Buddy Review: All Broke Down by Cora Carmack

Rowena and I just have two more reviews left over from 2014. Here's one of them. :P

All Broke Down by Cora Carmack
published by William Morrow in October 2014

Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.

Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians you name it, she's probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He's in for a different kind of fighting. And though he's arrogant and infuriating, she can't help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it's trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He's met girls like her before fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn't think he's broken, and he definitely doesn't need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about: his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.

Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all.

Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Series: Rusk University #2


Rowena: Playing catch up on our buddy reviews has been a lot harder than I thought it'd be, considering how much time I have on my hands these days. Weird. I blame you, Ames. :) Haha.

Anyway, the book we're reviewing for November is All Broke Down by Cora Carmack. It's a book that follows Silas Moore, the bad boy from All Lined Up. The guy that both Ames and I didn't even like since he was kind of a douche. I'll be honest, when I first heard that this book was going to be Silas' book, I wasn't even sure I was going to read it but then I got over myself because it's a Cora Carmack. Of course I'm going to read it.

And I'm glad that I did.

I ended up really enjoying this one. I thought that Silas and Dylan were such a great fit and watching the two of them come into their feelings for each other was such a treat.

What did you think, Ames?

Ames: I had the same hesitancy as you about Silas being the hero of this book. But I had faith in Cora's writing and that she'd redeem his character. Which she totally did in my opinion.

I really enjoyed All Broke Down. I thought Dylan was a great heroine. Sometimes the do-gooder types can come across in books as very annoying but Dylan was cool. And I love how her and Silas meet!!

Rowena: Oh yes! Their first meeting was wow. I've never read a first meet quite like Silas and Dylan's. I liked it a lot.

I really enjoyed Dylan. I thought she was pretty great and loved that she was trying to be a good influence on Silas and help him be the better guy that she knew he could be. I liked how she was always there when Silas needed her most and that she didn't scare off easily.

But my favorite part of the book was Silas. Holy crap did he turn out to be a pretty fantastic character. Seeing him grow into the person he was at the end of this book and seeing him try to figure things out was such a treat. I liked seeing him grow into a person that even Dallas was starting to like was just great. He was strong, fiercely independent and so hot damn sexy...he reminded me a lot of Tim Riggins. What do you think?

Ames: Silas was definitely a great character! I like how Carmack transformed him from a total douche to a guy with an interesting, troubled backstory and how he's just trying to outrun where he comes from. And yes, definitely had a Tim Riggins feel to him! We learned what motivated him and that shed a new light on his behaviours.

I liked how him and Dylan's relationship developed. Remember when they were working on the house? I thought that was cute.

Another thing Carmack did really well was flesh out Silas' friends. Like Stella and Torres and the other members of the team. I really felt the friendships there.

Rowena: OMG, Stella! I really liked getting to know her. Do you know if she's getting her own book? I want to say that she is, especially considering her part in this book but I can't remember if that's wishful thinking or not.

Silas' back story left me sighing all over the place because I would have never guessed any of that from meeting him in the first book. I'm glad that we got his background because it made me appreciate him more as a character as the story progressed.

I can't think of anything that I didn't like about this book. You?

Ames: Oh, there was something I didn't like! But I understand it's inclusion and how it pushed the plot ahead, especially in regards to Silas' behaviour. The sexual assault. It is just so close to real life and I like to read fiction to escape all the bad shit that happens in real life. But I liked Silas' reaction to it and shows his growth overall in the book.

I just hate that it happened and who it happened to. I don't want to say who because spoilers.

Rowena: I hear you. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am pretty anxious for the next book. I liked the development of both main characters, I loved seeing Silas' journey and I really liked how the secondary characters really popped and didn't feel like add-ons. They each added something to the scenes they were in and I dug it.

Cora Carmack wrote another winner of a story for me and I will definitely be back for more. This book gets an A from me. What about you?

Ames: I'm giving this one a B+. Despite my hesitations over Silas being a hero, he was redeemed in the end. Good stuff!

Buddy Review: All Lined Up by Cora Carmack

All Lined Up by Cora Carmack
Published by William Morrow Paperbacks

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.

Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Series: Rusk University #1


Rowena: So our buddy review book for the month of June was All Lined Up by Cora Carmack. It's a series that was said to be reminiscent of Friday Night Lights, a show that both Ames and I have loved so how could we not buddy review this one?

The story takes place at Rusk University in the great state of Texas. The college's head football coach has a daughter attending Rusk University and when she meets up with QB2 (that's FNL speak, ha!) at a party, they don't know who the other is until it's too late and they're hooked on each other.

So what did you think, Ames? Thumbs up or down?

