Book Review: The Goal by Elle Kennedy

Author: Kevin Hearne

Title: The Goal

Series: Off Campus #4

Genre: Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, New Adult

Format: Ebook

Pages: 350

Published: September 26, 2016

Where I got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

She’s good at achieving her goals…

College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick butt in law school, and land a high-paying job at a cutthroat firm. Her path to escaping her shameful past certainly doesn’t include a gorgeous hockey player who believes in love at first sight. One night of sizzling heat and surprising tenderness is all she’s willing to give John Tucker, but sometimes, one night is all it takes for your entire life to change.

But the game just got a whole lot more complicated

Tucker believes being a team player is as important as being the star. On the ice, he’s fine staying out of the spotlight, but when it comes to becoming a daddy at the age of twenty-two, he refuses to be a bench warmer. It doesn’t hurt that the soon-to-be mother of his child is beautiful, whip-smart, and keeps him on his toes. The problem is, Sabrina’s heart is locked up tight, and the fiery brunette is too stubborn to accept his help. If he wants a life with the woman of his dreams, he’ll have to convince her that some goals can only be made with an assist.

Review:

I was a little hesitant about this one due to not being a fan of Sabrina. Tucker is a nice boy, and Sabrina has been super cold in the past. MAINLY against Dean, and I get her reasons, buuuuuuuuuuuuuut yeah. 

Tucker and Sabrina have a one night stand, and now....oopsies....a baby is now on the way. This isn't on their list of goals at all. Both are graduating and have life goals that do not include each other or a baby. However, they can't get each other out of their minds. They decide to take the risk and change their plans just a smidge. Sabrina will still be going to Law school, but she will allow Tucker to stay and help...a bit. Tucker won't be going back to Texas. He'll stay and start his business there instead. Will Tucker be able to convince Sabrina to let down her walls and allow them to be a complete family?

Oh, sweet, sweet Tucker. I wanted to shake Sabrina! LET HIM LOVE YOUUUUU! YOU LOVE HIM TOO!!! GAH! 

Yes, yes, I get that she has LOTS of issues, so trusting a man with her heart is the last thing on her list. But damn, girl. I wanted to scream!!!!!! Tucker is an angel and so patient. But I did love her will and persistence. She is so smart and so driven. I loved that for her. She will be an amazing lawyer. 

I enjoyed watching them figure it out and go from lust to love to having a family (spoiler, not spoiler...it is a romance after all). But damn...Sabrina....that house you are living in is NOT a good situation for you or the baby. :/

Don't get me wrong, I ended up loving Sabrina by the end. I loved the scene between her and Dean at the end. They'll never be besties, but they finally understood each other. See how talking it out can help? 

I'm sad to be done with this part of the series. Yes, yes, there is 'The Legacy' left to read and the spin-offs. However, the core four are done, and I still don't have season 2 of the show released yet! I guess I'll have to keep reading the others ;) hehe. 

But yes, this was a great series. I can see myself reading these four for sure. 

I'll give this 4 stars even though Sabrina drove me to insanity. 

Reading Challenges

- Library Love #23

Audiobook Review: Playing Hard to Get by Monica Murphy

Author: Monica Murphy

Narrator: Rock Engle & Meg Sylvan

Title: Playing Hard to Get

Series: The Players #1

Genre: Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, New Adult

Format: Audiobook 

Published: December 1, 2022

Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

Summary: 

Knox Maguire is the king of our college campus, the star offensive tight end on the football team.

He is the complete opposite of me in every way. I'm quiet. He's loud. I'm shy. He's definitely not. Everyone loves him. No one knows me.

Fresh out of a breakup, I don't really trust him, and why should I? Knox is the ultimate player. When I become his English tutor, I tell myself we need to keep things between us strictly business. Watching my mother deal with my ex-athlete father long ago taught me to stay far away from that type of man.

Yet Knox is impossible to resist. Next thing I know, we're getting hot and heavy in the library—and that was never part of the plan. When Knox admits he can't stop thinking about me, I have a realization: I can't stop thinking about him either.

Instead of keeping my distance, I pull him in closer. Until somehow, we're spending all of our time together, and I find myself falling for Knox. Hard.

Will this actually work between us? Or am I getting played?

Review:

I was looking for a football romance since football season was on the way! 

