I really enjoyed this read. It was not the prefect sports read and handed more of the self discovery element. This book also look at the complicated half of senior year. I also thought he family dymanics were super fun. I also grew to like the romance. This book was not a typical happily ever after story but I still really enjoyed it. I also liked the sports element. It wa fun read an would def read more in this series in the future. ( )

I really enjoyed this read. It was not the prefect sports read and handed more of the self discovery element. This book also look at the complicated half of senior year. I also thought he family dymanics were super fun. I also grew to like the romance. This book was not a typical happily ever after story but I still really enjoyed it. I also liked the sports element. It wa fun read an would def read more in this series in the future. ( )

4.5 stars.

Miranda Kenneally’s newest release, Defending Taylor, is a young adult contemporary that deals with some very relevant topics such as prescription drug abuse, intended and unintended consequences of decisions and family expectations.

Seventeen year old Taylor Lukens is the overachieving daughter of a Senator who is expelled from her exclusive private school after she impulsively takes the blame for something her boyfriend is responsible for. Now attending the local public high school, she is struggling with the repercussions from her decision after the scandal becomes public knowledge. With her father’s chances for re-election slipping, she feels a little abandoned by her family when they distance themselves from her publicly. With college deadlines looming, Taylor is slowly realizing her family’s expectations for her future are not necessarily what she wants but she is not sure she can disappoint them considering how her recent actions have affected them. It is not until she reconnects with her former crush, Ezra Carmichael, that she finds the courage to stand up for what she wants, but will Taylor convince him to do the same?

As the youngest child in the family, Taylor feels an enormous amount of pressure to follow the same path as her older siblings. Expected to attend an Ivy League college and work in her family’s business after graduation, she is extremely focused on padding her college resume with extracurricular activities and volunteer work while maintaining a high GPA and acing her SATs. Unfortunately, some of her classes do not come easy to her and she spends an inordinate amount of time studying so she sometimes pops Ritalin when she is feeling stressed about doing well on exams and assignments. With such a strong desire to live up to her family’s expectations, Taylor never really deviates from the path they have set for her but after she begins attending Hundred Oaks, she reevaluates her plans for the future but can she disappoint her family again?

Taking the semester off from college amid objections from his father, Ezra is well aware what can happen when personal dreams conflict with family expectations. Taylor cannot help but feel there is more to his decision than he is willing to admit to her, but she has no choice but to back off when he asks her to. Ezra understands what she is going through with her parents but since she once had a crush on him and he broke her heart a few years ago, she is quite hesitant to resume their friendship. Once Taylor moves past her initial reservations, it is clear the spark between them burns brighter than ever but will she risk her heart again?

Defending Taylor is a captivating young adult novel with a compelling storyline and an appealing cast of characters. Miranda Kenneally has an engaging writing style and she never hesitates to tackle some difficult subject matter. A heartwarming story that I recommend to readers of all ages, this latest addition to the Hundred Oak series can be read as a standalone.

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Mini review time.

This was a fun contemporary book that heavily dealt with family issues, and doing what's "right" and what you are expected to do.

Taylor's relationship with Ezra is cute and fun. I loved once Taylor started to embrace her teammates more, and started getting involved and having FUN. The family drama is super intense and emotional.

The drama is super intense, but it didn't feel like it was a focus, or really given as much weight as it could have.

Overall, a fun and easy read. ( )

You can guess what grabbed me about this book - soccer. And there *is* soccer in the book! But otherwise it's a YA romance that addresses parents pushing kids too hard, how elite colleges deal with drug rumors for their students (by the way, the colleges look like assholes), and what it means to be the child of a U.S. senator who's up for re-election. It's about a 3.5 for me - it's just fine, and certainly well-written. Young white straight people with money gotta stand up to their parents too, dang it. ( )