Imaginary Lines

New York Leopards #3

by Allison Parr

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.

Genres: Romance, Sports, New Adult, Sports Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers

237 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 14, 2014

Reviews

[Geri Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tamar has loved Abe the moment he asked to dance during his Bar-Mitzvah. Their parents were friends so they were pretty inseparable until Abe got drafted into the NFL. Tamar knew she had to tell him how she feels before he leaves for training camp. Sadly, it didn't go exactly as she had hope. She got her broken and Abe left for New York without a second glance.

Six years later, Tamar found herself bound for New York to accept a gig as a reporter for a sports publication. It was then that she reconnected with Abe. But she has no plans to revisit her feelings for him. Of course, Abe has other ideas because while Tamar caught him by surprise six years before, he was more than ready to confront their lingering attraction now.

I just adored this book. I have a soft spot for books with this theme, so I'm always on a lookout for them and Imaginary Lines ticked all the boxes of what makes a friends-to-lovers book work for me. The plot was simple but well done. And I just loved how they reconnect with each other despite Tamar's misgivings.

There's a bit of drama involving Tamar's work as well as Abe's football career which added a very interesting layer to the story.

Really great book. This would definitely work for those who love the friends-to-lovers trope. :)

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so great on every level!!!!!! I had forgotten how much I enjoy this series, and like, as much as I loved the last book in this series, this one was easily my favorite yet. I was in love with Tamar basically from the very start. The beginning part where she was talking about how she moved back home after graduating college and taught SAT classes and didn't feel like she was living up to her potential or whatever was super relatable for me and instantly endeared her to me. And I remember being interested in Abe's character from the previous books, so it was great to see so much more of him here. Like when he was telling Tamar how his aunt wanted him to help send his cousin to private school and instead he set up a college fund for him, but then realized he couldn't only do it for one cousin so he set up college funds for all 12 of his cousins. Just, Abe!!!!!!!!

And I loved everything about the development of Tamar and Abe's relationship, how he clearly realized he was an idiot for turning her down before, and how she was trying not to fall for him all over again to protect herself, but she also wasn't angry or cold to him or anything. I enjoyed how they picked their friendship right up again. And just how clearly Abe was into her throughout everything! I loved the part where he asked her to the wedding and she was like "You're supposed to ask a girlfriend. A date," and he pauses and is like, "I don't have a girlfriend. And I want to take you." It just made me feel a lot, idk!!! And I just love best friends to lovers stories, and this was basically that, even though it doesn't exactly fit what I usually love about those stories. But it was cute to see how they grew closer and closer, and the part when Abe was like "Tamar? You realize we're dating," because I love dating without even realizing it as a trope (or whatever you want to call it, but like, just when two characters are so close and spend so much time together that they're basically dating even though they're not officially dating).

I also REALLY loved how the fact that Tamar was a virgin was handled. It wasn't something she worried about or thought about basically at all, and she didn't even confirm that she was a virgin until she was about to sleep with Abe, and Abe made sure she still wanted to have sex but didn't freak out or anything, and it was just really nice!!! I feel like I barely ever see that approach to virgin heroines in contemporary romances, so it made me really happy. And I also really loved how the issue with the helmets was resolved. I knew it was going to be a source of conflict as soon as Tamar first brought it up, but I was really afraid she would end up secretly writing the article and then Abe would find out after the fact and get pissed. It was so great that even though it did cause some conflict between them, they talked about things openly and honestly and he stood by her and supported her writing the article. And everything between their families and how they were caught making out at Thanksgiving was the actual greatest. When they were talking about having the Leopard colors as their wedding theme!!!!!!!!! ugh, now I just want to read this again. Basically, everything was perfect, there is literally nothing I would change about this book, and it is now on my list of fave romances ever.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.

Actual Rating
4.5 Stars

Imaginary Lines is by far my favorite installment from New York Leopards. It follows the story of Tamar who has been in love with linebacker Abe since forever. She’d always considered them as soul-mates till she professed her feelings and Abe rejected her. It’s something she never forgot! Now years later Tamar landed a great opportunity to work for one of New York’s infamous athletic websites. And just as Tamar decided to move on, Abe finally realized she’s the only woman for him.

