Brad About Books: Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

STEALING PARKER
Published: October 1, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Format: ARC
Page Count: 256 pages
Source: Publisher
Series: Catching Jordan, #2 (You can read them out of order, but it is advised to start with Catching Jordan)

Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

After her family's scandal rocks their conservative small town, 17-year-old Parker Shelton goes overboard trying to prove that she won't turn out like her mother: a lesbian. The all-star third-baseman quits the softball team, drops 20 pounds and starts making out with guys--a lot. But hitting on the hot new assistant baseball coach might be taking it a step too far...especially when he starts flirting back.

I loved STEALING PARKER so much! And I'm not a big fan of contemporaries. Miranda Kenneally put some much thought and heartbreak into this novel, and I loved that!

The writing style in STEALING PARKER is what first caught my attention. The way that Kenneally made Parker's character come to live really ignited a spark in this novel. And gosh, can Miranda make some great characters! I thought that Parker's dad was just a great character, and her best friend, Drew, was just a really good best friend to her. 

This novel has actually two things I'm not a fan of: a contemporary feel and sports (yes, I do not like sports). But for some reason, I couldn't hold myself back from turning these pages! Miranda presented the sport of softball/baseball in a way that didn't bore me and actually made me interested in the sport. Props to the author for that!

But a seventeen-year-old girl falling in love with a twenty-three-year-old guy? Totally spells out trouble. And with all the events, I wanted to shout at Parker so many times, but then other times, I wanted to help her out. I just kept going back and forth with my feelings for her characters! And Brian (the love interest)... ah, where do I start with him? I really didn't like him. He didn't deserve Parker, in my opinion.

And that ending was so sad! I'm not giving out any spoilers, but that ending actually made me feel sad. If you've read this novel, you know exactly how this novel ends, and I didn't really like it. I just didn't feel like everything was resolved. But who knows, maybe we'll get a glimpse of Parker again in Kenneally's next book THINGS I CAN'T FORGET.

Overall, I thought STEALING PARKER was better than CATCHING JORDAN! Miranda Kenneally, you did a great job with this novel! Can't wait to read book three.