received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads
This is the first in a new series, and I will definitely be on the look out for book two! I'm a big fan of sports romances, and Ms Dawson has done a fabulous job of bringing the world of both a sports agency and skateboarding to life.
Setting
a romance between a top agent, who works for her Dad, and a one time surfer, now possible skateboarder who was bullied by his Dad, is inspired.
They are a delicious pair of characters, who are shaped by their past, but both open to the hopes of a future, I loved the use of parallels, of the promise of future stories, and that logic and intelligence were used to complement love and feelings, It is a feel good read, with some drama, and some cuteness that kept me turning the pages until I knew that all would work out which is what we want, after all!
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Professional Skateboarding is not something I have read about before in a romance novel, typically the athletes are football players, hockey players, baseball players, or even basketball players, but I have to say that I was intrigued when I read the book synopsis especially since he was going from being a professional surfer to a professional skateboarder.
Gunner was a complex character, he had a lot going on in his life and most people didn't know what was happening in his home.
His story will pull at your heartstrings, for such a young man he has made so many life altering decisions, But now, that his secret passion has been revealed through a video someone took of him things are changing again and this may be the biggest decision of his life.
I liked the chemistry between Lena and Gunner, and the overall story was a good one that took me on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster ride.
This is the first book in the Mavrick AllSeries and I look forward to sitelinkImpact Zone which will be Trista and Falcon's story,
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book that I requested from Random House Publishing Group Loveswept through Netgalley sitelink netgalley. com/
I received the ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I have to say I really enjoyed it : it was the first book I read by this author and based on the writing style I will definitely go back to check out her other work : not to mention that I simply cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment of this series : I've been reading a lot of new authors for me lately, and I am more than pleased that the majority of them is, just like in this case, very good : so many awesome new books that I can add to my always growing BookMountain so how about I tell you a bit more about the book itself
Gunner and Lena are both in their middle twenties : Lena is a sports agent, working in the company founded by her father.
. . a big and very famous company I have to add Gunner is an exsurfer wondering what he'll do next, when Lena approaches him with an offer to represent him as a skateboarder after a video of him doing tricks has gone viral : there is of course much more as to why she in particular wants to sign him, but I don't want to spoil you anything, so that's all the details you'll get from me Lena is this determined and hard working woman, who thinks she has everything figured out.
. . that is of course, until she meets Gunner, . . two years younger than her, his life was much more darker and complicated, . . and still is full of family drama, he's used to people leaving him and always being alone, . . when they meet, there's definitely attraction between tham, but because of their professional relationship, they can't do anything about it, . . or should I say they shouldn't, . . because we all know that they will get together at some point rules be damned, . . what I love about them, is how they influence each other, . . because not only Lena changed Gunner, showing him how big of a difference one person standing by your side can make, but it works also the other way around.
. . Gunner changed Lena as well, showing her that there's more to life than winning, . . the only problem I had with them, is that they had to hide for so long, . . I mean, I do get why they had to do it, it's just something I am not a fan in books in general :
Besides our main couple we have a bunch of very interesting secondary characters that I absolutely can't wait to read about.
. . I definitely have a wish about the heroine of the second book, . . coughs Trista coughs she and Hannah are Lena's best friends and coworkers in Mavrick Allcompany : they are both such entertaining characters and I am really hoping both of them will get their stories, but Trista caught my eye and my fingers are crossed that I will be able to read about her soon.
. . there were of course much more, . . : Lena's father, his friend Max, just to name a few, but I really think that it would be better if you discover them along the way on your own : especially since a lot of them are connected to things I can't tell you about : I know, I know.
. . sorry for being a tease, but, . . spoilers :
I really enjoyed this book : because of the great writing style it was a very quick read for me : I loved the story of Gunner and Lena, even more so because of thePOVs : it's always a plus for me in books, when I can get inside the heads of both main characters.
. . and it was done very well in this case : you could actually see the difference between Lena and Gunner without thinking all the time "wait, which point of view I'm reading now" : I see a lot of potential in this series and I'm very curious to see what's gonna happen in the future stories : hopefully, we'll get a little glimpses of this couple in them : I adored their story and it had such a wonderful ending.
. . with a very cute epilogue, so be sure to go give it a shot :
XOXO
A This is Zoe Dawson's first book in a new series and it is amazing! A whole new set of characters tha tall work so well together.
Very well written it is a fast paced, heartwarming and emotional romance story,
Helena Maverick is out to prove to her dad that she can work just as well as any of the guys at his sports agency, She is out to sign Gunner who was a surf boarder now turned skate boarder, Gunner has an abusive past, When they meet sparks begin to fly, Read the book to see how it all turns out,
I think “Ramping Up” Mavrick Allstarsby Zoe Dawson was my first Skateboard novel ever, I could relate to the flair of the places it was set to take place I have seen similar places in California and loved watching the guys and girls doing their tricks with their boards.
I think that was what drew me to the book, But I have to admit that I struggled a little with the terminology of skateboarding but that has nothing to do with the book yeah well and readers should know at the end of the book are some explanations hidden for those used phrases.