I finished Imaginary Lies in one sitting and I’ve read it a couple of times and the outcome is always the same. I love it more each time. What attracts me to this book is the concept of old childhood friends turned into lovers, which is the #1 fan service an author could ever do for me. There’s also a great deal of feminism points for Tamar. And like the previous installments, the New York Leopards cast made appearances. It was so fun reading and seeing them again. There was never a dull moment!

Overall Imaginary Lies is sweet and enjoyable. A highly recommendable read. I can’t wait to read more.

[Liz at Fictional Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imaginary Lines by Allison Parr, was admittedly a slow start for me. The first few chapters felt a bit off to me, and I was worried about how I would feel about the rest of the book. But then everything clicked into place, action started heating up, and as it turned out, I loved Tamar and Abe's story.


The Sweet

The romance between Tamar and Abe was great. Now, contrary to the blurb, I didn't really feel like there was a lot of drama where they were concerned. Yes, she professed her love years earlier and was shut down cold. But I didn't feel like them getting back together was something drawn out and dramatic. On the contrary, Abe and Tamar felt like they belonged together. Their romance felt easy and natural. I believed these two people felt honest and true love for each other, and it was fantastic whenever they were on the page together.

Both of these characters showed great strength of character, and by the end of the book I was just so happy for them. The rest of the characters aren't featured as prominently, but they were all fantastic when they were there. One to make note of is Tamar's boss, Tanya. The woman is all business, but you just know there is a giant heart beating in there.

The Sour

In the beginning, it felt a bit like there was too much sports for my tastes. Tamar is a sports reporter and Abe is a football player, so it's definitely a sports romance. But at times it got a bit too much football and not enough romance for me - but that was only in the beginning. Once the story picked up, it was a straight shooting, easy flowing read.

Would I buy this candy?

I think if you are into sports romances that this would be a great book to read. There are some really touching moments, and if you are like me, you will catch yourself with a couple involuntary "awwww"s escaping your lips. There is the added drama of the subplot, which involves the dangerous side of football combined with Tamar's journalistic side. Again, something that felt a bit slow to me at first, but once the pieces all fell in place, the puzzle was terrific.

[Cocktails and Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

IMAGINARY LINES had elements I love in a book: the childhood crush, an adult romance and sports. I cracked open my e-reader with enthusiasm to delve into the story of Tamar and Abraham.

Tamar and Abraham have known each other since Tamar was twelve and since twelve, Tamar always had a crush on Abe. But her hopes for anything with Abe were crushed when he rejected her during a visit to UCLA. Now graduated from college and off to her first job as a sports journalist, Tamar finds herself in New York, the same city where Abe is a pro football star, and trying to figure out how she can avoid him. Unfortunately, she can't, especially when she's been assigned to cover his team.

Tamar has a to do list and #9 on that list was to forget about Abe, but practically the minute she gets into town, he's there. Despite her profession of love four years earlier and his rejection of it, Abe is the one that reaches out to Tamar. I could understand why she would want to forget the boy who broke her heart, but I also felt she gave into him way to easily. I know there families have history, but she was so devastated by his rejection that she hadn't seen him in four years, so I wasn't sure why she so easily gave into seeing him when he first made contact. Sure he made a great argument about why they should start dating, but she didn't fight him much and I wanted her to.

Abe was a great guy, don't get me wrong, but it was almost as if everything has to work on his timetable. When Tamar had professed her love for him in college, it was the wrong time, too soon, or whatever excuse. Then, when they reconnect in New York, he decided now was the time for dating, regardless of how emphatically Tamar tried to tell him she wanted a relationship and didn't think that was with him. Kudos to him for pressing the issue because he realized he had feelings for Tamar, but I just didn't like how he pressed the issue.

