REVIEW: IMAGINARY LINES (NEW YORK LEOPARDS #3) by ALLISON PARR

Series: New York Leopards #3
Genre: Sports Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication Date: 4/14/14
Format: eARC
Pages: 237
Source: Purchase
Rating: 4.5 stars
 

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Tamar Rosenfeld has been in love with New York Leopards linebacker Abraham Krasner since they were twelve years old. She'd always considered it destiny that they'd end up together…until Abe was drafted and she professed her feelings in a moment of blind excitement. The sting of his rejection was like nothing she'd ever felt before, and it's nothing she'll ever forget.Older and wiser, Tamar has landed a dream job as a reporter for one of New York's premier athletic websites. Determined to stop being the safe, boring girl she's felt like for most of her life, Tamar makes a list of all the things she wants to do and see in her new city, and Getting Over Abraham is priority number one.But destiny has finally chosen to interfere. Just as Tamar's decided to move on, Abe's realized she's the only woman for him. When he confides the truth, Tamar has to decide if she can put her crush behind her, or take a chance on the very man who's been holding her back all these years.

The New York Leopards series has been on my radar for awhile now, thanks to a recommendation by my very picky cousin/librarian, and the endorsement of our book group. All the ladies are in agreement that this is a great series. I haven't read the first two books, yet, but I can safely say that based on Imaginary Lines, I completely agree.

Tamar Rosenfeld has been in love with Abraham Krasner for nearly half her life. A friend when she needed one, a crush that seemingly went unrequited, Tamar saved herself for years, hoping Abe would see that she was in love with him, and realize he felt the same way. One reckless confession four years ago crossed an imaginary line in their friendship, and Tamar vowed to move on, to finally put Abe behind her and move on. BUT, four years have passed and now Tamar is moving to New York to work as a sports writer. Her assigned team is the New York Leopards (fictional, which kinda threw me, but okay!) and guess who's the team's star linebacker...yep, Abe!

Tamar wants to be close with Abe again. At the heart of it, they were dear friends and she misses him. And yet, she must be careful with her heart. At nineteen and twenty, Abe didn't want her love. He was moving cross-country and joining the NFL. He didn't know who he was yet, knew Tamar needed time to find herself, and the timing was just so wrong. Now though, Abe wants Tamar in his life. He's solid, and happy with his friends and his team, but it's clear he's missed her, that Tamar represents a comfort he craves. And what's so neat about this whole relationship is, Tamar believes Abe holds all the power, he will break her heart eventually. Throughout the story, though, Abe gives these small cues, a lot of which Tamar misses or misunderstands (oh, but I did not!) that let us know that he's really in this. And when he finally begins to tell Tamar want he wants, how he feels, and how he has hoped and planned over the years? Guys, my heart started thumping so hard. I love a strong hero, an honorable one, but when that strong man lets the heroine see how vulnerable she makes him, how she could bring him to his knees and tear his world apart with one word? THAT is what makes me go weak for a romantic lead. Nothing shows strength like exposing what could destroy you. And that is what had me reeling over a Imaginary Lines.

Okay. So I did not mean to go on and on, recapping the story and what I thought, but I just really want to talk about why I loved Imaginary Lines. And to be general and vague was not going to cut it for me. I needed to thoroughly explain why I found T and A's (Hee! Nailed it.) relationship to be special among the millions of romances out there.

I also need to point out that I genuinely enjoy Allison Parr's voice. She gave the story a lot of passion and emotion but avoided being too flowery. Librarian Cousin (as she will forevermore be known) assures me that Parr is a completely solid writer and she does not hesitate to buy her books. Also, you might pick up that Tamar and Abe are Jewish. I loved seeing the tidbits about the food they ate, their family histories and customs. This is another reason I am happy with the series. I love to find more diverse backgrounds/religion/ethnicities in my books. The book world sadly tends to reflect the small town I grew up in in the rural south, almost all white Protestants. I mean, until I started reading heavy duty WWII romances set in Europe, everything I knew about Jewish people, I learned from Adam Sandler and The Hannukah Song. And yeah, that funny but also a bit sad.

Imaginary Lines was an excellent story, even better than I'd hoped for. I'm excited to find a new-to-me author and series I can whole-heartedly recommend. And I look forward to reading the rest of the New York Leopards series.


Favorite Quotes


  He didn't look away from me, and desire and determination in his gaze was overwhelming. "Just try to fall in love with someone else while I'm around."

  He smiled with absolute tenderness and shook his. "You don't get it, do you?"
  I was lost. "Get what?"
  He hooked one arm around my waist and drew me toward him.
  "Tamar." He leaned his forehead against mine and smiled. His other hand cupped the back of my neck. "Tamar, you were always the girl I wanted to marry."

  "And what about me?"
  I blinked at him. "Excuse me?"
  "You think you're the only one that would get your heart broken?" His hand slid around the back of my neck. "So I have the power to break your heart. Good. Because you could smash mine to smithereens if you wanted to." 
  Something soft and happy unfolded in my chest even as my lips parted slightly in surprise. "Abraham..."
  He pressed me against the car and kissed me. 
  "I'm not going to break your heart," I whispered. "I promise." 
  "Good. Because I don't think I could survive it."

The New York Leopards Series

   

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About the Allison Parr

Hi! I'm Allison Parr, author of New Adult romance novels. I'm also a chocoholic, a history buff, a reader. (I also like to marathon watch disaster movies). You can write me at allisonparrwrites@gmail.com and read my debut novel, RUSH ME, now!

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