when you left him.

Hot take… Kai shouldn’t have given her a second chance. 🙃

[Trish- Late Knight Luna Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Audiobook Review**

I love a second chance romance with the man who knows what he’s missing. “Curve Into Forever” is an emotional, swoony and romantic second chance baseball romance that was a great addition to the series.

Isabella is back in Canada to visit her mom after she had left years prior to live in Italy with her father and his family. She also left behind a guy who was possibly her forever. Her mom is married and her new husband is the coach for the Vancouver Titans and when they go to family day, she’s shocked to see the guy she let go. Kai is the star pitcher and is just as shocked to see her. The two have unfinished business from their breakup and decide that they are okay with being friends again while she’s back in town. But as they spend time together, the chemistry they had back in college is still very much there.

Isabella and Kai had a deep history and that was a great foundation for their relationship. I loved how they met back in college as the two lone people from Canada and they really connected friends so them becoming more was so natural. Kai was her biggest supporter in finding her bio Dad and getting to know her Italian family. I loved Kai from the previous book and loved him even more after finishing his story. He’s genuine, fun and a great teammate. Even though he was hurt by Isabella leaving, he was able to forgive her and become her friend again. Isabella was someone I loved from the start and I admired her so much for being brave and moving to Italy to get to know her Dad and to follow her passion of cooking. Being a chef is a big part of her life and cooking is how she shows her love for family and friends. I loved how they reconnected and after realizing that feelings were still there and to be together while she was visiting. The steamy scenes were great and especially that extra thing Kai had to help spice things up. The ending was perfect for them and I enjoyed their story so much.

Samantha Brentmoor and David Lee Huynh narrated as Isabella and Kai and I loved listening to them bring this story to life. Samantha’s narration was fun, passionate and genuine just like Isabella. I did love her bringing back her Italian accent when she was voicing Isabella’s Italian cousin. David is a newish to me narrator and I thought he did a great job bringing Kai to life. His narration was easy going and fun just like Kai.

[Dani | thebookishcajun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ketchup chips are the superior chip, and one of the biggest things I miss about living in Canada. I was happy that Julia gave them the credit they deserve.

But onto the Kai Yamaki and Isabelle Murphy! After bonding over Canadianess, they dated back in college and were so in love. That is, until opportunity took them along different paths. Now, eight years later, Kai’s a professional pitcher for the Vancouver Tridents, and their paths cross when Isabelle’s mom marries Kai’s coach.

This was such a good second chance romance filled with the pining and forbidden attraction. After all, Coach doesn’t want his new step-daughter to be a distraction for any of his players. Little does he know she has a history with one of them. And despite the years apart, there’s no denying the connection between Iz and Kai. He can try to deny it all he wants, but it’s the little things throughout the years that just has me (and Iz) melting for Kai Yamaki. He’s such a fun and generous lover, and I just absolutely adore these two together.

I love this series and each return to the Tridents franchise. The players and their families are so much fun, and I enjoy getting to see them with each book.

🎧: Samantha and David were wonderful in this dual narration. Samantha is one of my favorite narrators, and I was so happy that she had the opportunity to bring sweet and fun Isabelle to life. This was my first time listening to David, and I loved his performance! He was perfect as our smitten Kai. This was such a good audio!

Thank you so much to Julia and Home Cooked Books for an advanced audio!

·t r o p e s·
⚾ sports romance (baseball)
💛 second chance romance
⚾ coach’s daughter
💛 mid-size heroine
⚾ forbidden love

[Readers Together · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curve into Forever just hit the right spot. I loved it. I am so disappointed in myself that I've waited so long to dive into this series. Who waits until the final book in the series? I will definitely be going back and listening to the other four books in the series. This book is a second chance romance, Kai and Isabelle were college sweethearts who broke up when she left for a month to go to Italy to meet her dad and his family and never came back. Until now. She is back in Canada visiting with her mom, who has just gotten married to the head coach of a baseball team. The same team that Kai plays for. Neither is aware until a family day, and they decide to keep their past relationship under wraps, planning to slowly rebuild their friendship, but it soon turns into more when they realise they are each other's missing piece—each other's person. Their relationship is so sweet and swoony. As a fan of banter, I adored their level of banter and how they grew as people and as a couple. The scene towards the end is what sports books/ movies are made for!

