Review: Defending Taylor by Miranda Kenneally

Defending Taylor (Hundred Oaks #
   by: Miranda Kenneally

Publication Date: July 5, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 304 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

There are no mistakes in love.

Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor's always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that's what is expected of a senator's daughter. But one impulsive decision-one lie to cover for her boyfriend-and Taylor's kicked out of private school. Everything she's worked so hard for is gone, and now she's starting over at Hundred Oaks High.

Soccer has always been Taylor's escape from the pressures of school and family, but it's hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she's going through is her older brother's best friend, Ezra. Taylor's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it's hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?

  

 

 

Since I was in the mood for a quick, fun read, I decided to pick up Defending Taylor. Kenneally's books are always super fast and engaging, which is just what I was looking for. I found that I liked this book, but didn't quite love it. I felt the book read a bit choppy and simplistic and while that wasn't a HUGE factor, it did cause some slight issues for me. I also felt like Ezra and Taylor's relationship went from 0-100 in no time at all. I get they have history, but had I seen a bit more of that, I think I wouldn't have minded so much.

 

I did really love Taylor and Ezra together though. They are really adorable and I like how easy their relationship was. There was no angst and unnecessary drama. It was very much boy and girl like one another and begin a relationship.

 

What I liked most of all was the fact that Ezra and Taylor are consistently thinking about their individual futures. Taylor thought she had everything planned out, but after getting kicked out of her swanky private school, she starts to reevaluate her life and what she really wants. Ezra is also at a bit of a crossroads, so it was awesome to see Taylor support and encourage him, because he is capable really being successful- just in a different way than his family may have originally thought.

 

I also enjoyed seeing how Taylor handled the girls on her new soccer team. They are pretty resentful of her at first, having once been adversaries, as she played for her previous school's team. However, Taylor doesn't take the easy way out and just quit because they don't like her. It's a great lesson for teens to see and I was glad when some of them came around and befriended her.

 

Ezra really did make the book for me though. Loved that boy so much!