I loved the part of the story regarding player safety. This was something I'd never come across in a sports romance and I liked it.

Overall, a decent read. I think I wanted more from the romance between Abe and Tamar, I'm just not sure what I would add to make it better. But the storyline was well paced and the relationship between the two, in addition to the player safety storyline, were enough to keep me going.

[Fien · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend recommended this book to me and I'm glad I read it. I love both main characters. Abe is a great guy and I didn't expect less from him. In "Rush Me" he was one of my favourite characters. I'm happy I got to read a whole book about him.
Tamar is pretty great too. She finally gets everything she has dreamed of. Even a dream she had given up a long time ago.

What I really liked about this book is that they stood strong throughout everything. They both remembered what the most important thing in life is. There was no doubt. So no awful kind of break up before make up at the end of the book like usual. Whatever happens to them next, I think they can get through almost all of it.

I really loved reading this series. I was sad to find out this are the only books Allison Parr wrote. I hope there will be more books of her in the future. It would be great to read more about the other New York Leopards. Hope this is not the ending.

[Li · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allison Parr's New York Leopards NA series is an auto-buy for me, and this one didn’t disappoint – Abe and Tamar were charming, and there was more of both the NYC setting and football backdrop which made me fall in love with the series in the first place. I do think Allison Parr’s prose veers towards the purple on occasion, but the emotional impact more than makes up for that. However, I was frustrated by the handful of copy-editing errors in the text – both because I think Parr deserves better and also maybe I expect more from Carina Press?

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine. Just fine. Not the best in the series and not the worst. My main problem with Imaginary Lines was that, in previous books, Abe was the most charming of characters, just begging for his own story. But when his turn finally came, this Abe felt like an entirely different beast, not nearly as charming or compelling as he was in previous installments. I struggled to want Tamar to achieve her lifelong crush. I simply felt she was worth more, deserved more than she got in Abe. Very competently written, as always, but lacking the spark and tenacity of the first book in the series.

[Cait · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay. I started this at 11.30 last night because Jess is a terrible influence and before I knew it it was 1.30am and I was finished.

That's how much I loved this book. To the point where this is probably my favourite book in the series. I KNOW.

I honestly can't think of something in this book that I didn't like, it was perfect and everyone should read it.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series of books just works for me, on all the levels. They make me happy.

[Lesley Peck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! We first met Abe in book #1 and he was oh so sweet! I really enjoyed reading more about his past and watching him reconnect with Tamar. Wonderful story!

[Caroline]

This book was as good as book one I thought. Reading about Abe in one then actually getting his story with tamar. There was bits I wasn't expecting in the book but loved it all the more xx

[MBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with Abraham Kramer when I was twelve years old.

Tamar Rosenfeld had fallen in love with Abraham Krasner when she’d been just twelve years old. Growing up with him had only intensified the feelings and at the age of 19, Tamar decides to put her heart on the line and confess of her undying love to the man himself. The rejection of her love, the answer that Abraham only sees her as a little sister gives Tamar the jolt that she needs to cut ties and heal her broken heart and get over her injured pride. Until four years later, she moves to New York as a sports reporter.

New York is where Abraham lives, his career as a New York Leopards linebacker ensuring that. When Tamar comes to New York, Abraham is determined that he get to spend as much time as possible with her as their schedules would allow. And the more time Tamar spends with Abraham, the more she goes onto realize that she had been kidding where her heart had been concerned, where she had convinced herself that she was so over Abraham. And Abraham certainly doesn’t make it easy for Tamar to move on; he pursues her with a relentlessness that Tamar finds she can only resist so much before giving in.

Imaginary Lines is a story told in first person in the heroine’s point of view. Being the third book in the New York Leopards series and having never read the two books published before this one, I would say that the fact I wasn’t left with a question mark in my head where the secondary characters were concerned is a pretty good signal that this book can definitely be read as a standalone.

