When I first heard about this book, I was all like...
Sweet heavens! Jerks are the way to my heart!
Then I started reading and I was like...
Jack Carter, you are on the top of my Jerk of My Dreams shelf, first in line and all the way to the left. You're sitting right next to Jack Howard from the Avoiding series. Trust me buddy, that's a good thing.
Seriously.
This book...
Gave me the biggest, dumbest, grin on my face the whole time
AND...
Made me want to punch my kindle at the time.
It's all about the game for Jack. The perfect pitch...just keep your eyes focused on the ball and not the stands. Nothing else matters to him...except the woman who catches his heart.
Baseball has always been everything to Jack. Sure, he loves the attention from the girls, but not even the girls can sway him. Jack's the love 'em and leave 'em kind of guy. He's got that whole cocky, (sometimes cheesy) arrogant attitude that the girls love and guys wish they were. His main focus is baseball, until he locks eyes with Cassie one night. Just about every girl falls at the feet of Jack- except Cassie. She wants nothing to do with the known player of the baseball team and University. She see's him for who he truly is- a player and a user and steers clear of him. Cassie fights her ever growing attraction to Jack with wit and attitude. But Jack is persistent, and doesn't give up until she finally agrees to one date with him.
Jack and Cassie both have deep seeded family issues though that prevents them from trusting people. It's all a game at first, but they work through the problems. Jack wants Cassie something fierce and works to prove to her how much. He shows Cassie a side of him he's never shown anyone before. Things are going seemingly well for both when Jack lands professional baseball career and Cassie gets an internship, they're unstoppable. Cassie is falling hard for Jack when he makes a terrible mistake that wrecks havoc on Cassie's heart and emotions. Now Jack must pay for his error in judgment for the rest of his life with one person who ruined the best thing he had.
I think I'm crazy...I love this theme- it's my favorite theme and J. Sterling played it perfectly in my eyes. I totally had the ansgt induced panic attacks that I crave for with this book. One minute I'm routing for infidelity and lies and whispering, "do it! do it!" and the next I'm screaming, "YOU FUCKING BITCH BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU DO THAT!"
Clearly, I need help.
This book gave me whiplash when it came to my emotions. One minute I'm beaming, and the next I feel sick. The banter between Jack and Cassie was fabulous! I loved it! I laughed and giggled and had that stupid grin on my face until things got serious, like...
And then shit REALLY gets serious...
What the hell J? Why you gotta play me like that?
What Jack did was not forgivable in my eyes. Normally, I do forgive pretty easy, but it's the events that transpired after and Jack's way of thinking that really had me wanting to give him a swift kick to his groin. I started to loathe him with every bone in my body. I felt every damn emotion that Cassie went through. Everything. The words shot right through me to the point where I wanted to cry and hug Cassie. I understand why Jack took the path that he did because of his upbringing, but damn he is one stubborn hardheaded man!
Jack paid for his actions in the worst way, I believe. It took time, but he proved to Cassie that there would never be anyone else but her. This story has two point of views and if it wasn't for that, I may have thought differently in the end. Jack loved Cassie with all his heart. He knew he screwed up but and worked it back to the way it was suppose to be.
Ok...I take it back.
I didn't think it was going to be possible since he screwed up royally...but it was! Jack TOTALLY redeemed himself! He is forgiven! Jack totally melted my heart in the end. Completely! So then I'm all like...
YEAH BABY!
This is a great story of love, loss and redemption and it just goes to show that love can conquer all. People are meant to make mistakes and that's what makes us human. Sometimes it's the mistakes lead you in the wrong direction and other times in the right. I think if you love someone deep down with all of you, you can overcome anything.
Why not that extra half star, you ask? Simply because I think Jack knew what he was doing subconsciously, maybe not, but and he wore a METS shirt in the end. No way! Obviously I'm a YANKEES fan.
Overall thoughts? I LOVED IT and I would love to see Jack's brother Dean get a story out of this.
1 comment:
I'm going to read this soon, but I'm a bit nervous about it. I dated a baseball player in college and it didn't end well. I'm afraid it will trigger some bad memories for me. Still, sounds like a great story!
Post a Comment