ARC: Spiked - Jennifer Lane (Blocked #3)

Published Date: October 1, 2016

Genre: Romance

Synopsis: They say

University is the time
To find yourself
But I don’t need to find myself
Just want to find you 

After watching his older siblings find their love matches at Highbanks University, Mateo Ramirez feels unlikely to follow in their footsteps. What girl would want him? Unlike his brother and sister, he battles diabetes and chooses music over sports. But at least he can write songs about his life—and the girl who caught his eye when their parents ran against each other for US President.

Hey, chica! Come conmigo
And baby, why don’t we go
Down under the bridge to the water
With you it can only get hotter 

Jessica Monroe is a talented swimmer who dreams of representing Team USA at the Olympics. When she earns an athletic scholarship to Highbanks, she’s excited to attend the same school as the cute boy she met two years ago: Mateo. Too bad he’s not around when a teammate spikes her drink. Jessica may never trust men again.

Trust
Is a hard-to-earn thing
Just
Try to keep listening

Swallow
Down all of the unjust
Hollow
My chest, my heart will bust 

College years are the time to shake off the past and find your future. But will that future find Mateo and Jessica together? Dive in and immerse yourself in the eagerly anticipated conclusion to Jennifer Lane’s Blocked trilogy.
I FLOVE MATEO AND JESSICA.

FLOVE, FLOVE, FLOVE.

I mean, come on, who wouldn't like this broken guy who ends up being perfectly imperfect with a girl he never thought he would chance to meet. She is beautiful, smart, and yet utterly broken as well.

They build each other up as much as they break each other's walls down.

FLOVE, FLOVE, FLOVE.

Read Mateo and Jessica's story because you will just enjoy how Jennifer Lane ended the series. I'm not bitter that it's over but definitely heart broken. 
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Lane spiked another 5 stars into my heart.
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<3 nbsp="" p="">Get excited the finale of the Blocked series. 
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<3 nbsp="" p="">Blog you later, awesome book nerds.

Aced - Jennifer Lane (Blocked #2)

Published Date: December 2, 2015

Genre: Romance

Synopsis: Volleyball wonder Lucia Ramirez found her love match in Blocked despite the glaring political spotlight aimed on her family. In Aced, the second book in Jennifer Lane’s Blocked series, it could be her brother Alejandro’s turn to get lucky in love. 

Medical student Alejandro’s hot Latin looks get him plenty of attention, but his deep faith and admiration for his father keep him on a righteous path, with no time for something as frivolous as love. He strives to do the right thing—study diligently, take care of his siblings, represent the family well—so why does he feel so unfulfilled?

Enter Lucia’s friend and teammate Maddie Brooks, who shines at blocking the ball and acing the serve. Too bad this graduating senior isn’t so confident about her life off the court. Her longtime boyfriend has just bailed on her, and med school applications loom large. Oh, and a nerve-wracking tryout for Team USA also approaches.

Maddie meets Alejandro when he visits Lucia at school, and she’s soon drawn to his sharp mind. Alejandro is similarly intrigued by Maddie’s talent and strength. But will personal biases and family politics smother the slow burn of their attraction? Unless Maddie can learn to believe in herself, and Alejandro can become his own man, their kindling romance hardly stands a chance.

Will either of them be bold enough to try something new? Find out in this emotion-rich story that refuses to shy away from life’s hardest questions. Because love is worth the risk. 

Wow. This is what I call a 5-star-ish read. When it came down to Luz's love story from the Ramirez family, I knew that I needed to get my hands on the second one, Aced. Maybe I have been a sucker for sports romances because Alejandro and Maddie are completely blowing up the area. 

Be still my heart because they just put me under their beautiful love. 

Though I am trying to describe this book, the only word that comes to mind is foreign. It is their personalities. They bring out the best and the worst in each other. But to be honest, Alejandro is probably the cutest character due to the fact that I have read. 

Stubborn, athletic, smart, Alejandro will make your heart beat faster and faster. 

My heart reaches out to Maddie because of how her relationship played out before she met Alejandro. I just want to scream and shout that she goes. She's awesome and needs to understand that.  Just as I described Alejandro. They were practically a match made in heaven. 

This is a good 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Blog you later, awesome book nerds.

Blocked - Jennifer Lane (Blocked #1)

Published Date: October 21, 2014

Genre: Romance

Synopsis: College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player. ¡Híjole! Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her.

Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President. 

When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?
Let's play some volleyball!

Oh my gosh!

Dane and Luz are the perfect definition of how opposites attract. Well are they? Are they really?

Alright. We have the all-time American boy but instead of football, it's volleyball. And I love me some tall and muscular men who know how to hit. A ball. Jeez. There's not a lot of violence within these pages but there are M/F and F/F romances within them so if for some reason you don't want to read it because of that, that's okay.

It shocked me too but to a point where I had to continue reading.

I wouldn't consider this a dark romance but I would consider it a romance that deals with a problem that today's society feels.

The sad part about it was that I felt so sympathetic for her. Maybe even empathetic because Luz is someone who struggles with her beauty although she is the epitome of beauty. She's tall, muscular, sporty, shiny hair, etc. You know, everything that anyone could want. She's so innocent but when Dane comes crashing into her life on the courts. She knows that she needs him. His attention.

However, the only attention she gets is hatred. Their ideals clash but their lust for each other is undeniable. The chemistry on the court. And off the court. Especially since they will seeing a whole lot more of each other.

Words can hurt and it hurt Luz. Her inner demons. Her ideals. Her standards. I think I felt empathetic towards her because people do have unreal expectations of themselves or others do for them. It hurts on the inside. A lot. Sadly and surely, this is something that needs to be addressed because it is a very taboo like subject.

Secret Service will drive you insane and yet they are the comedic part about this book because they are people who look out for other people's best interest other than their own. Well kind of. But I guess you are just going to have to fall in love with the characters just as I did. With a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Yeah you heard me. 5 FREAKING STARS.

READ THIS.

Blog you later, awesome book nerds.