Working the Mound (Philly Sillys #2) by K. Iwancio
Release Date: March 25, 2026
Link to Buy: Kindle
When this post (below) came across my Threads scroll, I couldn't say no. Fortunately, the author said yes to my review request, and my absurd descent into the world of entertainment baseball romance (yes, you read that right) began.
K. Iwancio writes hilariously self-aware smutty romance. While the book absolutely showcases her and the characters' love for baseball, the Savannah Bananas, and Philadelphia, it is foremost a tribute and an exemplar of romantic smut.
I was mostly tempted to read due to the amusing rarity of an entertainment baseball/romance mashup--a subgenre that may at this point in time be exclusive to this author. Although I was repeatedly warned about the spice level on Threads and in trigger warnings at the beginning of the book, I persisted in reading. I'm not-not glad I did just because it absolutely was so funny but the spice was too high for my taste, so I'll just add my own warning in there! The characters also curse frequently and share some crass thoughts and dialogue, which can be accurate to the baseball world and I think some people will love the frankness, I just don't particularly care for it.
On the other hand, the, ahem, raw content is obviously deliberate and well-earned. The female lead, Tiffiny, argues passionately early on that romance novels are instructional manuals on what women want, and not only does the male lead, Ender, take her at her word, but the author delivers on her premise. After consuming multiple romance novels, Ender declares to Tiffiny, "I...enjoy the slow burns the best. Where the woman...makes a man get down on his knees and grovel." (Yes, that was one of the most PG examples I could find).
Iwancio clearly amused herself as well as her readers throughout the book with apropos names (the Liberty Bell mascot, Ding Dong; the Philly Sillys face the Buffalo Wings and the Pittsburgh Stealers) and metafictional observations. At one point, the MMC cheekily observes, "I was almost scared to wonder about how an author would portray my story with Tiffiny." The answer, of course, is hilariously and no-hold-barred romantically and fantastically deranged.
This is a romance that is laugh-out-loud funny aware of itself as a romance and as a source of fantastical entertainment. The characters joke about what tropes they are, and in an incredibly charming move, skip the third act breakup to resolve that "whole forbidden romance trope aspect of our relationship" they "sort of forgot about."
In fact, the self-aware quality, which was one of my favorite features of the book, makes me wonder if the term "cocked brow," sprinkled ubiquitously throughout the text, is not an authorial quirk but an intentional reminder that this book is smut-centered at all times.
The book ends with a fantastic dance scene worthy of a Hallmark movie or whatever the X-rated equivalent is. Music, another key feature of entertainment baseball, also stays literally at the forefront of the book, as each chapter is named after a song from an incredibly varied soundtrack.If Working the Mound makes you laugh without cringing at the title, this could be a book for you. Get ready to laugh and pine and round all kinds of bases.
eARC received for review from the author; all opinions are my own.
Comments