Imaginary Lines proved to be a novel experience for me in my journey as a reader of romance. Tamar and Abraham are both Jewish coming from big Jewish families. I’ve never read about a Jewish couple, about their customs and food of choice for celebrations and such and thus it was an interesting exploratory journey of sorts for me. Many a time I used the search the web function on my iBooks to find out what a delicacy mentioned in the story looked like, which holiday were they talking about etc. I even managed to read a bit on Judaism on the religion section of BBC, something I’ve been meaning to do for quite sometime. So all in all, Imaginary Lines turned out to be quite the informative journey for me.

I loved the subtle hint of humor interwoven into the story. There is a sense of humor to Tamar that is hard to resist and if you can read a couple of chapters with a straight face, well you are a person in more control of your emotions than I would ever be. Tamar and Abraham, both turned out to be equally likable characters who are strong, so much in love with each other and yet true to who they are individually. I loved Tamar for having the guts to stand up for what she believed in, facing all that crap because she dared rattle around what pretty much everyone else had thought an area of football that she should have just left alone. Abraham turned out to be the sweetest guy! I sort of expected him to get pissed off and storm off, but he proved me 100% wrong by sticking with his woman and standing by her side even through the most difficult of time. That in essence is what true love is all about.

Being a story told in first person, which is something I don’t like for obvious reasons, yet somehow I get roped into reading books featuring just that, it wasn’t easy to garner Abraham’s emotions, something I felt the lack of. I wanted to see Abraham’s reactions, read deep into his mind, see his thoughts and the way he viewed the shared past of his and Tamar’s childhood. I think the novel would have provided a more wholesome experience to Abraham’s character if the author had integrated his point of view into the story as well. That being said, Tamar seemed to see into who Abraham truly is, seeing beyond the facade that Abraham puts up with the rest of the world giving Abraham a true sense of homecoming after four long years of separation.

Though the story seemed to lose focus on Abraham and Tamar during the first half of the story, it definitely picked up the rest of the way and gave an enjoyable read that is recommended for fans of sports romances. Abraham and Tamar would definitely end up being a favorite.

Rating = 3.75/5

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[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads .

I have been in literary love with Abraham Krasner since he and Rachael became friends in Rush Me. He always seemed like a good guy who didn't fall into any of the pro-football player stereotypes. I was so excited to learn he was getting his own book. I wanted/needed to know his full story immediately. I could have done cartwheels when I had the opportunity to read and review it before release. I finished the book with a big, goofy grin on my face and and all the warm fuzzies you can imagine. It wouldn't be a stretch to say this is my favorite book in the New York Leopards series so far.

Tamar was fantastic. Anyone who has ever had a crush on a close guy friend will relate to her immediately. Ah, unrequited love. Or, is it? Tamar is the kind of girl I'd be friends with in real life. She was sweet, strong and smart. She didn't have the best luck in love, but she had been pining away for her best friend for most of her life. A journalist and sports fan, she's thrilled to get an offer to work for one of the biggest sports blogs/magazines in the country. The job will take her from her home in California all the way to New York City. It's the perfect time to start over. There's just one little problem: Abraham Kraser, her childhood best friend and object of her unrequited love, is a professional football player for a team in New York. The same one she'll be covering. It's going to be difficult to move on while she's near him, but she's determined to try.

I've already said how much I love Abe. I'm not exaggerating. Each of the guys in Parr's New York Leopards series has been fantastic and swoony (especially to a lady like me who loves football - both the sport and the players), but there's just something special about Abe. It was wonderful to learn some of his backstory. My only complaint about this book is that I wish part of it had been told from his POV. I would *love* to get inside Abe's head.

