At the age of twenty, high school drop out Stacy Evans has been spending the last four years just getting by.  At sixteen dropping out of school seemed like a good idea, but Stacy soon found his options limited.  Living with Lamar, a verbally abusive friend with benefits was beginning to take a toll on him, especially when Lamar behavior starts to turn possessive.  His friend Ange with whom he also enjoys a physical relationship with is the only thing he cares about as his life heads toward a dead end.

When Stacy’s mother steps in and enrolls him into a program to help him get his GED, Stacy is not very acceptable to the idea.  Just to prove those who doubt him wrong and to not disappoint Ange who aside from his mother is the only one who has any belief him, Stacy reluctantly agrees to attend.  It’s here where he meets Darian the woodshop instructor.  Darian convinces Stacy to take his course and from there they begin one of the healthiest friendships Stacy has ever had.

Stepping up to the Plate is a wonderful drama about a young man (with way too much attitude) climbing out of the dead end rut of his life.  Darian entered Stacy’s life and befriended him at the right time.  Even though there were many times in this story where I wanted to yell at Stacy and shake him, I still couldn’t help but like him and hope for the best for him.  That best just happened to be Darian, big, strong, compassionate and caring Darian.  He was able to do what no one else could do, and that was to get Stacy to take his life serious and focus on the positive.  And then there was Ange, I really liked him, out of the dysfunctional circle of friends Stacy hung out with Ange was the only who truly cared for him. I had bittersweet feelings regarding the conclusion where Ange was concerned but J.M Snyder being the brilliantly perceptive writer that she is wrote a short sequel that helped with that a lot.  Stepping up to the Plate is not what I would call a romantic or highly erotic story even though there is strong sexual content, but it is a captivating story and one that I Joyfully Recommend.