Book Review: Playing For Keeps by Jennifer Dugan

‘Playing For Keeps’ by Jennifer Dugan was released in 2024. It follows the story of Ivy and June, two queer teenagers who absolutely love sport – while June is the only girl on a boys’ baseball team, and their star pitcher, Ivy dreams of a career on the sidelines, refereeing for the professionals.

This book played on a few of my favourite tropes, rivals to lovers, hidden relationships, and sacrificing anything for joy, and peace. I really loved this book.

This book is a YA romance, and handles some of the issues that come about as you approach university age with respect and nuance, such as dealing with perceived expectations from parents – where Ivy struggles, feeling as if she is overcompensating for the dreams of her late brother, whom she lost to leukemia, June struggles with the weighted expectations of a seemingly thoughtful gesture from her late mother, whom she lost to breast cancer.

The story explores the idea of your limits, what you are and are not able to handle. There’s a lot to handle at that part of a teenager’s life. I loved the added angst of June’s pre-existing injury, and the strain she experiences physically with it. It was a great physical metaphor for her struggles, and was incredibly powerful as a motivator, and a frustrating plot point for June to navigate. As someone who has had an injury to her shoulder that is similar to June’s and I felt her pain, the empathy was immense. I felt terrible for her! Her story was so compelling!

I loved watching both girls deal with their own demons, as well as the only issues within their romance, and how their personal problems bleed into their relationship issues. Ivy and June aren’t supposed to be dating because it breaches the code of conduct of the sports centre, but they’re also keeping things on the down-low, in fear that their relationship might be distracting them from their college applications and their futures. I really enjoyed the way Dugan navigated such heavy themes with the nuance and respect they deserved, while also being as raw and messy as grief is. They’re teenagers, their emotions are bound to be awry. It felt authentic and valid.

I really enjoyed reading this and felt that the way Dugan explored the budding romance between Ivy and June was so much fun! I would definitely recommend this!