Here we follow Knox, our resident football player, and Joanna, our resident book nerd and tutor. They couldn't more different, but they start bounding as Joanna helps Knox with his reading. Knox has dyslexia, and he's put off his English class for as long as possible, but he needs it to graduate college. Joanna is still working on her broken heart and Knox has a bet to not have sex until after the season is over. However, lust and love can't be stopped sometimes. 

This was a very sweet story. Yes, there is spice, but this was relatively low-key drama. Yes, there is a smidge, but nothing over-the-top or wasn't fixed after TALKING. I liked it!

I liked Joanna, and I did warm up to Knox. Knox was kinda annoying, but I did warm up to him especially when you could see him fall in love. It was sweet. 

My only issue was the Joanna has issues with football because of her dad being a footballer who abandoned her family. I feel like that lil factoid was breezed over. I think we needed some more time to dive into that and maybe….get a resolution? IDK. Maybe we’ll see something in book 2?

I am curious about book 2 because I feel like that will rock many boats, and I'm curious how Knox will react. Mmmmm I may have to download it. 

The narrators were good. They did well. 

But yes, this was very sweet and made me excited for Fall and football. I liked the low-key drama....it was fitting. I just really liked them talking, falling in love, and the spice was spread out enough not to be too much. It was nice. I think I needed something low-key in my life right now. Life has been lifing. 

4 stars. 

Reading Challenges

- Audiobook #37

Blodeuedd's Monday: Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald

Format: 496 pages, Paperback

Published : January 25, 2024 by Penguin Books

YA Mythology/own

When I had finished this one I read it was YA. Huh, I actually did not know that. It really works as both.

In this one Persephone says F it! She does not want to be a prize given away to whatever God wins. She choses her own fate so she jumps into the underworld. And Hades is not happy, but grants her sanctuary.

This was about Persephone finding her voice, her self worth and well all of that! She grows and no Gods or Goddesses can tell her what to do.

It takes a while for something to grow between her and Hades but it does. And I like it.

To hell with love, this goddess has other plans...

Thousands of years ago, the gods told a lie: how Persephone was a pawn in the politics of other gods. How Hades kidnapped Persephone to be his bride. How her mother, Demeter, was so distraught she caused the Earth to start dying.

The real story is much more interesting.

Persephone wasn't taken to hell: she jumped. There was no way she was going to be married off to some smug god more in love with himself than her.

Now all she has to do is convince the Underworld's annoyingly sexy, arrogant and frankly rude ruler, Hades, to fall in line with her plan. A plan that will shake Mount Olympus to its very core.

But consequences can be deadly, especially when you're already in hell . . .

Movie Review: The Odyssey (2026)

Title: The Odyssey

Length: 2h 52m

Released: 2026

Genre: Drama, Dark Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Rating: R
Where I Got It: Theaters

SUMMARY:

After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca, meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Calypso along the way.

Trailer

REVIEW:

I really, really wanted to watch this on the big screen. How can you not? This story has remained a classic for a reason. 

Here we follow Odysseus and his family. Odysseus went to war and then tried to come home. Along the way, he will suffer many of the gods' creations. Is it a test? Is it a punishment? Is it both? While he is making his journey, his wife and son are at home trying to keep his throne open, but Penelope is forced to house suitors who want her hand so they can rule. 

Man, this was an amazing cast. Even the side characters were amazing. Don't listen to the haters who hated that they cast a diverse cast. THIS IS A FANTASY. THIS IS NOT A BIOGRAPHY. Everyone was cast perfectly. They all did amazing!!! I was especially in awe of Robert Pattinson playing our main baddie of a suitor. Damn, he was good at being evil, but also being a coward. Loved it.

The way they told  this story was awe-inspiring. I loved how the past was told in story form. We only got glimpses when someone was telling the story. It really is a lovely nod to how stories used to be told. It was clever and amazing. 

I am SOOOO glad we had limited CGI. The CGI we did have was clean and nice. It was nice seeing some old Hollywood tricks coming into play. 

AND THAT ENDING? OMG the big reveal was heartbreaking and beautiful, and I couldn't stop the tears from falling. Man, that was a powerful scene. 

But yes, this is bloody, and it is set during ancient Greece....so it is dark, and human and animal life meant little. 

5 stars from me. I want to watch this again!