Samantha Brentmoor and David Lee Huynh performed this in dual, and they were fantastic! Their performances are an example as to why dual is a must. They delivered brilliant, nuanced, banter-filled performances that kept me captivated for the entire book. They did a fabulous job with the Canadian and Italian in this book, not making it sound stereotypical or over the top. It sounded authentic to this listener.

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧🎧AUDIOBOOK REVIEW🎧🎧

New-to-me narrator, David Lee Huynh, and one of my favorite go-to female narrators, Samantha Brentmoor, performed Curve into Forever outrageously well! Their compatibility was easy and smooth which made them an absolute joy to be in my ears for 7ish hours! I really love it when narrators elevate the experience of a story to the level where the listeners just do not want to stop listening! These two did that in spades! 👏👏👏👏

ABOUT THE STORY …

I’m not gonna lie and tell you it was rainbows and gumdrops for me from the very beginning because Isabelle tested me, and had I been reading this story it’s possible that it would have taken me a lot longer to finish because I’d be putting my kindle down and walking away a lot. But alas, I was not and while she did test my patience with her double standard ridiculousness, it didn’t last too long. Both Isabelle and Kai had a lot of growth and development in the story as individuals and as friends and as romance partners, which in hindsight, makes Isabelle’s twitchiness necessary. Feel me? She had to grown from something and Julia Jarrett did an excellent job with the choices she made. Kai also wasn’t blameless when it came to dealing with the past and being twitchy, but again, I really felt it was all necessary for the end game.

I enjoyed this second chance to get it right story. It had all the heart you could ask for wrapped up in a huge bubble of hope. It was uplifting and flirty and sexy. The story unfolded nicely and felt very true to life to me with all the characters, main and secondary, being very relatable.

[Sammy Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

curve into forever arc review ⚾️🍝💛

wowww, what a great ending to an amazing series!!! i absolutely loved kai & isabelle’s second chance love story 🥹 you could feelll the heartbreak these two went through and their journey to getting back together was emotional perfection. at times it was like nothings changed but those small cracks of time where they were forced to think about how things ended were so sad but also so needed for them to truly heal. also the heat and tension between them was ohhh sooo hottt 🥵 even though i’m gonna miss the trident players and the woman that bring them to their knees, i am excited to see what julia has in store for us next

tropes:
⚾️ baseball romance
♾️ second chance
🧢 coach’s step-daughter
👀 forbidden
😍 mid size fmc
💛 interracial couple

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
spice: 🌶️🌶️

@tropesandblurbs

[kreadsoften · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curve into Forever is the fifth book in the Vancouver Tridents series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Isabella went home to visit her mom after living in Italy for years. Her mom had gotten married to the coach of the Vancouver Tridents, and one of the players was Kai, the guy she’d left behind all those years ago.

Kai was a huge player in their time apart. But once he saw Isabella again, he couldn’t let her go again.

This was cute and low-angst. Kai and Isabella quickly fell into their friendship again, and it was obvious they still had feelings for each other.


Audiobook notes:
Narrated by: Samantha Brentmoor and David Lee Huynh
Narration Style: Dual

The narrators were great and made this an enjoyable listening experience.

[Jessreads3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

* I received an arc in exchange for an honest review*
I can't believe the Vancouver Tridents series is done. What a great way to wrap up a series. Kai and Isabella were such great characters. Curve into Forever is a second chance romance, and Julia Jarrett did an amazing job with their story.

[Mellovesaudiobooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Sarah Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second chance aport romance. Bugged about the fmc. She left the “love of her life” to live with her father that she never met in Italy to find herself. Left for 8 years and is back with mixed signals.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book five and the final book in The Vancouver Tridents series and it is Kai and Isabelle’s story and omg what a way to end this amazing series and definitely a must read. Isabelle and Kai have history because they met in college and forged a really strong friendship which then turned into a love between them that they thought would last forever giving them a future but then everything fell apart leaving them both devastated and with a broken heart. Kai plays baseball for The Vancouver Tridents and had built his own life away from his past but he never really got over Isabelle and the love that they shared but now eight years later and she is back because her mother married Kai’s crack which now put Isabelle off limits which now leaves things even more complicated than ever. Isabelle left Canada and went to spend time with a father that she had just found out about and then she ended up staying in Italy with her family breaking both her and Kai’s hearts but now she is back in Canada to spend time with her mother but she never forgot about Kai and the last thing she expected was to see him again which shocked them both but Isabelle is only back for a couple of months because she is now a chef in Italy so she feels like she can’t offer Kai anything but friendship even though she never stopped loving him and everyone is trying to get her to stay and make a life for herself in Canada so now her life had become more complicated and also difficult decisions will have to be made. Kai and Isabelle have a connection that was still as strong as ever and are so perfect together and for each other and their love had stood the test of time while being still as intense as ever but now they are both totally different people who have gone through their own ups and downs and now lines are getting crossed between them but will Isabelle make the decision to stay and be with Kai or will she go back to Italy and continue with her life and family there, only time will tell what the outcome and future will be for them in the end. Wow this book will take you on the biggest rollercoaster ride of so many emotions and it had me in tears with all the heartbreak that Kai and Isabelle have gone through with there time apart and coming back to see each other after eight years apart. This story will pull you in and have you turning the pages while being unable to put it down and it kept my attention throughout. I have read every single book in this series and enjoyed them all but I have to say that this one is definitely my favourite one and I am so sorry to come to the end of this amazing series. I can’t wait to see what Julia Jarrett writes next and I will definitely be there to read them as she is a amazing author and writer and her books are definitely worth reading.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate to see the Vancouver Tridents series end, but author Julia Jarrett has created the perfect send-off. It’s been so much fun to get to know the players over the course of the previous four books, watching them meet and almost lose and then reclaim their true loves, enjoying the camaraderie, the give and take of teammates, the thrill of the game. Curve Into Forever has all that and more as we get to enjoy – and angst over – Kai and Isabelle’s story.

Kai has been a peripheral series favorite from the start and I have to admit it was a little hard to feel anything but anger toward Iz when she went to Italy and did not return as promised. Of course it was the right decision for her for so many reasons. Young women need to feel empowered and emboldened to take charge of their own lives. The opportunity to meet her family and form bonds with them was not to be missed. And she and Kai were so young. Love is hard; young love is harder. Finishing your education, new jobs, new careers, still learning about yourself. But Kai was so certain of their relationship, that they belonged together. He encouraged her to take the trip because he knew it was what she needed, but when she didn’t come back . . . he was shocked and heartbroken. Could he have behaved better in the immediate aftermath? Sure. But back to that young love thing and still learning, learning to express yourself.

Iz purposely put on blinders and avoided any attempt at finding out where Kai was and what he was doing for eight years. He moved on but still held her in his heart. And when they meet again, through the coincidence of all coincidences, it brings up a lot of emotions, including anger, betrayal and mistrust.

Author Jarrett does her usual excellent job of taking us through the rocky road to true love with Kai and Iz. Humor shines through, romance and tenderness are still there, as well as acknowledgement and acceptance. Along the way we are treated to revisits with all the couples who have come before: Ronan and Willow, Maverick and Sadie, Monty and Lark, and Rhett and Kai’s little sister Evie. A delightful trip down memory lane leading to a very satisfying conclusion.

I was lucky enough to receive both advance reading and listening copies. Books are good; audiobooks are even better. And with talented narrators like Samantha Brentmoor and David Lee Huynh it’s perfection. Tone, pace, emotion, all there and all so enjoyable. I loved Curve Into Forever and the entire series is going on my repeat list. I recommend it without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

[DarcyLovesLiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brentmoor and Huynh are the closers…

Story: 4 ⭐️s
Narration: 5 ⭐️s

Book 5 in Jarrett’s Vancouver Tridents was a solid closer to the series. Second chance romance is a favorite trope, and while common romance ground, like any tool the effectiveness is all about how it’s used. Readers need to understand why the MCs can’t be together and why they would want to try again after the separation. And while the effectiveness here felt inconsistent to me at the start, Jarrett stuck the landing with Kai and Isabelle. That is in large part due to the excellent performances of two stellar narrators.

