Book Review: Covering Kendall by Julie Brannagh

Title: Covering Kendall

Author: Julie Brannagh

Publisher: Avon (HarperCollins)

Release Date: October 21, 2014
Where to Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

Rating: 5 stars

From the book:

Kendall Tracy, General Manager of the San Francisco Miners, is not one for rash decisions or one-night stands. But when she finds herself alone in a hotel room with a heart-stoppingly gorgeous man-who looks oddly familiar-Kendall throws her own rules out the window…and they blow right back into her face.

Drew McCoy should look familiar, he’s a star player for her team’s archrival the Seattle Sharks. Which would basically make Drew and Kendall the Romeo and Juliet of professional football…well, without all the dying. Not that it’s an issue. They agree to pretend their encounter never happened. Nothing good can come from it anyway, right? Drew’s not so sure.

Kendall may be all wrong, but he can’t stop thinking about her and he finds that some risks are worth taking. Because the stakes are always highest when you’re playing for keeps.

My review:

Julie Brannagh's fourth Love and Football series, COVERING KENDALL, is her best work yet. Brannagh is an author I've been with from the beginning - as an Avon Addict, I was introduced to her with her debut novel, Blitzing Emily (which I enjoyed). I saw improvement in her writing in her second, Rushing Amy, and her style became even better with Catching Cameron. (Why didn't I review this?! I loved this novel. I'll have to review it so you, dear reader, can make a decision to buy it. Spoiler alert: It's worth your money.)

But this one?

She. Nailed. It.

The characters' struggles are so real - career vs. personal life. It's one many of us struggle with in our everyday lives, and Brannagh injects so much feeling into the dialogue and setting that I related all over the place. (As I mentioned in earlier posts, I'm not a football lover. I'm not really a sporty type. But this series - this story in particular - transcends all that.)

Kendall is a busy career woman. She has climbed to the top by working her behind off; she's professional without being cold, which is a difficult thing for any author to pull off. Brannagh balanced her just right. One of the subplots in this book is that Kendall has to deal with one of her players involved in a domestic abuse case. Instead of going all icy and "I'm a woman and I'm bad-ass, I'm going to kick this guy out of the NFL," Kendall responds with such grace, humility and realism that I cheered out loud. It was wonderful. And that's just one example of the wonderfulness of this novel.

Drew is another well-rounded character. I wish I could turn on the TV and look for him on the field! Drew thinks he has it all together. He wants the perfect family - the same one he grew up with, really. Two loving parents, siblings, white picket fence. He even bought a house that would support such a family, when he found the perfect woman to marry. (Ha! I love that. He has such confidence that all will fall neatly into place. Life never works that way, and again, Brannagh nails this by blowing it completely out-of-the-water!) His high-profile job gives him a great insight into what it will be like for Kendall if their romance secret ever got out (which, of course, it does). Then it gives him great sensitivity to how she has to deal with it. He doesn't handle it perfectly - he is, after all, human - but his character arc is impressive, natural, and above all, realistic.

Drew's parents, by the way, are an excellent subplot that surprised me. Brannagh interwove it so seamlessly that I didn't see what she was doing until it was done. Read it. You'll know what I mean.



Five stars.

(Disclaimer: I was provided a digital Advanced Reader Copy (e-ARC) from the publisher for an honest and unbiased review.)

About the Author

Julie Brannagh has been writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. She lives in a small town near Seattle, where she once served as a city council member and owned a yarn shop. She shares her home with a wonderful husband, two uncivilized Maine Coons and a rambunctious chocolate Lab. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, or armchair-quarterbacking her favorite NFL team from the comfort of the family room couch. Julie is a Golden Heart finalist and the author of contemporary sports romances.

Contact Julie:

Website |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click here to follow the Tasty Book Tour for more chances to win!

Read More

Book Review and Giveaway: RUSHING AMY by Julie Brannagh

Title: Rushing Amy

Author: Julie Brannagh

Publisher: Avon (HarperCollins)

Release Date: February 11, 2014
Where to Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

From the book:

Julie Brannagh's sparkling and romantic Love and Football series continues!