Despite Tamar's best efforts to get over Abe, as they spend more time together and he begins to open up about his feelings, she's fighting a losing battle. These two are so obviously meant to be together. I love-love-love friends to lovers stories. They're risky. There's the fear of losing the friendship if the relationship doesn't work out, but the understanding that the feelings are real and can't be easily dismissed. The author did a fantastic job of making this story come to life. It felt so real. Tamar and Abe were fantastic together. Their second chance at love wasn't all hearts and flowers, though. There's some drama that threatens to hurt both of their careers, and possibly their relationship. Thankfully it wasn't all that scandalous and it didn't make me want to throw my iPad at the wall.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. The characters were easy to love and completely relatable. I love a good, driven female lead character. Tamar blossomed in this book. The friendships between the other players and their significant others is one of the things I love most about this series. I enjoy getting a peek into the lives of favorite pairs from previous novels with each new one that's released. It hasn't taken me long to become a huge fan of this fictional football team or Allison Parr's work. If you like romance (with a hint of steam), sports and strong characters, I can't recommend this book – or the others in the series – highly enough.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Mandy Reads Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Regret filled his face and he moved his arms as though to pull me into a hug. "Tammy-"
But that was all I needed, to be comforted by Abraham Krasner for being idiot enough to fall in love with him at first sight, and stay that way for close to a decade. He was too perfect, and I clearly was not, and I was in no shape to handle that.
So instead of collapsing against him, I stumbled back, unable to take his soulful, tragic eyes, I ran.
**

A few years back Tamar confessed her love to her best friend right before he took off to New York to play pro football. Unfortunately he didn't feel the same. Fast forward to the present and Tamar finds herself running in the same circles as Abe thanks to her new job. Abe is still with the Leopards and Tamar is a reporter that covers his team. Abe wants another chance with her but Tamar thinks it is too risky and will only be left brokenhearted. Again. Will Abe be able to prove himself to Tamar? Will her job jeopardize this new relationship with Abe?

I had no idea this was book 3 of a series. At least I don't recall knowing. It may have been mentioned and I just forgot. Point being? After seeing who the first two books were about and seeing those characters in this story, it is safe to say that it is ok to read them out of order. And now I definitely want to go back and read these other 2 books. Because this author is one heck of an author.

**
"I am afraid that loving you is like riding a bike. That if I let myself remember how to do it, I'll fall so hard and fast that I'll never be able to recover."
He kissed me hard and swift, like a branding. "I don't want you to be able to recover."
**

I was a little taken aback with Abe. I went into this story thinking he was going to be a womanizing, arrogant jerk. Finding out he wasn't was like being doused with cold water. He was actually a really great guy and a decent one. Tamar really is going to have a hard time rejecting him.

I can see where Tamar is coming from though. It was enough to have your heart broken at 19, you sure don't want it done again when starting over all alone in a new city with a new job. But seeing Abe slowly chip away her defenses had me smiling. I rooted hard for this guy. They needed to find their way back to each other.

**
We would never give each other up. But that didn't necessarily mean that we would get to keep each other, either.
**

Great storyline, amazing characters...this book was absolutely fabulous. I didn't want to put it down once I started. And it was so easy to fall back into once I started it again. I quickly read through this book and was a little sad once it was over. I am soon going to pick up those other two books just so I can hang on to this world the author created a little bit longer. 5 Adoring stars!

[Paris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am absolutely loving the New York Leopard series and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the next book. I adore Abe from the first two books and although he was never my idea of super hot leading man like Ryan and Mike, I was really intrigued by his story. I also am a huge sucker for second chance romances, so I knew this book was going to be right up my alley.

The beginning of the book was absolutely heartbreaking. I felt so freaking bad for Tamar and how the whole unrequited love thing worked out. I wanted to smack Abe and hate him, which is weird given that he was so absolutely sweet in the first two books. I had to remind myself that he was young and dumb when he turned Tamar down.

I really enjoyed Tamar and Abe getting to know each other again and to see who Tamar was. She is really fierce and dynamic. I wish we could have seen her follow her list more and that she would have resisted Abe a little more when he realized that he was stupid. There wasn’t the kind of back and forth that we got in the first two books since Abe had already broken down a wall with Tamar. They had once been best friends so it was easy for them to get back into a routine. But the way Abe broke her heart, I wish she would have given him some more grieve just cause he deserved it.

