The Rulebreaker

The Dugout, Book 3

By: Piper Rayne

Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Willa Jaymes, Connor Crais, Sean Masters, JF Harding, CJ Bloom, Erin Mallon, Meg Sylvan, Austin Stone

I’m the coach’s daughter. Falling for one of my father's players was never the plan.

Especially not Decker Davis.

Chicago Colts third baseman.

Dependable. Steady. The guy everyone trusts.

And the man who’s spent years keeping his distance—especially from me.

We have history. The kind that ten years and a thousand miles can’t touch.

So, this time, I promised myself I'd be smarter.

No getting attached. No blurred lines. And definitely, no falling.

He broke every last one within the first week.

Because Decker doesn’t just show up for me. He shows up for my daughter.

Because he fits into our lives like he was always meant to be there.

Because he looks at me like I was never something he wanted to lose.

And suddenly, the walls I've spent years building don't feel nearly as solid as they used to.

But if I let him in, I’m not just risking my heart—I’m risking hers too… and I already know what losing him costs.

I won’t let my daughter pay that price.

©2026 Piper Rayne Inc. (P)2026 Piper Rayne Inc.

such a great storyline

love the storyline and the different narrators it makes it much easier to follow. love how all the different series are tied together as well

Great full cast narration

I am so obsessed with this series!!!!
Piper Rayne does it again! I was so excited for Decker's story, and it did not disappoint. We get second chance romance, coach's daughter, single mom, friends-to-lovers, and forced proximity. What could be better?! I also loved getting to catch up with couples from previous books.
The full-cast narration was amazing as always! The only thing that drove me a little nuts was Teddy Hamilton mispronouncing Portillo's and Illinois. As someone who grew up in Illinois, I cringed every single time he said them. 🤣
I cannot wait for Easton's story next!

The Dugout Series Keeps Hitting Home Runs

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 | The Rulebreaker (The Dugout Series #3) by Piper Rayne
Format: Audiobook
Narration: Teddy Hamilton, Willa Jaymes + full cast
Decker and Penelope. A love story years in the making.
Decker Davis, dependable third baseman for the Chicago Colts, has loved Penelope since he was eleven years old. Timing was always off. Family conflict, distance, and life kept pushing them apart, even when there was almost something more.
Penelope spent years comparing every man to Decker and none measured up. After an unsuccessful relationship leaves her raising her daughter Hazel, she moves to Chicago hoping for a fresh start… only to discover some feelings never disappear.
This book delivered exactly what I wanted most: closure.
After Foster's story in The Wildcard, seeing the strained relationship between twin brothers Foster and Decker finally begin to heal was one of my favorite parts. Watching them choose family again hit harder than I expected.
And Hazel? Absolutely adorable. Her interactions with Decker added so much heart to the story.
What kept this from being a perfect read for me: I wanted more therapy sessions. The emotional work between the brothers felt important and I wished we’d gotten another glimpse or two into that healing process before it wrapped up.
This is a slow burn, mildly spicy romance with:
⚾ Childhood friends/crush vibes
⚾ Single mom romance
⚾ Found family
⚾ Years of unresolved feelings
⚾ Emotional healing & sibling reconciliation
The audiobook shines because of the performances. Teddy Hamilton and Willa Jaymes lead an incredible full cast including Connor Crais, Sean Masters, CJ Bloom, Erin Mallon and others. Full cast narration continues to make The Dugout Series feel immersive and addictive.
While this can technically be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the series in order. The emotional payoff between the brothers lands much stronger that way.
I’m officially invested… and counting down to Easton’s story.

Honestly…

Honestly… The story was great. Extremely well written. But I’m halfway tempted to knock the grade down a star simply because Penelope got on my nerves so badly. I understand the angst in the yearning and the unrequited love that she felt for Decker. I get the mixture of emotions that are constantly in her. Period but what bothers me so much is that she has such animosity towards Decker when really she’s the one who messed up the situation in the first place. If she would’ve just spoken up, maybe none of that would’ve happened. Other than that, the story is great. I do like Penelope and Decker together. The spice is good. I enjoyed it.

A+ Audio Cast

I love the interrelated series and the children make it even better! I cannot wait for book four to come out next month!!!