For Amy Hamilton, only three Fs matter: Family, Football, and Flowers. It might be nice to find someone to share Forever with, too, but right now she's working double overtime while she gets her flower shop off the ground. The last thing she needs or wants is a distraction … or help, for that matter. Especially in the form of gorgeous and aggravatingly arrogant ex-NFL star Matt Stephens.

Matt lives by a playbook—his playbook. He never thought his toughest opponent would come in the form of a stunning florist with a stubborn streak to match his own. Since meeting her in the bar after her sister's wedding, he's known there's something between them. After she refuses—again and again—to go out with him, Matt will do anything to win her heart … But will Amy, who has everything to lose, let the clock run out on the one-yard line? 

My review:

Amy Hamilton feels she lived in her sister's shadow for too long, and she realizes that she's only been there because of herself; no one put her there, or treated her as though she wasn't any less than her sister. But the fact remains that Emily was always - is still - the more talented of the two.

Amy's made something of herself by opening a small business - a flower shop in Seattle. It's hard work, the hours are long, and her nails will never be manicured again, but she's finally at a place where she's happy with herself and her choices. She has recently got out of a long-term relationship (ok...she was dumped, unceremoniously, by a crap boyfriend), and she's just not interested in starting anything again for a good long while.

Matt Stephens is just the opposite. He wants something real and lasting - something that's eluded him for so long, he isn't sure it exists. When he meets Amy after Emily and Brandon's wedding, he sees something in her that he likes, and isn't afraid to go after it.

Matt understands Amy from the beginning - he asks her out until she can't say no any longer. His intuition about Amy doesn't feel forced or unnatural in the story; he seems to really get her. He's willing to work hard at the chance to date her, see if he can turn his attraction into something more than a notch on the bedpost, and his perseverance pays off when she finally says yes. And I loved watching her mind change! Her thought process was so much fun (...and very much an insight into the way some women's minds work).

I enjoyed RUSHING AMY even more than the first novel, BLITZING EMILY. The best part about this story wasn't the story itself. It was the writing - I saw, from BLITZING EMILY to this one, a transformation. The writing was tighter, the characters had a bit more depth to their overall back story, and the secondary characters (especially Matt's daughter and ex-wife) gave the entire plot a better flow than BLITZING EMILY. 

I didn't realize these things when I read Emily's story, but now that I've read RUSHING AMY, I can see how the author's style is growing, evolving, and getting better with each book. The only thing I didn't like was lack of introduction of the next book's characters in the previous book (I don't recall Matt Stephens in BE, and I didn't notice Cameron in RA). However, that minor point aside, I can't wait to read CATCHING CAMERON.

Four and a half stars.

About the Author

Julie Brannagh has been writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. She lives in a small town near Seattle, where she once served as a city council member and owned a yarn shop. She shares her home with a wonderful husband, two uncivilized Maine Coons and a rambunctious chocolate Lab.

Julie hasn't quite achieved the goal of owning a pro football team, so she created a fictional one: The Seattle Sharks. When she's not writing, she's reading, or armchair-quarterbacking her favorite NFL team from the comfort of the family room couch. Julie is a Golden Heart finalist and the author of four contemporary sports romances.

Website: http://www.juliebrannagh.com

Facebook: Julie Brannagh

Twitter: @JulieDuvall

Julie Brannagh on Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

Two digital copies of BLITZING EMILY - one for you and one for a friend!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Follow this tour for more chances to win!

Feb 10th- Book Reviews and More by Kathy- Promo

Feb 10th - At the Corner of First and Romance- Review
Feb 11th - Insightful Minds Reviews- Review
Feb 11th - Save Your Money For Books- Review
Feb 12th- Book Mama Blog- Guest Post
Feb 13th- Chicklit Pad- Guest Post
Feb 14th- Romancing the Readers- Review

Feb 17th- We're Jumpin' Books - Review
Feb 18th- Words with Leti Del Mar- Guest Post
Feb 19th-A Tasty Read Book Reviews- Promo/Guest Post
Feb 20th-Crystal Blogs Books - Review
Feb 20th- Harlequin Junkie- Guest Post
Feb 21st- My Written Romance- Review/Promo

Feb 24th- Girl Meet Books- Guest Post/Review
Feb 25th- Escaping Reality One Book at a Time- Review
Feb 26th- Rage, Sex and Teddy Bears- Review
Feb 27th- Snarky Mom Reads...- Review
Feb 28th- Storm Goddess Book Reviews- Review

(Disclaimer: I was provided a digital Advanced Reader Copy (e-ARC) from the publisher for an honest and unbiased review.)

