By Miranda Kenneally
Release Date: July 5, 2016
Source: Publisher at ALA
Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor's always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that's what is expected of a senator's daughter. But one impulsive decision-one lie to cover for her boyfriend-and Taylor's kicked out of private school. Everything she's worked so hard for is gone, and now she's starting over at Hundred Oaks High.
Soccer has always been Taylor's escape from the pressures of school and family, but it's hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she's going through is her older brother's best friend, Ezra. Taylor's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it's hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?
I have been a fan of the Hundred Oaks series ever since Catching Jordan was released. I get more and more excited with each book that is released and I am always anticipating yet another YA romance that will sweep me off my feet.
After Taylor takes the fall for something she didn't do, she is forced to leave her private school and attend Hundred Oaks High. With her dad as a senator, Taylor's decision could ruin her father's image of his perfect family and Taylor's hope of attending Yale. Taylor has always turned to soccer to deal with life, but on her new team, she feels even more excluded than before. The only person who seems to understand what she's going through is Ezra, her older brother's best friend. Taylor has had a crush on him forever, but can Taylor really be with Ezra after what had happened in their past?
So right after I read this book, I gave it four stars. Not my favorite in the series, but a cute read. Two weeks later as I'm writing this review, I had to knock the rating down to three stars after thinking about what I liked and didn't like about this book. While this did have a cute romance and dealt with the more mature side of YA novel themes, there were things that are still rubbing me the wrong way. First off, the thing Ezra did "way back" when Taylor was 16 was kind of…anticlimactic. She was really mad at him over that? And never talked to him about it to understand what actually happened? And he didn't try to talk to her to explain? Then, the whole thing with her ex-boyfriend coming back to talk to her was just a little…expected? I guess I wanted to be more surprised with the storyline and not disappointed in the big secrets that were revealed and came to play out.
Going to the romance between Taylor and Ezra, I just didn't find myself connecting to their relationship as much as I wanted to. Taylor seemed a little too, I don't know, immature for Ezra? She was still in high school and he had a job and life he was trying to figure out. I think Taylor just seemed immature to me because of what went down at her private school. I didn't really think she had that great of a relationship with her ex-boyfriend to cause her to do what she did that got her kicked out. I guess what I'm saying is that I didn't connect with the characters, their motivations, and their relationships as much as I have in the past novels of this series.
As you can see, I'm still conflicted over my feelings for this one. Overall, this one was still an enjoyable read with endearing characters and a more mature YA plot line, but I didn't love it as much as I wanted to.
After Taylor takes the fall for something she didn't do, she is forced to leave her private school and attend Hundred Oaks High. With her dad as a senator, Taylor's decision could ruin her father's image of his perfect family and Taylor's hope of attending Yale. Taylor has always turned to soccer to deal with life, but on her new team, she feels even more excluded than before. The only person who seems to understand what she's going through is Ezra, her older brother's best friend. Taylor has had a crush on him forever, but can Taylor really be with Ezra after what had happened in their past?
So right after I read this book, I gave it four stars. Not my favorite in the series, but a cute read. Two weeks later as I'm writing this review, I had to knock the rating down to three stars after thinking about what I liked and didn't like about this book. While this did have a cute romance and dealt with the more mature side of YA novel themes, there were things that are still rubbing me the wrong way. First off, the thing Ezra did "way back" when Taylor was 16 was kind of…anticlimactic. She was really mad at him over that? And never talked to him about it to understand what actually happened? And he didn't try to talk to her to explain? Then, the whole thing with her ex-boyfriend coming back to talk to her was just a little…expected? I guess I wanted to be more surprised with the storyline and not disappointed in the big secrets that were revealed and came to play out.
Going to the romance between Taylor and Ezra, I just didn't find myself connecting to their relationship as much as I wanted to. Taylor seemed a little too, I don't know, immature for Ezra? She was still in high school and he had a job and life he was trying to figure out. I think Taylor just seemed immature to me because of what went down at her private school. I didn't really think she had that great of a relationship with her ex-boyfriend to cause her to do what she did that got her kicked out. I guess what I'm saying is that I didn't connect with the characters, their motivations, and their relationships as much as I have in the past novels of this series.
As you can see, I'm still conflicted over my feelings for this one. Overall, this one was still an enjoyable read with endearing characters and a more mature YA plot line, but I didn't love it as much as I wanted to.
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