I really enjoy this series and I hope that Allison Parr keeps going. I want to read about all the Leopards and continue to see these other couples in the background as we go along. I loved seeing Ryan and Rachel in this and having Rachel be a pretty significant part of the story. I cannot wait to get my hands on whatever Allison has planned next.

Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review

[Ngoc Diep · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We were hot and fast, light lightning, a storm after a dry spell. We were the roaring ocean, the brightness of the moon, the inexplorable tide that tied them together."

As you may or may have noticed, I've become such a second chance romance trash. :-)

This story was just incredibly adorable and swoon-worthy. Tamar and Abe turned me into a bundle of joy. Can we just appreciate every time Tammy compares Abe to her definition of home? AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT: CAN YOU STOP COMPARING HIM TO MAGIC, A MIRACLE AND THE MOON? I'm fucking dying over here. Thanks.

I enjoyed reading about Tamar's thoughts so much because they often contain feminist related statements such as:

It’s mean I’m pretty damn comfortable in my own skin, and I know exactly who I am. And until I meet a guy who’s just as comfortable with himself, I’m really not interested.

Tamar has always been persistent, strong & so brave. I'm really proud that she overcame one of her fears in this book.

The fact that their families are so tied together makes me cry. Abe & Tammy's mothers being sneaky planning stuff behind their backs make me cry. Such family goals.
Btw when Abe's grandma had a conversation with Tammy, she said something about Abe which turned out to be true at the end made me so happy!

I haven't read the previous stories of the series, however, I'd really recommend this one! It's light, cute & funny.

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS 100% CUTE AND TEASE AND THEY BANTER LIKE 100% OF THE TIME AND IT WAS GLORIOUS. Abe and Tamar are my second best favorite. Rachael and Ryan still have a very large spot in my heart. But that doesn't mean I don't love them as much or that I don't wanna throw my kindle out the window and shout because of the blush and the cuteness this book has made me a mess. You can't stop smiling. Yep. Read it and your smile will forever be on your face, no kidding. Abe is the cutest piece of pie and Tamar is so so so likeable, you just want them together and on each other and kissing and marrying and doing babies, yes.

"I don't want to be friends with you, Tamar. I want you naked on the bed and moaning my name."

HELL THIS IS SO HOT.

Bri quirked a brow. "Like about who's getting married next?" Rachael rolled her eyes. "Please. I'm happy to live in sinful debauchery." She stretched her arms high. "Also I'm pretty sure Ryan's waiting until they win the Super Bowl."

THIS THIS QUOTE IS MY FAVORITE. Can they just win the Super Bowl please I'm so waiting for Ryan to propose and to have all the details. Please please please

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK, THOUGH. I think it's my favorite in the series so far. Everything about this worked for me. I'd been waiting for Abe's book since I read the first book in this series, and then not only did I get it, I get a CHILDHOOD BEST FRIENDS TO LOVERS book and if you know me, that's already a lot because friends to lovers is my very favorite trope, and then their story turned out to be more than I could've ever asked for. There were so, SO many things I loved about this book that I can't even list them. On top of that, Tamar is so easy to relate to, and Abraham Krasner is a dreamboat. Just saying.

Not even the weird grammatical and spelling errors in the beginning of this book could make me love it any less (and I don't know if that was just my Kindle version or if the book really did need another editor) which is saying a lot.

[Stephanie D · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had soooo much potential!!!

The great twist happened 3/4 at the end of the book. It should have been done 1/2 because honestly the romance was just blah. It was cute and sweet but boring. I mean it took them half a book to start dating?? And they were childhood friends. So the chemistry should have been there already.

Although I must say... I loved the twist! It was the only saving grace of this book.

[lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

Another childhood friends turn lovers story. There are a lot of sweet moments (Abe is the sweetest guy ever) butttttttttttt...overall, I still think it's more meh.

[Nanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ~ 3 stars

It was sweet but I couldn't get rid of the feeling that he took her for granted for so long and he did not make up for it, at least IMO.

[Ad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Massive step up from the previous instalment in the series and sweeter than the first.

