{Review} All Lined Up (Rusk University #1) by Cora Carmack

Posted by Donna
Release Date: May 13th, 2014
Finished Date: January 14th, 2015

Publishers: William Morrow Paperbacks
Genre: NA, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Bought
Format: Kindle

Pages: 320

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

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.

The Review: I’d been wanting to read All Lined Up since it was first released and eventually managed to snag it a couple of months ago on kindle really cheap – I’m sure it was like 59p – so you know I couldn’t say no to that. But it was a very well spent 59p because All Lined Up was just as good as I was hoping it would be.

Dallas Cole has grown up around nothing but football. Her father coach football and her ex-boyfriend is a quarterback but for Dallas, she hates the sport because she’s always comes second to it. Moving to Rusk University is supposed to be her way out but when her father takes a new coaching job and her ex-boyfriend gets a scholarship there, football seems to be following her everywhere. So when she meets Carson McClain – someone she has an instant connection to – she’s devastated when she finds out he plays football too but can’t deny the attraction between them.

Carson McClain needs to become Rusk University’s staring line up to get the scholarship he needs to continue school. But when Dallas Cole comes into his life he is determined to not get distracted and more importantly finding out that she’s the new coach’s daughter should turn him away but it doesn’t. No matter what Dallas has Carson’s full attention and soon these two discover what it’s like to have something else to focus on.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a new adult story because I find I have to be in the right mood for a new adult story but Cora Carmack did a great job with All Lined Up. I find myself hoping I can get around to reading All Broke Down sometime soon.

I really enjoyed both Dallas and Carson and the fact that it’s told in a dual narrative is a bonus to. I liked Dallas, I loved that she was head strong and determined. But I think I liked Carson more. What surprised me was he’s not your typical football player. He doesn’t play around with girls. He’s not a player. He’s quiet and dedicated. And most of all he’s honest. He surprised me. I was expecting another bad boy that reforms because of the girl but Carson really isn’t that. He’s already a good guy and that was totally unexpected.

In all, All Lined Up is a good and easy read and one that makes you invest in the characters. I can’t wait to read more from Cora Carmack.