The baseball of it all, with the team camaraderie was really well done. It was always a joy to see past MMCs interact with Kai. The relationships between the teammates has clearly grown from book to book. And it’s just really appealing to return to those connections between the guys. It’s in keeping with the building Jarret has done in previous books. So, on the sports romance side of things and the secondary character work, this one was definitely a winner.

Despite some unevenness in the beginning, Isabelle and Kai are two likable MCs made even more so by the work of Samantha Brentmoor and David Lee Huynh. Brentmoor was fabulous as always. While the FMC works on page, it was Brentmoor’s performance that made me more open to the arc Jarrett created for Isabelle. Every Brentmoor performance just further cements her GOAT status for me. Huynh is a new-to-me narrator,and I thought he was a great fit for Kai. I had a hard time with Kai when he and Isabelle first reunite. The prologue is really sweet, but then the second impressions 8 years later were a little rough, especially Kai and the way his anger led in that moment. But Huynh was able to add layers to those emotions and soften that harsh impression. Both performers made it more believable that these MCs (especially Kai) would want to try to be friends let lone risk their hearts again.

Overall CiF is an enjoyable second chance baseball romance that I recommend for the Tridents team banter and standout narrator performances.

I’m grateful to have received an ALC copy of the audiobook via Home Cooked Books. I also read the book via KU. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Eleanor Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

My First Julia Jarrett, a sweet heartfelt story of second chances.
One I absolutely enjoyed especially when the narrators were excellent in bring the story to life!

🎧AUDIOBOOK Review 🎧📕
Overall Story:5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️//Spice Level:3🌶️🌶️🌶️//Performance:10/10🎙️🎧
CURVE INTO FOREVER
Author Julia Jarrett
Narrated by: Samantha Brentmoor and David Lee Huynh

Isabelle and Kai story

✨SOMETIMES LIFE THROWS YOU A CURVE ✨

Eight years ago Isabelle Murphy left for Italy and took this guys heart with her.. Kai Yamaki, it broke him, but now she is back and despite his reservations he slipped back into his feelings for this girl except just like before she will be leaving once again, and unlike the last time they’re now adults with an added complication that could have history repeating itself.
Can Kai get the second chance he craves or will Isabelle once again breaks this sweet man’s heart ?


✨Kai Yamaki, star pitcher of the Vancouver Tridents has a secret: he's in love with his Coach's stepdaughter. Is falling for her worth the risk of losing his heart, or his career?✨

Samantha Brentmoor and David Lee Huynh (narrator new to me) beautifully narrated this story and it was so good, the way how they both played up the emotional connection between the two characters while hi lighting the banter and angst was amazing!

Author Julia Jarrett did well with book 5 of the Vancouver Trident series,
Curve Into Forever will pull at your heart with these two characters Kai and Isabelle who are obviously madly in love while striving for their own success and happiness.


✨They say second chances don’t come around very often. ✨



Definitely recommend adding this sweet story with incredible narrators to your TBL collection.. I will be back peddling through this series.

THE VIBES IN THIS AUDIOBOOK 🎧📕
💛 SECOND CHANCE
💛CINNAMON ROLL
💛 SPORTS ROMANCE
💛TATTOO
💛STEAMY
💛 BASEBALL ROMANCE
💛PIERCED
💛 COACH’S STEP DAUGHTER
💛DUAL POV
💛HEA

A special thanks to author and HCB for this sweet story of Second Chances.
And thank you reading my review and ratings,
Hope to catch you on the next one, until then
One Love 💕
Georgious_eleanorpb🦋

[Lauryn Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Audio Review**

Of the Vancouver Tridents stories that I've listened to, this is my favorite! Kai and Isabelle's story is so sweet and satisfying, and I was rooting for their second-chance romance from the beginning. They first meet and date in college, which means that there is a solid foundation for their relationship to grow on. When they unexpectedly meet again 8 years later, it's *almost* as if nothing has changed...

Kai's character is such a sweet, emotionally in-tune MMC, and it made me swoon hard for him. He's a very genuine, grounded, solid guy. He pursues Isabelle with such passion, despite falling hard for her in college and having that torn away from him when she travels to Italy and decides to stay. The way that he is committed to getting to know the "new" Isabelle made me love him even more.