Tammy and Abe felt natural, easy and believable which was necessary to pulling off the childhood friends trope. It had that sizzle and spark I didn't get with Mike and Nat.

It was great that Tammy didn't old some petty grudge for being rejected. It didn’t have annoying and immature behaviour that was annoying in the first book.

I know that the time jump (four years) was a logical choice because of the progress of the series but it was good for the story that the two characters had time apart to be their own person.

I really missed the world that was so interwoven with football, it was nice for the series to go back to its roots in the sports universe considering the previous book felt like it didn't really belong. Pre-existing characters were better integrated and pulled off that wholesome team/family vibe.

Diversity was better included. Chrismukkah was nice.

Had some cliché cringe lines but also packed in those witty ones. Super fluffy so overall it felt like a smoother read than the first book anyway (which I only gave 3/5)

[Septimia Zenobia]

I've loved the rest of this series because Parr writes unique characters with a clever voice. And I wanted Abe's story. But there is a danger of reading sports romance of a sport you know too much about: throwaway lines that the author clearly did not think about can contain such key mistakes that you cannot continue. For example, "...surprisingly light on his feet for a linebacker." Look up the job of a linebacker. Their job is to be nimble, quick, and hit like a freight train. It is an incredibly skilled position, and these guys may be large but they are fit as hell. And they are tested on their speed and agility—NFL combine anyone?—so this newly drafted Abe would be one of the most light on his feet men in the country. A linebacker is not a lineman, people. If you are going to write football romance, do your research. I'm sorry that I cannot get past this, but I can't.

If you can, though, Parr is worth taking the chance on. Her first two books were significantly better than expected, and for most readers this one would be too.

[Nightwitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The heroine of this novel is the most millennial millennial ever, and I don't mean that in a bad way. From struggling at the bottom of her career to moving in with a bajillion roommates to being proud of herself for figuring out the subway, she is the whole package. The actual romance is sweet and nonthreatening - the basic plot: heroine was in love with hero, is now determined to get over him, only to find he's now interested in her back - and while some of the heroine's early decisions make me cringe (um, getting a much-coveted sports journalism job covering a football team while not disclosing a close family relationship with one of the team's stars?) again, millennial, and the fallout isn't painfully embarrassing. (I get second-hand embarrassment easily.) Also really nice to see a Jewish hero and heroine falling for each other without their faith being a huge deal, and the New York we're shown is pleasantly multicultural and multiethnic. Really fun.

[Giulia Castaldini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delizioso. È un romanzo d'amore friends to lovers dolce e senza pretese. Mi ha un po' scaldato il cuore e devo ammettere che rispetto ai precedenti 2 capitoli della saga questo ha anche un'impronta più seria e decisa. Mi è piaciuto il fatto che l'autrice abbia sempre tenuto una linea coerente sulla loro storia d'amore che, sì, poteva essere contestualizzata meglio in più pagine, ma mi ha intenerito per tutta la durata del romanzo.

[Tressa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Imaginary Lines;it was sweet and tender.  I loved the friendship between Tamar and Abraham.  I loved the strength of their relationships with their families.  I enjoyed that Tamar was her own person with her own life.  I loved that Abraham loved, accepted, and expected Tamar to have her own life.  I look forward to reading more by Allison Parr.

[Shana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first in the Leopards series, so I had high expectations. I appreciated that the protagonists were Jewish, because I don't see that in many romances. I didn't read the heat in their relationship and it was missing witty dialogue that I enjoy in my lighter reads, so this was just an okay read for me.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Jewish couple in romance! What a world. The suspension of belief for all the journalism ethics being thrown out the window/slapdash reporting was a bit hard for me to handle, but otherwise, a pretty fucking delightful take on a trope I normally don’t love.

[Ami]

DNF

i don't necessarily think this is a bad book, but as someone who cares deeply about both accurate descriptions of football and journalistic ethics, i couldn't get through either the lack of professionalism or referring to the male lead's position on the football field as "center linebacker."