Review ~ Catching Jordan, by Miranda Kenneally

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate. ~From GoodReads

Catching Jordan is a book that caught my eye the first time I saw it. I love the cover, love the synopsis, and it has gotten glowing reviews from many who've read it. So when I bought it, I expected a great, fun read. But what I got was so. much. more.

From beginning to end, this book was funny, like, laugh out loud funny. Jordan was a riot. She is an insanely easy main character for "real" people to relate to. She's tall, over six feet tall, and has an athletic build. That in itself makes me want to scream "Thank you, Miranda!" to the author. As someone who has always been tall and athletic, it's darn near impossible to find characters to physically relate to. Almost every girl or lady I come across is teeny tiny and dainty, and that's swell. But I can't help but feeling that somewhere, there is a girl (much like me as a teen) who will feel Jordan was written specifically for her. And she will glow at the fact that Jordan is beautiful and perfect, just the way she is, without apologies for being herself. This girl, despite not always making the right choices (but what teen does?), is a fantastic role model.

Here's an example of her down to earth manner:
"The restaurant is dark and romantic and full of flowers, and I find myself wishing it was just myself and [blank]  here, huddled over wine and champagne and crepes or some shit like that."

The supporting characters were as endearing as Jordan. Each served a specific purpose, in their own way assisting Jordan, in moving the story forward. The guys on her team: JJ, a big lug with surprising moments of great advice; Carter, a sweetheart with his own conflicts who is always there to listen; Ty, the new boy in town who is out to steal Jordan's heart; and Henry, Jordan's best friend. Oh, how I loved Sam Henry. Sam is a close second to Jordan as my favorite character. At times he even places first. He is the type of guy everyone will love and all wish we had in our lives. Sam was funny, dependable, goofy, hot as heck, and the kind of boy you want to smoosh with love.

When I started reading Catching Jordan, I was afraid that the fact Jordan is a female quarterback with college aspirations would be glossed over. That her whole life would be bright and shiny. But it's not. The sexism she faces is dealt with in a realistic manner, which as unfair as it is, that's life. And as hard as it is for her to face athletes and coaches who dismiss her, what's even harder is the dismissal from her father, an NFL quarterback. The father/daughter relationship was beautiful and delicate. Watching Jordan and her father dance around their issues was difficult and tear-inducing.
Catching Jordan delivered more of everything that I expected: more laughs, more surprises, and more tears. It's a brilliantly written book that left me swooning, swiping tears and smiling. It quickly captured my heart and has leapt straight to the top of my favorites list. Catching Jordan is a MUST-READ!

Favorite Quote:

"He's fast asleep, curled up at the other end of my bed, looking peaceful. The expression on his face says he's not really sad, and he's not overcompensating for his sadness by acting all crazy or silly, he's just...content. And that makes me glad, because more than anything else, I want him to be happy."
(pg 111)

Paperback, 281 pages

Published December 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

You can purchase Catching Jordan at:
Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository  |  Amazon