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

All Lined Up (Rusk University #1)
by Cora Carmack
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Release Date: May 13th 2014
Rate: Enjoyed it (4,5 stars)

Synopsis:

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.

"In Texas, two things are cherished above all else - football and gossip. My life has always been rules by both." Just reading this quote I knew I had to read this book. 

Cora Carmack's romances are known to be epic ones, so I couldn't resist myself when I saw the pretty cover and read the catchy synopsis. And I was right. All Lined Up is a sweet and lovable romance of two people finding themselves in college, with an undeniable connection that might be considered as love, but with a lot of problems to face first. I fell in love with the characters instantly and the story is one of those sweet romances that leaves you with an almost dummy smile on your face and a dreamy sigh.

Dallas Cole's finally in college. For a girl her age that might sound like an exciting stage in her life, and it is. She's in college, far from her school and starting a new life. However, her dad has come with her, because he's the Rush University's head coach. If having him as her high school football team's coach wasn't enough, she's reliving a life where she's known as the coach's daughter, everyone's either afraid of dating her or willing to know her just because who her father is and everything she might do will be told to her dad. No pressure. If her nightmare wasn't enough, her ex-boyfriend is also studying at the same university.

Carson McClain transferred to Rusk University with the idea of scoring a place into the football team and earn a scholarship. That has been his goal and in order to achieve that he needs no distractions and stay focused in what's important: football and his studies. No girls allowed. But Dallas is not a regular girl. She's the girl that has crawled under his skin in just one night.

Trying to resist the temptation of falling into what seems right to Carson might be his undoing and he never thought that being just friends it would be so difficult. But they have to. Not only for Carson's rules, but because she's after all the coach's daughter. What would happen to Carson's spot on the team if things go wrong with her?

I was afraid I wouldn't like Dallas or that she would be too whiny about her life. Luckily, she was not! I loved her personality: she's sweet, good with people and she has her own character. You end up understand her frustration and feeling for her.

Carson is one of those good boys who are incredibly hot and you end up perfectly understanding why the main character falls for him. He's also sweet, caring and funny. He's torn between following his rules to reach his dream or giving a chance to the girl that has captivated him and has the potential of being the girl of his dreams.

How can you not fall for characters like these? Their relationship is pretty much influenced by their personalities. There's a connection from the start and an attraction that surprises both of them. Even Dallas' friend. You know this is a love story and might predict what's going to happen, but still you find yourself deep into the story and loving every single chapter. I even had a feeling that when things were rainbows and sunshines for the pretty couple it would happen something that would make it all go away. Like the author was creating an illusion and then crush my heart. I'm not going to tell what happened to my heart, 'cause as always... no spoilers! You'll have to find out and let me know what happened to yours!

Cora Carmack has the ability to create an epic romance without missing other characters that would stand out in the story as much as the two main characters. I loved Stella. She's funny and the complete opposite of Dallas. She was one of the characters I wanted to learn more about and hope to see on the following Rusk University novel. And some other boys like Silas that left an impression, too. 

Rusk University has a lot of potential as a series. I am definitely a fan already and I cannot wait for more books like All Lined Up. This first book has everything a good romance book needs: a cute, sexy and sweet couple, lots of trouble, something that might threaten the main couple and lots of hot guys. Plus football and gossip. And all written by Ms. Carmack. Can you already feel how epic this story might be? I know it. And you need to know it. So grab a copy of this book, 'cause you're going to love it all in this story!

Karen Gillian as Dallas

Matt Lanter as Carson

Jessica Lu as Stella

Chris Zylka as Silas

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

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