As a fan of sports romances there's much to enjoy in this contemporary tale of opposites attracting while trying to succeed on the tennis court. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Love All by Liza Malloy, along with my impressions of it, then learn even more about this book by visiting the other sites hosting this tour. In honor of this New Adult romance make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $15 bookstore GC too!
College students Nate and Olivia are a perfect match on the courts—and in the sheets. Everywhere else, they’re polar opposites and sworn enemies. But as the chemistry builds, a figure from Olivia’s past unexpectedly pops back into her life and the couple realizes they have more in common than they thought. Are these star-crossed lovers doomed to repeat their parents’ mistakes, or can they build a life together once the final set is played?
EXCERPT:
God, she was enchanting. Even up close, even in this dim lighting, even after playing tennis... Olivia was pure perfection. Olivia licked her lips casually, drawing my eyes to her mouth. I needed to know if her lips were as soft as they looked, couldn’t help but wonder if she tasted as good as she smelled. But I didn’t dare try.
So instead, I just stared.
Olivia stared back at me with the same intensity. I hoped maybe she would make the first move and breach the six inches between us. Instead, she spoke.
“I’d love to know what you’re thinking right now.”
My heart beat faster. “I’m trying to guess if you’d slap me if I kissed you right now.” Her perfect lips curved upwards into a grin she tried to hide. “What did you decide?”
I considered my next words, then spoke slowly. “I decided that you’ve had plenty of time to turn away.” I leaned forward, placed my hand on her cheek, and when she still didn’t move, I pressed my mouth to hers.
Before I could even panic that I’d done the wrong thing, she kissed me back. Her lips were velvety smooth against my own, and they parted willingly, welcoming my tongue into her warm mouth. She tasted sweet, like oranges and cinnamon.
Her hand brushed against my bicep, startling me at first, then egging me on as she pressed her fingers against me, practically squeezing the muscle. I reached to place my other hand around her arm, missing and inadvertently grazing the side of her breast before landing on her arm. Still, she didn’t slap me.
The kiss went on and on. Olivia sure didn’t kiss like the innocent girl she claimed to be, but I wasn’t about to complain, either. Her lips fit perfectly against mine, and I was positive that the rest of our bodies would fit just as well.
All of a sudden, all the court lights flashed on, flooding us in full light. We broke apart in an instant, leaving only our fingers entangled. We both gazed down, as though neither of us had realized we were holding hands, and then we each winced from the light.
So instead, I just stared.
Olivia stared back at me with the same intensity. I hoped maybe she would make the first move and breach the six inches between us. Instead, she spoke.
“I’d love to know what you’re thinking right now.”
My heart beat faster. “I’m trying to guess if you’d slap me if I kissed you right now.” Her perfect lips curved upwards into a grin she tried to hide. “What did you decide?”
I considered my next words, then spoke slowly. “I decided that you’ve had plenty of time to turn away.” I leaned forward, placed my hand on her cheek, and when she still didn’t move, I pressed my mouth to hers.
Before I could even panic that I’d done the wrong thing, she kissed me back. Her lips were velvety smooth against my own, and they parted willingly, welcoming my tongue into her warm mouth. She tasted sweet, like oranges and cinnamon.
Her hand brushed against my bicep, startling me at first, then egging me on as she pressed her fingers against me, practically squeezing the muscle. I reached to place my other hand around her arm, missing and inadvertently grazing the side of her breast before landing on her arm. Still, she didn’t slap me.
The kiss went on and on. Olivia sure didn’t kiss like the innocent girl she claimed to be, but I wasn’t about to complain, either. Her lips fit perfectly against mine, and I was positive that the rest of our bodies would fit just as well.
All of a sudden, all the court lights flashed on, flooding us in full light. We broke apart in an instant, leaving only our fingers entangled. We both gazed down, as though neither of us had realized we were holding hands, and then we each winced from the light.
FIND AT GOODREADS here.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Sports romances are one of my favorite genres which had me grabbing this book up the moment I read its blurb. In a tale of opposites attracting there's a sweet and sensual romance that progresses as more truths are revealed and preconceived notions put aside. There's a few bumps along the way, a few frustrations too, but on a whole it was an entertaining tale that took me away from my worries for a day.
Nate Aldridge is the proverbial rich boy athlete, at least that's how the world and his tennis teammate Olivia sees him! As the story progresses though, and he and Olivia spend more time together, you discover more about the rich young man. You see someone who's attentive, supportive, and unashamed to admit that he fell for Olivia first in their connection that started off as frenemies before becoming friends with benefits and then more. Through it all their banter was witty and full of sexual tension and I enjoyed that each could give as well as take throughout their verbal foreplay.
Olivia Roberts wasn't as appealing to me. Her life hasn't gone as easily as Nate's life has gone and it's reflected in her pessimistic viewpoints, strong headedness, and difficulty putting aside her preconceived notions. She's happy to keep Nate as her dirty little secret but when things started taking a more serious turn you could see her words and deeds becoming more conflicted. Considering the ups and downs she’s experienced though I could understand why she was the way she was which is why I was happy that Nate was in her life.
From the first page to the last I found this a well-paced story featuring a couple who had an enjoyable connection with crackling banter, a steamy romance, and a few speed bumps along the way as inner truths came out. Of the two, Nate was definitely my favorite. He was a drool-worthy young man not at all how rich boy athletes are usually portrayed. He was caring and went out of his way to be there for Olivia which made me like him all the more. There was much to admire about Olivia, all that she had to overcome, and all that she's still trying to deal with that unfortunately brought out less than stellar behavior at times. Despite that, she and Nate were definitely a couple worth rooting for and I look forward to where Ms. Malloy takes us next.
My rating for this is a B-/C+
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Liza Malloy writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She’s a sucker for alpha males, bad boys, dimples, and muscles, and she can’t resist a man in uniform. Liza loves creating worlds where her heroine discovers her own strength and finds her Happily Ever After. When Liza isn’t reading or writing torrid love stories, she’s a practicing attorney. Her other passions include gummy bears, jelly beans, and the occasional marathon. She lives in the Midwest with her four daughters and her own Prince Charming.
WEBSITE | NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE | BOOKBUB AUTHOR PAGE | LINKTREE | FACEBOOK | TIK TOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST
**********GIVEAWAY**********
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Love All and for reviewing! So glad you enjoyed. I'll check back later and respond to any reader questions from the comments.
ReplyDelete