Isabelle has a slightly complicated past and ends up traveling to Italy to meet her biological father, and makes the decision to make it her home, even though that means leaving Kai behind. She finds passion and success as a chef, meets her bio family, and feels content. That is, until she returns home and discovers that her new stepfather owns the Vancouver Tridents, the team that Kai now plays for.

These two have excellent on-page and in-ear chemistry, and I was wholly invested in their second chance love story. Eight years is a long time to go without seeing someone, and yet the foundation that was laid in their younger years makes for an easy transition back into a romantic relationship.

Samantha is one of my top narrators, so it's easy for me to say that she does a great job. Her voice is made for dual narration, and is my personal favorite when it comes to the style. She has a knack for connecting to and translating the material well to audio, and this story is no exception.
David is a new narrator for me, and I think he does a fabulous job. His femme voice is great and he also seems to connect well with the story. I also appreciated that an Asian voice actor was cast for an MMC with Japanese heritage.

Thank you to Julia and Home Cooked Books for the opportunity to listen and review!

[Molly Kirkham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ALC of this audiobook but all opinions are my own.

📖: 🌟🌟🌟.5/5
🎧: 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
🥵: 🌶️🌶️.5/5

Curve Into Forever is the final story in the Vancouver Tridents series. It follows starting pitcher Kai Yamaki and his college girlfriend Isabel Murphy. After travelling to Italy at 18 to meet her father, Isabel decided to stay to find herself, breaking off their relationship. 8 years later, she is coming to Vancouver for 6 months and staying with her mum, and her mum's new husband- the Tridents head coach!

I enjoyed this story! There was quite a bit of angst around their.past together, but the pull between Kai and Iz was just too strong for either of them to stay away. Even when they were just friends, there was always something more between them.

It was nice to see a different side to Kai, as he's been the playboy/joker best friend/teammate during this series, and seeing his more sensitive side was really sweet. I wish we'd seen more of his relationships with his teammates, as I enjoyed that in other books, and baseball really played a small part of this story!

I have to admit I found Isabel's decision-making a little questionable. To me, it felt as though at 20 she decided that her relationships with her new family were more important than with her mum (not even bringing Kai into this!). They seem so close, but it felt like she chose her bigger Italian family over her mum, which for her mum was just brutal! However, I do think it's admirable to be so invested in finding yourself and making the best decisions for your future.

The narration was performed is dual style by Samantha Brentmoor and David Lee Huynh. I am a huge fan of Samantha and I thought she did an amazing job with lots of different voices of different genders, and it was really well paced. This was my first audio with David Lee Huynh and I think he did a good job, although his female voices were less convincing for me. Overall, a great audiobook experience!

I really enjoy this whole series and I think the ending really tied it all together very nicely! I'll be looking out for more books from Julia in the future!

[Rebmay]

Kai and Isabelle (Iz) were friends then lovers in college, well on their way to dreaming o Becoming intimate again, having to hide their relationship and keep their true feelings to themselves proves to be difficult and sometimes overwhelming. Being back in Canada, near her mom and especially Kai again, has Isabelle in an emotional quandary. She has a life, a career plan and her family in Italy, but can she really leave the only man she has ever loved again? This time Kai won’t let her go without a fight, even if she breaks his heart all over again. f a future together. Then a trip to Italy to meet her father and the family she dad never known changed everything. Her two week trip turned into her not wanting to come back, wanting time to connect to her new family and to find her true self before committing to a future with anyone. Kai saw it is a rejection of him and his love, and cut off all communication between them, a decision that devastated them both.

When they meet again nearly 8 years later, both realize that their deep feelings for each other had only been dormant all the years they were apart. Seeing each other again, resurrected all those old feelings, all the regrets and all the heartache. As his coach’s new stepdaughter, Isabelle is supposed to be off-limits to all players on the Vancouver team, but Kai and Isabelle can’t seem to stay away from each other. They agree to be friends, just friends, but both know deep down that their feelings go deeper than friendship. With her time in Canada counting down, both are afraid to take things further than the friendship they agreed to, but the sizzling chemistry, the intense attraction, and feeling safe when they are together are all hard to ignore. They have a choice to make. Give their love the chance to bloom as it deserves or face more heartbreak and lose the only person who makes them feel whole.

