All Lined Up by Cora Carmack

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Title: All Lined Up
Author: Cora Carmack
Series: Rusk University #1
Published by: William Morrow
Release Date: May 13, 2014
Format: Kindle Book
Pages: 322
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Sports Romance
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2018 Beat the Backlist Challenge, Lenoreo's 2018 New Adult Challenge, Lenoreo's 2018 Reading Assignment Challenge, Lenoreo's COYER Big Summer Birthday Bash 2018
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ IndieBound
My rating:

Blurb:

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.

My Review:

3.5 stars — This book was plugging along at a respectable 4 stars…I wasn’t blown away, but I was definitely enjoying it and the characters.  And at 85% I turned the page and it said “Epilogue”, and I was all WTF???  That’s not good people.  If I don’t feel like the end of the book has come when I hit the epilogue, then something’s wrong.  I wholeheartedly believe that the ending came out of nowhere, and there was a lot left that could have been resolved in the story, but I also wonder if the abruptness was exacerbated by the fact I was switching between this book and an audiobook I was listening to.  Maybe I lost the thread of the storyline and didn’t notice the climax and resolution as much as a result?  I honestly don’t know.  I’m so confused.  I’m so annoyed by the end, that I kind of want to give this a 3 star, but I really was enjoying myself up to that point, so I’ll settle with rounding down.  *shakes head*  I feel betrayed!!!  Or I’m just being dramatic…one or the other.  😛

So what was I enjoying before the end?  Well in general I was liking both characters.  Dallas’s insecurities were real and something I could connect with, but at the same time they got a bit annoying after awhile.  I think part of the reason why they got annoying is that I didn’t feel like we really got to understand quite what they stemmed from.  Which isn’t necessarily true…we did get to see how being raised by a standoffish father, with no mother, and the problems that arise from being the Coach’s daughter in a Texas town could help create those insecurities.  But we also got a LOT of hinting at her relationship with Levi, and how it ended, but we never actually got that many details.  It was shrouded in shades of gray, and I kept waiting for the big reveal that never happened.  I wanted to know what her fears and struggles were with intimacy and the loss of her virginity.  I assumed we were going to see her connect with Carson as they worked through that.  But, as I said, EPILOGUE.  I appreciated that she was both bold and meek, it was an interesting combination.  I loved that she didn’t fall for any of the football guys’ traps, and wasn’t afraid to tell them off.  But I REALLY wanted more closure with her.  With her individually, and with her relationship with her Dad.  We got to see the start of them repairing their relationship, and I know it will be something they work on forever, but I wanted something more “hit over my head” clear with them.

As for Carson, I actually really liked him!  He was sweet, understanding, hardworking, earnest.  But his story had SO MUCH POTENTIAL that was never met.  I think it was a GIANT SHAME that Ms. Carmack didn’t delve into his struggles with academics.  Even though I’ve always been book smart, I’ve always had a soft spot for people who decide they are dumb, which is totally Carson.  His parents (and likely former teachers/coaches) all led him to believe he wasn’t smart, just because he struggled, and that the only thing worthy about him was football.  I was SO SURE that we were going to see Dallas help him understand that just because it takes him more work, doesn’t mean he’s stupid.  I wanted it desperately.  But that line just fizzled the fuck out.  Bummer.

As for the two of them together, I really enjoyed their chemistry actually.  They were a pretty bright spot in this story — their romance was sweet, had a lot of fireworks right from that first kiss, and I was okay with the way it played out (hiding it from her Dad, etc).  As I mentioned about Dallas, I was surprised that we didn’t get to see their intimate moments develop and change.  It felt like a big part of their story, but it kind of got left by the wayside and we just got a tiny bit in the epilogue that didn’t deal with any of her issues.  I know many people were disappointed with the lack of steam, and honestly that wasn’t it for me.  I don’t mind if my NAs are less steamy…but when that seems to be a part of the story, I expect a better resolution than we got.

As for secondary characters, I really didn’t connect with a lot of them.  Stella was fun, and I’m curious about her.  Same with Ryan.  We got glimpses of other football players, but nothing spectacular.

So yeah.  I’m disappointed.  I’ll continue reading the series since I already own the next two, but I might give it a break right now.  Hopefully the next ones are more complete.