Title: All Lined Up
Author: Cora Carmack
Series: Rusk University #1
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publication Date: April 2014
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack follows up her trio of hits—Losing It, Faking It, and Finding It—with this thrilling first novel in an explosive series bursting with the Texas flavor, edge, and steamy romance of Friday Night Lights.
In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both.
Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.
But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.
Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated.
Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter.
And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel.
All Lined up drew me in from the pretty cover to the interesting synopsis, so when I learned about the blog tour, I immediately joined and was ecstatic to find out that I got accepted! When I received the review copy, I immediately delved into it, and here I am now, just a few minutes after finishing the book, writing this review because I was too excited.
Dallas Cole, Rusk University's head coach's daughter, is tired of football. Her dad used to just coach high school football, but now moved to college ball, in the university she is attending no less. Her luck couldn't be much worse, because Levi, her ex-boyfriend is studying at the same university as well! Her relationship with her dad was never really that good, and now she finds herself in his shadow yet again.
Carson McClain transferred to Rusk University just this year hoping to gain a permanent spot in the football team and with that, earn a scholarship. He wanted to have no distractions and stay focus, but all that changes when he meets Dallas in a college party in the first week of school.
There, Dallas and Carson talks and enjoys themselves, until Stella, Dallas' best friend, arrives and Dallas has to leave, but not before giving Carson her number. They texted each other after that, until one day, Carson's replies suddenly stopped. Dallas and Carson bumped into each other in school one day and Carson promised to explain why that night, but on the same day, Dallas finds out that Carson is part of the football team when she went to find her dad and bolts. Things become complicated because Dallas Cole doesn't date football players anymore.
Soon, Dallas and Carson compromises to stay friends because they both have something to lose. After that, they spend more and more time with each other until the attraction is just too much.
I loved reading this book because of a number of things. I loved how Stella was always there for Dallas and always encouraged her to have the college experience, despite her being scared that her dad might find out. I loved how hilarious the dialogues between Dallas and Carson were, and how that didn't disappear as the romance built up. I loved how there was a romance build up, and how good it was, unlike other books out there. I loved how Dallas and her dad came to an understanding in the end, how her Dad opened up and really listened to what she was saying. I loved how the dad still stayed how he is and just magically transformed into this perfect dad because come on, that would never happen in real life! I also loved how Carson had a part in all that because even just for a little, he made Dallas understand her dad's side. And also, I really love how personal this is for Cora Carmack, being a coach's daughter herself.
But most of all, I love how this book is not just about college, football or romance. It's also about family friendship and life. Because these are that books that I love and that matter. These are the books worth reading and must be read. I admit, I had a hard time understanding the football terms since it's not a popular sport in my country, but I still really enjoyed this. Overall, I just really love this book, and I recommend this to everyone because of how amazing it is. 4.5 stars for this great one!
“I will never be in that position again. I will never be the person who cares more, because that person is always the one who hurts more.”
“It takes talent to be a gawking hot mess, and I am a gawking hot mess to the third power.”
“I don't know anything about this guy except that his eyes make my mind fuzzy, and his muscled arms make my mouth water, and the things he keeps saying... they burn – beginning in my flushed cheeks, blazing through my blood, and curling between my legs until I feel like I have to squeeze them together just to keep from combusting on the spot.”
Labels: 4.5 Stars, ARC Review, Blog Tour, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
