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A review by aromanticreadsromance
Hail Mary by Kandi Steiner
5.0
I've had a month to let my thoughts marinate, so here is my honest review!
In the final installment of the Red Zone Rivals series, Kandi Steiner managed a delicate balance between emotional and lighthearted. This book had just the right amount of angst. The first three chapters, written in the perspective of 15-year-old Mary, provided some insight into why she held certain convictions. I could relate to her major confidence boost after she graduated high school and started living life on her own terms. Mary was a badass for rejecting her parents' expectations and following her dreams. She was independent and resourceful.
Leo was an all-star book boyfriend! He was sweet and gentle, and even though he acted cocky, on the inside, he was humble and thoughtful. When he and Mary met, he was also dealing with his dreams not lining up with his father's expectations for him. I loved his close relationship with his mom.
And don't even get me started on Mary and Leo's connection. It was next level. They were truly meant to be.
I could have done without the third act breakup, but this is what Steiner is known for. Without revealing too much, I don't like that Leo disregarded Mary's feelings and resorted to violence, when all Mary wanted was for him to listen to her and comfort her. She wanted him to take care of her, not "take care of" her problems. Leo went from being this sweet, sensitive guy to a total alpha-hole (a deadly combo of alpha-male and asshole), which seemed over the top and out of character. It also seemed over the top for Mary to then impulsively dump him, move out of the football house, and move back in with her parents, instead of just taking some time to cool off before having a conversation with Leo.
While this didn't ruin the book for me, and didn't stop me from rating it five stars, it was still annoying and unnecessary in its excessiveness.
Overall, I HIGHLY recommend reading this book if you haven't already!
In the final installment of the Red Zone Rivals series, Kandi Steiner managed a delicate balance between emotional and lighthearted. This book had just the right amount of angst. The first three chapters, written in the perspective of 15-year-old Mary, provided some insight into why she held certain convictions. I could relate to her major confidence boost after she graduated high school and started living life on her own terms. Mary was a badass for rejecting her parents' expectations and following her dreams. She was independent and resourceful.
Leo was an all-star book boyfriend! He was sweet and gentle, and even though he acted cocky, on the inside, he was humble and thoughtful. When he and Mary met, he was also dealing with his dreams not lining up with his father's expectations for him. I loved his close relationship with his mom.
And don't even get me started on Mary and Leo's connection. It was next level. They were truly meant to be.
I could have done without the third act breakup, but this is what Steiner is known for. Without revealing too much, I don't like that Leo disregarded Mary's feelings and resorted to violence, when all Mary wanted was for him to listen to her and comfort her. She wanted him to take care of her, not "take care of" her problems. Leo went from being this sweet, sensitive guy to a total alpha-hole (a deadly combo of alpha-male and asshole), which seemed over the top and out of character. It also seemed over the top for Mary to then impulsively dump him, move out of the football house, and move back in with her parents, instead of just taking some time to cool off before having a conversation with Leo.
While this didn't ruin the book for me, and didn't stop me from rating it five stars, it was still annoying and unnecessary in its excessiveness.
Overall, I HIGHLY recommend reading this book if you haven't already!