review: stealing parker by miranda kenneally

stealing parker by miranda kenneally
october 1, 2012
sourcebooks fire
young adult | contemporary
catching jordan #2
pages: 256
source/format: netgalley/egalley
rating: ★★★★

Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

After her family's scandal rocks their conservative small town, 17-year-old Parker Shelton goes overboard trying to prove that she won't turn out like her mother: a lesbian. The all-star third-baseman quits the softball team, drops 20 pounds and starts making out with guys--a lot. But hitting on the hot new assistant baseball coach might be taking it a step too far...especially when he starts flirting back. 


review:  

For anybody that knows me, they know how much I love baseball. I love that game so much. I thrive on baseball like other people thrive on food. So when I found out Miranda Kenneally’s sophomore book was about baseball, and a forbidden romance (MY NEXT FAVORITEST THING EVER), I knew I was going to love it—and I did. Stealing Parker is an incredible contemporary YA, about love, friendship, relationships, and of course, the best thing ever, baseball.

Parker Shelton is dealing with a tough time in her life. Her mom recently left her family . . . for another woman, and their church has decided This Is Not Acceptable, and Parker’s classmates have also decided It Is Not Acceptable and will not talk to Parker. Guys, my heart ached for Parker. But all I really wanted her to do was to talk to her mother. Because WHY NOT talk to her? 

And let me tell you, I did not expect this book to dive into religion so deeply. Yet it did—Parker is mad at God, but still goes to church every Sunday. Parker deals with being a good Christian girl, and woah, did I not expect any of that. It didn’t turn me off, but I wasn’t expecting it. At all. Yet it was a nice surprise to Stealing Parker. I really liked the church element. 

I also really liked the baseball and softball element, and of course, Brian. The forbidden, steamy coach. I started out liking him a lot. He was NICE and amazing and I loved Brian and Parker’s chemistry. And then he turned into a sexual deviant and I hated him. I wanted Parker to stand up to him and get with the guy who was totally falling for her, while she was falling for him.

I loved the ending. There was a point where Parker lost EVERYTHING and I was crying. Okay, not really crying, but I wanted to. I wanted to cry and hug Parker because I just felt so bad for her. Then the ending came and Parker got her happily ever after, and I was a happy reader.

If you love romance with a fantastic story, I would recommend picking up Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally. It was a fast read, with fantastic characters, and I loved loved loved it so much.