Read More

Book Review and Giveaway: BLITZING EMILY by Julie Brannagh

Title: Blitzing Emily

Author: Julie Brannagh

Publisher: Avon (HarperCollins)

Release Date: January 7, 2014
Where to Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

From the book:

All's fair in Love and Football . . .

Emily Hamilton doesn't trust men. She's much more comfortable playing the romantic lead in front of a packed house onstage than in her own life. So when NFL star and alluring ladies' man Brandon McKenna acts as her personal white knight, she has no illusions that he'll stick around. However, a misunderstanding with the press throws them together in a fake engagement that yields unexpected (and breathtaking) benefits.

Every time Brandon calls her "Sugar," Emily almost believes he's playing for keeps—not just to score. Can she let down her defenses and get her own happily ever after?

My review:

BLITZING EMILY is a fast, fun read for a winter day - the witty dialogue, unexpected character development and happily-ever-after combine to make this story a definite pick-me-up story.

Emily Hamilton isn't a huge fan of relationships. She's failed at her own and her parents' divorce was a mess. As she was the one to break the news to her mom that her dad was cheating, it took a serious emotional toll on Emily.

Fast-forward to the present day, and Emily is a successful opera singer. She loves performing and everything that goes along with it, but she works hard to be the exact opposite of a diva; she's trying to repair the damage to her reputation caused by a nasty ex, and doing a fairly good job at it.

She runs a simple errand for her sister - deliver a bouquet of balloons and some chocolates to a guy at the football stadium. She slips on the ice and gives herself a significant concussion...and she's brought to the hospital by the balloon recipient, Brandon McKenna. As Emily doesn't follow sports, it's funny to watch the way the two of them interact. 

Brandon's used to females fawning all over him, but hedoesn't have a big head about it. He's tired of the one-night stands, vapid arm-candy girlfriends, and the fast life. With the end of his football career approaching, he's looking to the future - a wife, family, and perhaps a picket fence.

I loved Emily's ignorance about football (I admit to my own!) and how she comes to understand what it is that Brandon loves about the game (not the plays, but more the cheering crowd and euphoria that comes along with it). I really enjoyed how Brannagh broke the stereotype of dumb jock. If there were any idiots on the football team, she (thankfully) didn't give them much page space. She also created an alpha male who was protective in the sweetest, most relaxed way, and that was a pleasure to see. Also, Emily's influence over the guys on the team, getting them to listen to opera? Brilliant - and gave depth to a slew of secondary characters that I wasn't expecting, but was pleasantly surprised to find.

The most moving part of this story was Emily's own transformation, which I refuse to spoil for you. It involves an ex-girlfriend, a whole bunch of rumors, so overly gossipy sports casters and...well, read it. You'll see. :)

Four and a half stars - I look forward to more from this author, and her next book, RUSHING AMY, will be an automatic pre-order for me.

About the Author

Julie Brannagh has been writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. She completed her first novel in 2006. Julie lives in a small town thirty miles east of Seattle with a wonderful husband, two uncivilized Maine Coons (Mojo and Oscar) and a rambunctious chocolate Lab named Moose. She loves to write, but she loves books even more.

Julie is represented by Sarah E. Younger of Nancy Yost Literary Agency. Sarah sold Julie’s Seattle Sharks series to Amanda Bergeron of Avon Impulse in November of 2012. BLITZING EMILY (first book of the series) will make its debut in January of 2014. RUSHING AMY will follow on February 11, 2014, and CATCHING CAMERON will be published on May 6, 2014.

When Julie’s not writing or reading, she enjoys the same things everyone else does: Sports, music, movies, visiting with friends, and the occasional cupcake.

Website: http://www.juliebrannagh.com

Facebook: Julie Brannagh

Twitter: @JulieDuvall

Julie Brannagh on Goodreads

Click here to follow the BLITZING EMILY tour.

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Disclaimer: I was provided an digital copy from Tasty Book Tours for an honest and unbiased review.)

Read More