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taviamorgan's review against another edition
4.0
i don’t know why i keep reading these books because there’s just something about them that mean so doubt any of them will get a 5 star but they’re easy so why not. i wish there was more of something. like i wish there was more sad or more laughs or more sex or just more. overall they’re good but idk
as i read: i really like wes even though he was a little annoying. i also liked blair but her motivational stuff is annoying. their fight at the end is actually so dumb like why are they fighting because he lost basketball like that has nothing to do with her. idk i wanted more but i am excited for the other boys books.
as i read: i really like wes even though he was a little annoying. i also liked blair but her motivational stuff is annoying. their fight at the end is actually so dumb like why are they fighting because he lost basketball like that has nothing to do with her. idk i wanted more but i am excited for the other boys books.
bookwormmaria17's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jill_mac's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a great audiobook! I loved Erin and Jason's portrayal of Wes and Blair. I found myself thinking about the story when I wasn't listening, which is a huge tell tale sign that I'm loving the story!
Blair and Wes' relationship was so fun to witness. Starting out as students in the same class, Blair needed help with her grades, and mistakenly judges Wes for the dumb jock she thinks he is. From that day on their journey starts, and its one I was so happy to listen to. The chemistry they both had was off the charts hot. They tried hard to not give in to their feelings, with Blair dealing with her crazy x boyfriend, and Wes too busy with his basketball team to focus on anything else, they try their hardest to remain just friends.
I seriously loved this story, and I cant wait to read the rest in the series!
Blair and Wes' relationship was so fun to witness. Starting out as students in the same class, Blair needed help with her grades, and mistakenly judges Wes for the dumb jock she thinks he is. From that day on their journey starts, and its one I was so happy to listen to. The chemistry they both had was off the charts hot. They tried hard to not give in to their feelings, with Blair dealing with her crazy x boyfriend, and Wes too busy with his basketball team to focus on anything else, they try their hardest to remain just friends.
I seriously loved this story, and I cant wait to read the rest in the series!
vlotmetlot's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
ailinnr's review against another edition
1.0
1 star
So I didn't like this one much BUT it's not as bad as it looks.
The thing is... I wasn't too into this relationship. It kind of lacked the buildup and the overall spark that I usually look for in romance-book couples, but there are some positive highlights that I want to give props to this book for. It's the first time I read a NA sports romance where the MP isn't the best in the team he plays in and is in constant support of his teammate whom he KNOWS is the best and whom he wants to achieve his ultimate goal. I was very impressed by this because usually it's the opposite of this, at least for the first book in the series. Secondly, there's not much slut-shaming, probably nothing of it -or if there is, it's minimal and I forgot about it- which I'm also surprised about, but it's obviously a good thing so props for that as well.
Now, for the bad... well it really just felt like a normal, boring relationship that then turned into the longest couple-break EVER, so I was even more bored. But that doesn't necessarily mean it was a bad book. I just didn't connect with the couple. But I don't regret this read and I am interested in reading the next books so I'm going for it.
So I didn't like this one much BUT it's not as bad as it looks.
The thing is... I wasn't too into this relationship. It kind of lacked the buildup and the overall spark that I usually look for in romance-book couples, but there are some positive highlights that I want to give props to this book for. It's the first time I read a NA sports romance where the MP isn't the best in the team he plays in and is in constant support of his teammate whom he KNOWS is the best and whom he wants to achieve his ultimate goal. I was very impressed by this because usually it's the opposite of this, at least for the first book in the series. Secondly, there's not much slut-shaming, probably nothing of it -or if there is, it's minimal and I forgot about it- which I'm also surprised about, but it's obviously a good thing so props for that as well.
