Book Review: All Lined Up by Cora Carmack

Pages: 320

Genre: New Adult

Pub. Date: May 13, 2014

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "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."

Dallas Cole's father is a famous Texas football coach. Everyone loves him and everyone knows him.  Dallas grew up living and breathing football, but her real passion is dance.  She enrolls at Rusk University, a local college, with the hopes of to starting over where no one knows her. Dallas is majoring in dance and even though she really wanted to go away to school, she is trying to make the best of it with her best friend, Stella. Things change drastically for her when her father takes the position as head football coach at Rusk in order to turn the team around.  To make matters worse, her old high school boyfriend, Levi, is the quarterback of the team and she runs into him at a party.  While trying to escape a lecherous football player at said party, she runs into Carson, a truly unique and different guy than what she's used to.  That is until she finds out he is the second-string quarterback for the university's team. She swore she would never date a football player again, after dating the star quarterback in high school, but can't help how she feels about Carson.  Plus, Carson promised his dad he would focus on school and football, but he can't get Dallas out of his mind.  Cora Carmack's All Lined Up is summertime fun. There's football, college parties, cute boys, and a "forbidden" romance.  Friday Night Lights fans will love the similarities.

Carmack varied the points of view in All Lined Up between Dallas and Carson, which I thought was a nice touch and believable.  Dallas spends a lot of time thinking about her connection with Carson until she finds out he is on her dad's football team.  That is something she wanted to avoid in college, but she can't avoid her connection with him.  Also, All Lined Up isn't just about her crush on Carson though. It's also about Dallas trying to do what she wants in college and pursing her dreams. This ultimately means figuring out her precarious relationship with her dad, who essentially wants to control her life.

Carson is a very determined football player and doesn't want anything to sidetrack his plan, that is until he meets Dallas. He has no clue she is the coach's daughter and despite their hesitance after they find out the truth, they can just forget each other and move on. I really liked their relationship in All Lined Up and Carson was definitely a swoon-worthy male lead.  

I am pretty much obsessed with all things Friday Night Lights, so I was excited to read a book about football as well the coach's daughter.  All Lined Up didn't disappoint. There was the perfect balance between football, romance, and college life. 

If you are looking for a book this summer that will remind you of Friday Night Lights, is steamy, and downright fun, then check out All Lined Up.