I highly recommend this entertaining and emotional book.

[Nat · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 ⭐️💫
2 🌶️🌶️

Second chance romances either hit really well or they fall flat. Unfortunately this one falls flat…badly.

My main issue with it was how Isabelle was vilified for going to Italy. Look did she break Kai heart? Sure. Was it the wrong move? No.

Kai said it himself, Isabelle had no idea what she wanted to do at college. She also had this huge event happen where she was connecting with family that she didn’t even know she had. That’s huge. She was 20, had these massive things going on and made a decision that I don’t think was all that unsurprising.

My issue was Kai said that he should have been enough for her. I’m sorry what? So you’re telling me you want the woman you love, who you claim is your forever, to just be happy having no idea about her family or any idea of what she wants, to just be happy with you. While you go off and live your baseball dream, she’s supposed to what, just follow you around and be “your wife”?

Also the way Kai behaved was horrible. He said “I was a dumb kid”. But he wasn’t. Sure he was young. But he was 20 going on 21 and about to start his career as a baseball player. It’s not like he was 18 fresh in college. If they had dated in high school, fine. But they were half way through college.

I’m calling it, Isabelle made the right choice. She needed to see this through and instead of stringing Kai along for however long, she breaks up with him. Girl, I get it. It was actually the most mature decision you could make. And Kai. He could have done something if he regretted what happened. He could have reached out. But oh no “he was a dumb kid”. I hate that Isabelle was seemingly vilified by not only Kai but also herself.

The other thing that I had a massive issue with was the whole “forbidden” aspect.

Let me get this straight. A 28 year old woman who lives in another country and has been living out of home for years, is being told by a man, who she has met twice, who she can and can’t have sex with?? The whole “forbidden” thing was laughable at best, offensive at worst!

Literally step dad who’s met her twice tells his team “she is off limits!”…why? Who cares? If she wants to she can sleep with his entire roster!

IT 👏🏻 WAS 👏🏻 NONE 👏🏻 OF 👏🏻 HIS 👏🏻 BUSINESS!

She doesn’t work for the team, she is temporaryly staying with him, she has met him twice in her life, AND SHE IS A 28 YEAR OLD WOMAN!!!

If! If she was underage, or maybe 18 I could understand. BUT 28!!!

It doesn’t help that I read one of the best second chances romances (Rewind It Back! Chef’s kiss) not that long ago, but yeah very problematic.

[HEATHER · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Audiobook Review✨

I have fallen in LOVE with the Vancouver Tridents Series! I have loved every one of these audiobooks and I swear they just keep getting better! Julia Jarrett is a MUST read or Listen to author! Kai and Isabelle will have you falling in love with them throughout this book.

The narrators were the talented Samantha Brentmoor and David Lee Huynh. I absolutely LOVE these two narrators and they were the perfect duo to voice these characters. They have a way of making you connect with the characters and hold you attention the entire time you're listening to the book.

Kai and Isabelle knew each other back in college and thought they were going to be together for ever but when Isabelle leaves for Italy to spend time with her father and she decides to not come back. Kai was heart broken.

Now years later Kai is playing for the Vancouver Tridents and is surprised when his coach shows up with his wife and step daughter Isabelle. Now she's back and all those feels have come crashing back. Kai is everything you could want in a man. He is just the sweetest guy and he had me swooning like crazy!

Isabelle was such a fun character. When she see's Kai for the first time she knew she was in trouble because she knows he still has her heart. They start hanging out as friends like they did in college before they had a relationship but we all know it's not always easy to just be friends.

This book had me so giddy. I just fell in LOVE with these characters. Even the side characters were good. I was laughing, swooning hard, blushing, smiling like a fool and left with such a great ending. I just loved everything about this book and to me it was PERFECTION! I would HIGHLY recommend this audiobook and this entire series.

Thank you Julia Jarrett and Home Cooked Books for allowing me to listen to this ALC for my honest opinion.