Now, for the bad... well it really just felt like a normal, boring relationship that then turned into the longest couple-break EVER
Spoiler
(like seriously I had never experienced such a long break between the couple where it wasn't even acknowledged that they were apart it just... was... them literally saying nothing to each other and living their lives apart since the other person didn't talk to them, like what??), and our FP is so incredibly weak? She gets constantly ghosted by him and she just... literally does nothing about it, like literally nothing, she just lets it be and assumes they were just casual even though they were pretty fucking serious and he's acting fucking shittyprofromance's review against another edition
4.0
Overall Rating: 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an email the other day asking if I would be interested in reading and reviewing Rebecca Jenshak’s books. Her PR group likened her to Sara Ney (whom I love), and I was “game” (pun intended). Whenever you encounter a “new to you” author, there is always a little trepidation. Will I like their style? Can they develop a story that allows me to escape into his/her characters’ worlds? Even more, is it readable? At least, these are the questions I ask myself.
Let me say, Rebecca Jenshak’s writing was a PLEASANT surprise. Her PR group was right. She reads a lot like Sara Ney, but she has her own voice, which I think is important to point out.
My first book was The Assist. This book is part of her Smart Jocks novel series. First of all, what’s not to love about a series written about “smart jocks”? Not that I love typical stereotypes, but The Assist was refreshing in that Wes, the male hero, of the book is fairly intelligent. This story follows Wes and Blaire who meet in a business statistics class. Blaire, the over-achieving, sorority girl, is struggling with the class, and she wants to do well in it as it will set her up for the college’s MBA program. Noticing Wes and his fellow basketball players in class, she quickly realizes that he barely pays attention to class, yet scores well on the tests. Wanting to figure out his secret to success, she engages in several embarrassing exchanges with him when she realizes that he isn’t your typical “lunkhead” jock. Instead, his experience as a basketball player coupled with a photographic memory makes the subject easy for him. Their story really begins when Blaire negotiates tutoring with him, using her persistence and moxie. Through the course of their tutoring, they realize their mutual attraction to each other and waffle on acting on it. Wes’s life, college basketball, is all-consuming, and, given it is his senior year, he wants to give everything to it. Will his life make room for Blaire? Will they find their HEA? That is the crux of this story.
So, right off the bat, I loved these characters. They were equal parts funny, frustrating, and $exy. As a jock, Wes is refreshing, as it’s important for others to see him as more. He’s affronted when Blaire thinks he’s cheating or receiving tutoring as a reason for his success in the class. While her tenacity in pursuing his truth about the class annoys him (for good reason), it is also the impetus for his initial attraction to her. He feels a connection to her pretty early, but his experience with girls on campus slow his actions towards her. When he realizes that she isn’t like most of the girls he’s encountered on campus, Blaire absolutely turns his head, and the story begins. There is a depth to Wes that resounds through the story. He is more than a guy with a drive for basketball; he is the heart of his team. When an unexpected turn of events occur, it changes the tenor of the book for a time, adding layers to Wes and Blaire’s story. I loved it.
Additionally, this book is funny especially Wes’s relationships with his fellow basketball players, Z, Nathan, and Joel, as well as his connection with Blaire. I found myself laughing aloud at their antics. The humor is a nice balance to the seriousness of some of the topics within the book. Remember, these are college students, so their future is tentative and scary. Wes is a senior who must face the end of his basketball career at the end of the year. His insecurity about it provides some of the angst of the story. Contrasting that with the humor shows Jenshak’s ability to intertwine humor with drama.
Lastly, Blaire is everything you love in a heroine. Here’s the thing. I’m not usually a fan of sorority girls. Call me judgmental, but they are usually shallow and mean in most NA romance books. However, Blaire breaks that mold in this book. She is compassionate, tenacious, and makes everyone better. She improves everyone’s lives in this book, especially Wes’s. She doesn’t do it through manipulating him. Instead, she pulls back when he pulls away from her, and she waits for him to pursue her. Even though she was the pursuer at the beginning of the story, Wes takes on that role to attempt to win her over in the end. She is the type of heroine with a strong sense of self-worth that she doesn’t get overshadowed by Wes. Instead, they complete each other, making their story special.
I took a chance on Rebecca Jenshak, and I am so thankful. I quickly inhaled The Assist and launched quickly into the second book in the series, The Fadeaway (the review is forthcoming). And I haven’t looked back. If you love New Adult sports romances with a balance of humor and angst, then you’ll love Rebecca Jenshak. Yes, she is similar to Sara Ney, but in the end, she is all her own.
