The Dugout by Emily Childs

The Dugout

Second-chance romance with a fastball to the heart

Written byEmily Childs
Length8h24m
Release dateJune 6, 2023
LanguageEnglish
★★★★☆ 4.8 (47 ratings)

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Quick Facts

AuthorEmily Childs
NarratorMia Madison, C.J. Mission
Runtime8h24m
PublishedJune 6, 2023
Rating★★★★☆ 4.8 / 5 (47 ratings)
CategoriesRomance, Contemporary, Sports
FormatAudiobook (Digital)
PlatformAudible

About This Audiobook

*The Dugout* isn’t just another sports romance—it’s a razor-sharp, emotionally charged reunion between two people who never really got over each other. Emily Childs writes Ryder and the unnamed heroine with a raw, almost painful chemistry, where every stolen glance and loaded silence carries the weight of a decade’s worth of regrets. This isn’t a story about baseball; it’s about the quiet devastation of first love and the messy, adult stakes of trying to rebuild trust when the past still lingers like a ghost in the stadium lights.

The dual narration by Mia Madison and C.J. Mission elevates the audiobook into something special. Madison delivers the heroine’s guarded vulnerability with a voice that cracks just enough to make you believe she’s two seconds from either crying or kissing him, while Mission’s Ryder oscillates between cocky athlete swagger and the humbled rawness of a man who knows he messed up. The production leans into intimate, almost claustrophobic moments—whispers in hotel hallways, the clink of glasses in a dimly lit bar—making the listen feel like eavesdropping on a conversation you weren’t meant to hear.

Tags: second-chance romance with emotional whiplashdual narration with chemistry you can hearcontemporary romance for fans of angsty reunionssports romance (but really it’s about the feels)audiobook with intimate, cinematic productionstrong female lead vs. the ex who wrecked her

Why Listen to The Dugout?

  • Expert narration by Mia Madison, C.J. Mission brings every character and scene to life across 8h24m of immersive audio.
  • Highly rated at 4.8 stars by 47 listeners.
  • Free with your Audible trial — keep the audiobook forever even if you cancel.
  • Perfect for commutes, workouts, and relaxation. Listen anywhere, anytime.
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Editor's Review ★★★★☆

AudioBook Atlas

I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes at the ‘designer-meets-famous-ex’ premise—until about 30 minutes in, when Childs flipped the script. This isn’t a story about a woman swooning over a celebrity; it’s about two deeply flawed people who *hurt* each other, and the audiobook’s strength lies in how unflinchingly it sits with that discomfort. Mia Madison’s performance is the standout here. She nails the heroine’s professional polish cracking under pressure, especially in scenes where she’s negotiating contracts by day and dodging Ryder’s apologies by night. Her delivery of the line, *“I don’t forgive you, but I miss you”* is so gut-punch quiet, I actually rewound to hear it again. That said, the pacing stumbles slightly in the middle. The baseball subplot (a contract negotiation crisis) feels like a detour from the real story, and C.J. Mission’s narration occasionally tips into *too* much gravel-voiced brooding—like Ryder’s permanently on the verge of a growl. But the last two hours? Perfection. The way Childs weaves in callbacks to their teenage love letters (read with aching tenderness by both narrators) turns what could’ve been a standard HEA into something earned and bittersweet. If you love romances where the emotional payoff feels *hard-won*—and where the narrators make silence as electric as dialogue—this one’s worth the listen. Just maybe skip the play-by-play baseball scenes if you’re not a sports fan; they’re the only part that drags.

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The Dugout by Emily Childs is an immersive listening experience. Performed by Mia Madison, C.J. Mission with a runtime of 8h24m, you can start with a free trial that you can cancel at any time. The audiobook remains yours forever, even if you end the trial.