[BookishLatinaJenn (Jennifer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧 Curve Into Forever by Julia Jarrett
🎙 Narrated by Samantha Brentmoor & David Lee Huynh
💌 Thank you to Julia Jarrett and HomeCookedBooks for the ALC!

This second-chance romance had me spinning in all the best ways. Curve Into Forever is a deliciously sweet and slow-burn home run, but it’s the audio that steals the spotlight and knocks it straight out of the park.

Let’s start with Samantha Brentmoor. The queen. The legend. The woman whose male voice game is so strong it rivals the deepest, growliest men in the biz. Her performance as Isabelle is layered, emotionally rich, and sexy as hell, and when she drops into Kai’s voice? Shivers. This woman performs with her whole soul, and the chemistry she brings to every scene is off the charts. She doesn’t just read a romance, she lives in it.

Now enter David Lee Huynh, a refreshing and thoughtful casting choice for Kai, whose Japanese heritage is honored in this narration. His delivery is warm, honest, and effortlessly charming. His range with emotional nuance, especially in moments of vulnerability and longing, made Kai one of my favorite baseball book boyfriends yet. And don’t even get me started on his steamy scenes, whew. He understood the assignment.

Tropes You’ll Love:
💘 Second Chance Romance
🍝 Chef heroine
📚 College sweethearts
💍 Coach’s stepdaughter
🇨🇦 Canadian leads
🧳 Return from abroad
🔥 Slow burn with just enough spice

If you want a story that blends spice, sincerity, and all the swoony second-chance feels, plus audio narration that elevates every word, Curve Into Forever is the audiobook you need. Samantha and David made me feel every aching heartbeat and every sizzling glance. I was giddy. I was weepy. I was fully obsessed.

[Lauren Nesic · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐ .5 almost perfect! really loved the story, but maybe a minor issue pulling it back or less emotional pull
🌶️🌶️: mild spice, around 2 to 4 scenes, still tame sex scenes with a slight touch of kink and still romance focused

kai thought he’d left his past with isabelle behind when she disappeared without a word eight years ago. now she’s suddenly back in his world as the coach’s new stepdaughter and being told to stay away only makes it harder. they were once inseparable, their love easy and real, but she walked away and left him broken. still, the connection between them hasn’t faded. as old feelings resurface and lines blur, kai has to decide if risking everything, his heart and his career, is worth one more shot with the only girl he’s ever loved.

this book felt like the cosiest kind of comfort read exactly what i needed to sink into. this was the low angst perfect second chance romance that gave me just enough emotional pull while keeping me invested from start to finish. kai and isabelle's connection felt so real and i loved watching them come back to each other. julia just knows exactly how to give me just enough spice to match the sweetness of the story and truly the warmest hugs.

huge thanks to julia jarrett and home cooked books for letting me listen early! the audiobook was such a treat to listen to and samantha brentmoor and david lee huynh rough it all to life so beautifully.

tropes: sports romance (baseball), coach's step daughter, second chance romance

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic finish to the series!

I’m a sucker for a good second chance story and this one delivered. Kai, the charismatic starting pitcher has been the perpetually single playboy throughout the series. However, we find out in this story that he just never got over his first love. Kai and Isabelle were college sweethearts when they bonded over being the only two Canadians at their school. When Isabelle goes to Italy to meet her father, they didn’t know she would stay for good. They are reunited eight years later when she’s home for a visit and attends family day for the Tridents. After the shock wears off, they decide to catch up as friends. Time apart has not lessened their attraction to each other and just friends turns into friends with benefits quickly, but now with an expiration date.

Narrated by David Lee Huynh and Samantha Brentmoor. David is new to me, and he was terrific. He delivered on Kai’s big personality and all the emotion when dealing with the possible separation from Isabelle again. Samantha Brentmoor just continues to nail it. Leaving was hard for Isabelle, and you felt all her struggles with leaving versus her love for Kai through Samantha’s performance.

I enjoyed watching these two discover each other and how much they’ve grown and changed over the years. At the core, they still love each other. Their story is a sweet, funny, low angst second chance story. There are plenty of interactions with the characters from the series and overall it was a fantastic way to wrap up this series.