Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Trueman again revisits the interior thoughts and fears of a teenager. Unlike earlier works, this one features no violence. Instead, it's about a baseball-obsessed teen whose world is rocked when his best friend admits he's gay. Travis moves in with Scott and his dad, because Travis's parents can't handle his homosexuality. Unfortunately, neither can Scott, causing a schism between them. Scott immediately gets an AIDS test out of ignorance; in seven days, he'll get the results. Until then, he's in the hot corner (baseball lingo for third base). Scott does a lot of soul-searching, finally achieving self-awareness and understanding about his parents' divorce, values and acceptance of others. Scott also realizes that baseball is neat but life is messy. He ultimately decides it doesn't matter if he wins or loses; his actions in life are of utmost value. Scott's fears and journey are utterly believable, even if his self-realization is rather rushed. However, the sports aspect and realistic treatment of prejudice and teenagers should keep readers enthralled. Especially recommended for reluctant readers. (Fiction. YA) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Baseball is the most important thing in Scott's life. But for the varsity third baseman, life in baseball's proverbial hot corner becomes much hotter after he discovers that Travis, his lifelong best friend, is gay. Then comes a bloody batting-practice accident that may mean Scott has become infected with AIDS. The test results won't be available for seven days, during which time Scott's undefeated team is headed to the championships, where a hoped-for future as a professional ballplayer hangs in the balance. Yes, baseball once again serves as a handy metaphor for life, but Trueman does a good job of avoiding the errors of didacticism and tendentiousness. His suspenseful story is enhanced by some late-inning surprises, the gay subplot is treated with honesty and integrity, and Scott and Travis are believable, sympathetic characters. Trueman scores again.--Michael Cart Copyright 2007 Booklist

Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

With a compelling twist on a coming-out story, Trueman's (Stuck in Neutral) novel stars 18-year-old Scott Latimer, a baseball fanatic who plays third base (the "hot corner" of the title) for his high school's team. Scott's world is thrown into disarray when his best friend, Travis, reveals that he's gay during the citywide baseball tournament. Now, in addition to worrying about playing well in the seven-day tournament, Scott anxiously awaits the results of an HIV test that he gets in secret: he fears he may have contracted AIDS after a batting cage incident, in which he wound up with Travis's blood on his hands. When Travis's parents kick their son out of the house, thinking he may influence his younger brother, Travis moves in with Scott's family, causing additional tension between the two best friends. An article in the high school newspaper anonymously relates Travis's struggles as a gay high school senior, and Scott fears that his classmates might think he's gay as well if they discover the article is about Travis. Scott wrestles with gripping fear about potentially having contracted AIDS, anger that his best friend kept his sexuality a secret from him for so many years, confusion about his own and his fellow classmates' prejudices, and concern for Travis's safety. Readers will likely be affected by this emotional journey of a kid who would have been happy to limit his concerns to catching blazing line drives and working toward a shot at the major leagues. Ages 12-up. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Third-baseman Scott sweats out a week waiting for his AIDS test results after his best friend (who once bled all over him after a baseball bat-induced nosebleed) announces he's gay. Rejecting the tough jock mentality around him, Scott confronts his ignorance and homophobia, learning lessons about life and friendship both on and off the playing field. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 6 Up-Scott, a baseball-obsessed high school senior, works through the shock he feels when he learns that his best friend is gay. The immature teen's initial reaction is self-centered and a bit hysterical; he fears that he may have contracted AIDS after having helped Travis recover from a bloody batting-cage accident a few months earlier. While he awaits the results of tests to show whether he has the virus, Scott starts to gain an awareness and understanding of his friend's situation. Travis has been thrown out by his parents (and taken in by Scott's father); and after his friend gives an anonymous interview to the school newspaper, Scott fears for his safety. A history teacher ties the issue to a lesson on how Nazi Germany persecuted anyone who failed to conform to its standards. The book's strength lies in the straightforward depiction of the protagonist's struggle to come to terms with Travis's revelations. The other characters fail to develop fully, but this novel will find its audience among teens who see themselves in Scott's character.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.