Lena and Gunner were two interesting and well developed / written characters, Gunner slightly better than Lena I felt, I could not always catch Lenas PoV in certain situations, Sometime she seemed to be totally on the same page like Gunner and sometimes she was so far off with her fancy clothes and money background, She seemed so different from him, but than suddenly she was all in, I could not quite follow her,
Gunner on the other hand was easy to get, He was kind of lost and floating but he still never lost the focus on the big picture, The only thing where he felt undetermined was when it came to his father and in parts I think that was understandable considering the background,
Basically his whole life was one sacrifice until the day he met Lenathe question is only if he would be able to change that situation and grab the chances that will come his way.
Interesting book with unusual characters at least for me its worth the read, I will start off bu saying OMG, this was an absolutely gut wrenching book, Abuse, loyalty, anger, kindness,hate, friends, selfishness, love, You see for every good there was a bad from beginning to end, Gunner and Helena's love story is well written and almost gives you a feeling of complete helplessness, I'll be completely honest I picked up this book a couple of months ago to read it for Netgalley's arc review department, Because I had so much personal changes medically and personally going on I didn't get far, The first portion of this book had me wanting to scream at Gunner for simply existing and then when it was revealed why I put the book down.
It has some very intense and pain staking things revealed that because the author wrote them so well you could feel Gunner's pain fully, I repicked this book up yesterday and read it from beginning to end, Gunner is living a great life or so it appears, his dad and agent are descent people or so it appears, Well let's just say life isn't always as it appears, Once Gunner decides to make a life change and walk away from his unwanted surfing career he spends time on his love of skateboarding, Well this is where Helena steps in wanting to sign Gunner to her fathers business as one of there clients, This isn't an easy sell as skateboarding has always been just for fun and something that's just his, Helena wins in the end of course and gets him signed, with her dads no dating the clients rule and the burning attraction between the two we get to read about an amazing connection.
So here's where I tell you grab this book it has all the makings of a great book, angst, heartache, love and in the end a willingness to fight for yourself.
I've read many book by Zoe Dawson and as usual I'm impressed at her ability to tell a great story and give you all the feels, Congrats on another great book I'm so glad I put aside my own personal angst and went back in, This book had me from the first page, Gunner Smith is such an intriguing character and the brief look into the world of professional skateboarding is unique and fresh, The sacrifices Gunner has made for his family and the abuse he has dealt with from the hands of his father are heartbreaking, He desires happiness in his life and you know from the beginning that Lena will help him find it, At first her main concern is his professional life but the attraction between these two quickly flares to life and soon his personal happiness is all that matters.
This one truly has your emotions all over the place and will keep you reading to the very last page! This is one I highly recommend,
Pro surfer, Gunner Smith, is tired,
Tired of the pressure to stay at the top of his game,
Tired of his father / coach's alcohol fueled rage,
Tired of the lies and manipulation of his scheming manager,
Tired of it all!
Little does he know that a night spent skateboarding with friends, A night spent indulging in the one thing that sets him free, Will be the one night that will catapult him to the pinnacle of the extreme sporting world, Putting him face to face with both his greatest dreams, and the one woman who could prove to be his deepest desire,
Ramping Up, the first title of the Maverick AllStars series, introduces readers to the high stakes game of professional skateboarding, A sport where one wrong move can be your last, While one right one can make you a star,
Because leading man, Gunner Smith, is written as such a down to earth guy, and because his rise to fame is as much of a surprise to him, as to the reader.
It is very easy to attach one's self to his emotional gravy train from the Ramping Up's beginning,
When the back story involving his now strained relationship with his afore mentioned domineering and abusive alcoholic father, and sleazy manger are taken into account, Readers have no choice but to be sold, Hook, line, and sinker.
The story really starts to get interesting however when Helena “Lena” Mavrick enters the picture, Daughter of the famed Noah Maverick, CEO and owner of Maverick AllStars, One of the most respected sports talent agencies in the world,
Helena is a woman with no illusions about her need to make her mark in what for so long has been solely both her father's business, and a man's world.
Eager to try her hand at shaping and molding what promises to be a stellar career for Gunner, Helena is in no way prepared for the attraction that she feels for him,
An attraction that thankfully author, Zoe Dawson, allows her audience to explore very early in this book,
This is far from a case of sex ruling the day however,
Ms. Dawson is very careful to maintain a very healthy balance between sport, sex, and drama,
What readers are sure to become most enchanted with, in very short order, Is the incredible amount of detail that Ms, Dawson puts into her representation of skateboarding,
Going so far as to include a glossary of terms at the back of the book, She leaves no stone unturned in her effort to make this story a truly visceral experience,
The romantic element here is first rate, With each person giving the other just what they need, The sex is both hot and tender, But it's the chemistry that these two share outside of the bedroom that makes the pages sizzle,
The effort that these two put into trying to keep their relationship under wraps, . . clearly wasted.
Though an annoyance, to be sure, Said "hide and hug" does very little to detract from the general appeal of their budding infatuation,
The thing about this awesome story that may give readers a bit of a pause
The fact that certain aspects of both Gunner's character and his story read considerably younger than hisyears.
As such, there are quite a few times when his character becomes very hard to define in the reader's mind, A distraction which works to keep this read just a breath away from perfection,
Ramping Up is an adrenaline filled, all access pass to what happens when a dream that you didn't know you were chasing, catches you.
Allowing you to find that one person who makes your heart strong enough to follow it,
er's Note: Ramping Up is the first book in a series, Because subsequent books have yet to be published, I can not say with certainty, in what order it is to be read,
I was provided was a review copy of this work in exchange for the unbiased review given,
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