BLOG TOUR: All Lined Up (Rusk University #1) – Cora Carmack + Review & giveaway!

Released: May 13th, 2014

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.

"Sometimes it's hard to see past our own broken pieces."

*COPY PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

All Lined Up is Cora Carmack at her best. The build up of their connection was slow yet intense. It wasn’t rushed or forced. The chemistry between Carson and Dallas flowed ever so smoothly, with a few bumps they got over along the way. This book is definitely one of my favorites of this year!

The book lived up to my expectations. Cora Carmack always develops the characters completely both individually and as a couple before they really get their happily ever after. Both Dallas and Carson had their own demons and problems to solve, and so, with this book, that was exactly what they did.

Dallas Cole has always lived in her father’s shadow – hell, even to her father, she came second after football. She had loved the sport once until it slowed down her dreams and career. That’s why she refused to have any connection with the sport. Ever. Especially not football players.

And I . . . I’m still stuck. In my father’s shadow. In Texas. In this lame state school with a joke of a dance program.

I couldn’t imagine how she must’ve felt. I mean, if I was her, I’d be extremely pissed. But Dallas holds it all inside and she probably doesn’t realize that her lack of communication with her father is also one of the reasons why her father doesn’t get what she’s going through, especially considering how protective she is.

Then there’s Carson who has problems of his own. Carson’s not as privileged as Dallas, and so it’s difficult for him to keep up his grades and also play football for Rusk. He wants to achieve the best but it’s hard for him to also stay on scholarship. He cannot be sidetracked by a girl. Especially not his coach’s daughter.

Yet, through all that, they managed to work things out.

“I can’t walk away from you because I don’t want to. There are a thousand things I want and need to do, but you trump all of them.” — Carson

My God, how do you not love this man?

And one of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Do you ever think that maybe that's all people do? Fix some things and break others? And we all just live in this giant cycle where we screw things up and hurt people we love, and then we turn around and try to atone for that by fixing other things. And maybe we're all just waiting on our turn for a broken heart and the person who will fix it."

MY RATING:

4.5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ All Lined Up (Rusk University #1) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

US ONLY
Signed copies of ALL LINED UP for 5 Winners!

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Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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This tour was hosted by InkSlingerPr.