Ames: I'm giving this one a solid thumbs up! I loved the idea, a football coach's daughter who kind of has some resentment towards the game who ends up falling for a QB. And the new guy on campus falling for the Coach's daughter without knowing who she is. There was a lot going for this story and it lived up to the promise.

What did you think?

Rowena: I really liked it. I thought that both Carson and Dallas were a great couple and I loved their flirty relationship. From their first meeting to every single meeting until the end, I loved it all. I really liked Carson. I liked how he treated Dallas and I loved how even though he was super serious, with Dallas, that flirty side came out and I ate it all up. The only thing that I hated about Carson was his football number. #12. I'm a Los Angeles Lakers fan and that number leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Of the two of them, I think Dallas drove me more crazy but I didn't hate her. I liked that she was a dancer and that she knew what she was about. There wasn't any waffling about where she was concerned and I loved the way that her relationship with her father came around throughout the book. That was nice to see.

Ames: I liked Carson and Dallas were a good couple too. I like how they had their rules for their friendship and both wanted honesty from each other and an explanation if things were to not work anymore. I thought they were unique. They communicated with each other. I don't see a lot of that in NA. Also, their baggage wasn't crazy angsty. Like Dallas had to deal with her dad and the way her high school relationship ended and Carson just had to buckle down and learn to have faith in himself.

One thing that came across as odd for me was the issue about Dallas' virginity. I mean, maybe its just me reading too much contemporary romances but I was like why does everyone care so much? Like even Stella being hurt because Dallas had lied to her. WHY?

I did like that Dallas was a dancer. I like that she had her own stuff going on and wasn't just a hanger on to Carson's football career. And I agree, I did like the way things played out with her dad. I like that he was able to listen to Dallas and he took her side, especially with that fiasco with the picture.

Also, the whole Levi thing kinda got dropped. Like once he was gone, he was never mentioned again. It's not like he wouldn't have been released, you know?

Rowena: That was weird, huh? The whole virginity thing with Dallas. I'm still seeing a lot of virgins in these contemporary books. Why is it still such a big deal? Will readers not buy books about girls who aren't virginal before they meet their love interests? Weird.

Regarding the thing with Levi, I agree with you that he just sort of disappeared from the planet once that drama with him went down but I'm wondering if that had anything to do with him getting his own book in this series and that leads into my next question. What do you think about him and Silas getting their own books? I didn't like either character in this book and initially, I had no interest continuing the series because why waste time on two characters that were disgusting to me in this one? I mean, even though Silas came around, he was still a pretty big douche and I didn't care for him at all but are you interested in reading their books at all? I think I changed my mind and am definitely going to read Silas' book.

And if I'm being honest, I really want to see Stella's story too. But now that I'm actually looking it up, I can't find anywhere where it says that Levi gets a book so maybe he doesn't. It would be interesting if Levi ends up with Stella. Hmm. What about Ryan? I wouldn't mind reading a book featuring Ryan as one of the main characters.

Ames: Maybe we're just getting jaded, Wena. LOL I did like that this book wasn't chock full of sex scenes though. The scenes where they did get intimate did forward the plot and it created some good tension between Carson and Dallas.

I would not read Levi's book unless his character has some growth in other books before he gets his own. Like if Silas gets a book and Levi is in it and he changes, I would potentially read it. And yes, I think Silas can be redeemed so even though he started off the book as a douchecanoe, I do find him interesting. I thought the football aspect of All Lined Up was really well done. It didn't overwhelm the story. And I would like to see Ryan and Stella get their own books (if they don't end up together in some screwball way).

Rowena: Us, jaded? No way. :P

As it stands right now, Levi is a no go for me. But I would probably read Silas' story, especially since I was looking through Cora Carmack's blog and I saw a picture of Silas that she uses on one of her picture card things and guess who she uses as Silas? MATT BARR!! Psycho Derek from One Tree Hill, haha. I heart that guy (not in OTH though, eww) so that went a long way in convincing me to read the next book. And the heroine's name is Dylan, I love that name for a girl. ;)

I thought Cora Carmack delivered the goods with this book and I was glad that I chose this book for us to read, ha! I'm glad that football didn't overwhelm the story and I really liked how Carson and Dallas came together. They were good characters apart but I really liked them together too so that's something. I'd give this book a 4.5 out of 5 or a low A. What about you?

Ames: I like girls that have guy's names too, so Dylan is a win for me. I'll have to check out Cora's blog to see her inspiration for Silas.

All in all, I really enjoyed All Lined Up and since this was the first book I read by this author, I'll definitely be checking out her other books.

I'm going to give this one a B+, or 4 out of 5. :P

Rowena: And we’re done. *drops mic*

~~

All right peeps, that's it for our June review!

For July, Rowena and I are looking back a few months to May's Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson. In case you were interested in reading along. :P