Monday, May 6, 2013

Game. Set. Match by Jennifer Lacopelli ~ Tour Stop & GIveaway


It's my day on the tour for Game. Set. Match. Very excited to share my review with you.

Source:  Received eARC from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Book Description:

Nestled along the coastline of North Carolina, the Outer Banks Tennis Academy is the best elite tennis training facility in the world. Head Coach, Dominic Kingston has assembled some of the finest talent in the sport. From the game's biggest stars to athletes scraping and clawing to achieve their dreams, OBX is full of ego, drama and romance. Only the strong survive in this pressure cooker of competition, on and off the court.

Penny Harrison, the biggest rising star in tennis, is determined to win the French Open and beat her rival, the world’s number one player, Zina Lutrova. There’s just one problem, the only person who’s ever been able to shake her laser-like focus is her new training partner. Alex Russell, tennis’s resident bad boy, is at OBX recovering from a knee injury suffered after he crashed his motorcycle (with an Aussie supermodel on the back). He's hoping to regain his former place at the top of men’s tennis and Penny’s heart, while he’s at it.

Tennis is all Jasmine Randazzo has ever known. Her parents have seven Grand Slam championships and she’s desperate to live up to their legacy. Her best friend is Teddy Harrison, Penny’s twin brother, and that’s all they’ve ever been, friends. Then one stupid, alcohol-laced kiss makes everything super awkward just as she as she starts prepping for the biggest junior tournament of the year, the Outer Banks Classic.

The Classic is what draws Indiana Gaffney out of the hole she crawled into after her mom’s death. Even though she’s new to OBX, a win at the Classic is definitely possible. She has a big serve and killer forehand, but the rest of her game isn’t quite up to scratch and it doesn’t help that Jasmine Randazzo and her little minions are stuck-up bitches or that Jack Harrison, Penny’s agent and oldest brother, is too hot for words, not to mention way too old for her.

Who will rise? Who will fall?

Told from rotating points of view, GAME. SET. MATCH. is a 'new adult' novel about three girls with one goal: to be the best tennis player in the world.



My Thoughts:



3 stars- Three very different girls reaching for the prize on the tennis courts

The cover of this book drew me to read it. I love the black and white image in contrast to the title of the book.  Then I read the description and I was hooked.  I love sports related books.  This is the first time I've read a tennis one but I love the connection to sports.  The training, the competition, the loses and the wins all make for great action in these kind of books.

I enjoyed getting to know the three girls.  Penny gets most of the book time but she's the star for now.  I loved how she grew from her challenges and how she dealt with her trials.  Really enjoyed her.  And Alex? Well, he's worth getting up early to train any day.  Jasmine was interesting.  Trying hard to live up to her family representation, she struggles a lot.  I admired her desire to know the honest opinion of her skills and her willingness to make sacrifices to improve.  I was discouraged right along with her as she met with some tough struggles and I hope that she finds some hope in the next book.  As for Teddy, well I'm irritated with him.  Blogger glare for him.  Last, there is Indy.  Love her name, though not everyone agrees in the book.  As a new comer, she has some things to prove.  Strong and determined, I loved watching her.  I'm sure more great things are to come for this girl.  I loved Jack, despite him needing a bit of a kick in the a$$. Blogger smile for him.

Does my review sound like the sports caster appraisal?   Well, this book has a movie quality to it.  Written in third person (worked for me), it moves from centering on one girl to the next.  It just feels like watching a movie.  Andrea from Bookish Babe said that in her review and I agree.

I may have got lost a little in the tennis aspect of this book but I learned it pretty fast.  It's a quick read with the pages turning easily.  More focused on the girls than the romance but a few yummy kisses are to be found.  This book strikes me as a NA women's lit kinda read with some light romance.  If that appeals to you, then you should definitely pick it up.



About the author:

Jennifer Iacopelli was born in New York and has no plans to leave...ever. Growing up, she read everything she could get her hands on, but her favorite authors were Laura Ingalls Wilder, L.M. Montgomery and Frances Hodgson Burnett all of whom wrote about kick-ass girls before it was cool for girls to be kick-ass. She got a Bachelor's degree in Adolescence Education and English Literature quickly followed up by a Master's in Library Science, which lets her frolic all day with her books and computers, leaving plenty of time in the evenings to write and yell at the Yankees, Giants and her favorite tennis players through the TV.




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9 comments:

  1. Looking forward to this. I haven't read any New Adult category and it seems to really be taking off.

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  2. I will eventually get to this I think. It sounds like a great book. I passed on reviewing it for the tour since I am so backed up already, but it's one I want to make time for eventually.

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  3. Great review, Pal! I knew you'd end up liking Jack!

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  4. Great review. This one keeps popping up on my recommended books on Amazon and I've looked at it a couple times. I might just try it! Thanks for reviewing it!

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  5. i still haven't read a new adult book but i'm trying to discover sport romance and this one qualify so i have added it to my wishlist

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  6. I love reading books with sports as part of the story...would love to read this and I have it on my Wish List...thanks for sharing...

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  7. This does sound like a good story. I enjoy books with sports players even though I am not a sports fan IRL :)

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  8. Great review and giveaway. :) This story sounds good, not to many sports books out there.

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  9. I loved this book. Penny and Indy were my favorite girls and I loved all the guys...of course. :)

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