Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Catching Jordan

by Miranda Kenneally

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: December 1, 2011

Source: Purchased

Challenge: 2012 Completely Contemp Challenge 

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  - Goodreads

My Thoughts 

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am NOT a football fan. Because of this, I was hesitant to pick up Catching Jordan. I'm SO glad I gave the book a chance though, because it ROCKED. Guys, believe me when I tell you that you don't need to be a fan of sports to enjoy this book. Football does play a role, but I'd say this is more of a character driven story.

  The characters in Catching Jordan were three dimensional. I felt like I knew them by the time I finished the book yesterday. I loved Jordan, the protagonist for oh so many reasons. She's an amazing quarterback, loyal friend, isn't afraid to eat her weight in nachos, and can throw a punch with the best of them. Underneath all of the rough and tumble, she's just a girl trying to find her way in the world. Sure she's a football player, but she struggles with the same insecurities that most girls face during their teen years, including how to deal with guys. I wish Jordan was real, because she is one girl I'd freakin love to be friends with. 

I enjoyed reading about the dynamic that Jordan shared with the guys on her team. All of the guys were awesome, from sensitive Carter to protective JJ. Also, let me just say that the love triangle between Jordan and certain guys on the team was fantastically written. I swooned for sure. I'll leave it at that though. I want you to experience the swoonage for yourselves :)

I also want to point out how big of a role that Jordan's family played in the story. Not many YA books have such a strong parent-teen dynamic these days. I loved Jordan's parents, especially her dad. He, the great NFL star, acted like an asshole throughout a good portion of the book. He didn't support Jordan and hurt her badly, but despite appearances the man has heart. I had such a better understanding of him by the time I finished the book, and that level of character growth is really what reading is all about. While Jordan's dad was my favorite, her mom and brother were pretty great as well. Her mother's support made me smile on more than one occasion and her big brother was always there to talk when she needed him.

Have y'all noticed that I spent most of this review talking about the characters? Well, that's really what this book is all about: Characters. Relationships. Growth. Love. Finding humor in everyday situations. If you are looking for a feel good book with a relatable protagonist and a fantastic cast of secondary characters, I wholeheartedly recommend Catching Jordan. I grinned from ear to ear when I finished this book and I'm grinning from ear to ear now. I will DEFINITELY be reading this one again in the future! 

Favorite Quotes

"The day I hear JJ talking about his feelings is the day I'll run to a nuclear fallout shelter and pray for my life." - Page 22

"Ty better appreciate how hard I've woed to make myself attractive for him this morning, because I am fucking spent." - Page 40

"Love hurts worse than getting slammed by a 250 pound linebacker" - Page 154

This book has earned a spot on my "Favorites" shelf!