Fast Break

When two retired basketball players come together to turn around a struggling team, sparks fly in this half-hearted contemporary. Jaclyn Jones, the majority owner of the Brooklyn Monarchs, feels like she's always fighting someone: the arena management, the partners who want to move the team to Vegas, the struggling players. Hall of Famer DeMarcus Guinn, the Monarchs' new coach, just wants to preserve his reputation and keep his father happy. Marc's obsession with gossip leads him to a number of poor decisions, and he self-righteously judges his players based on his own past stardom, so it's a little unclear what classy, smart Jaclyn sees in him. Brooklynites will find this story a little too reminiscent of the Atlantic Yards development mess and lacking in true Brooklyn flavor. It's still a fun read for romance-minded casual basketball fans, but not so good for the diehards. (June)