I received an email the other day asking if I would be interested in reading and reviewing Rebecca Jenshak’s books. Her PR group likened her to Sara Ney (whom I love), and I was “game” (pun intended). Whenever you encounter a “new to you” author, there is always a little trepidation. Will I like their style? Can they develop a story that allows me to escape into his/her characters’ worlds? Even more, is it readable? At least, these are the questions I ask myself.
Let me say, Rebecca Jenshak’s writing was a PLEASANT surprise. Her PR group was right. She reads a lot like Sara Ney, but she has her own voice, which I think is important to point out.
My first book was The Assist. This book is part of her Smart Jocks novel series. First of all, what’s not to love about a series written about “smart jocks”? Not that I love typical stereotypes, but The Assist was refreshing in that Wes, the male hero, of the book is fairly intelligent. This story follows Wes and Blaire who meet in a business statistics class. Blaire, the over-achieving, sorority girl, is struggling with the class, and she wants to do well in it as it will set her up for the college’s MBA program. Noticing Wes and his fellow basketball players in class, she quickly realizes that he barely pays attention to class, yet scores well on the tests. Wanting to figure out his secret to success, she engages in several embarrassing exchanges with him when she realizes that he isn’t your typical “lunkhead” jock. Instead, his experience as a basketball player coupled with a photographic memory makes the subject easy for him. Their story really begins when Blaire negotiates tutoring with him, using her persistence and moxie. Through the course of their tutoring, they realize their mutual attraction to each other and waffle on acting on it. Wes’s life, college basketball, is all-consuming, and, given it is his senior year, he wants to give everything to it. Will his life make room for Blaire? Will they find their HEA? That is the crux of this story.
So, right off the bat, I loved these characters. They were equal parts funny, frustrating, and $exy. As a jock, Wes is refreshing, as it’s important for others to see him as more. He’s affronted when Blaire thinks he’s cheating or receiving tutoring as a reason for his success in the class. While her tenacity in pursuing his truth about the class annoys him (for good reason), it is also the impetus for his initial attraction to her. He feels a connection to her pretty early, but his experience with girls on campus slow his actions towards her. When he realizes that she isn’t like most of the girls he’s encountered on campus, Blaire absolutely turns his head, and the story begins. There is a depth to Wes that resounds through the story. He is more than a guy with a drive for basketball; he is the heart of his team. When an unexpected turn of events occur, it changes the tenor of the book for a time, adding layers to Wes and Blaire’s story. I loved it.
Additionally, this book is funny especially Wes’s relationships with his fellow basketball players, Z, Nathan, and Joel, as well as his connection with Blaire. I found myself laughing aloud at their antics. The humor is a nice balance to the seriousness of some of the topics within the book. Remember, these are college students, so their future is tentative and scary. Wes is a senior who must face the end of his basketball career at the end of the year. His insecurity about it provides some of the angst of the story. Contrasting that with the humor shows Jenshak’s ability to intertwine humor with drama.
Lastly, Blaire is everything you love in a heroine. Here’s the thing. I’m not usually a fan of sorority girls. Call me judgmental, but they are usually shallow and mean in most NA romance books. However, Blaire breaks that mold in this book. She is compassionate, tenacious, and makes everyone better. She improves everyone’s lives in this book, especially Wes’s. She doesn’t do it through manipulating him. Instead, she pulls back when he pulls away from her, and she waits for him to pursue her. Even though she was the pursuer at the beginning of the story, Wes takes on that role to attempt to win her over in the end. She is the type of heroine with a strong sense of self-worth that she doesn’t get overshadowed by Wes. Instead, they complete each other, making their story special.
I took a chance on Rebecca Jenshak, and I am so thankful. I quickly inhaled The Assist and launched quickly into the second book in the series, The Fadeaway (the review is forthcoming). And I haven’t looked back. If you love New Adult sports romances with a balance of humor and angst, then you’ll love Rebecca Jenshak. Yes, she is similar to Sara Ney, but in the end, she is all her own.
laurenlou218's review against another edition
3.0
Basketball version of The Deal…cute guilty pleasure but not enough banter or detailed spice for me.