Defending Taylor

Hundred Oaks #7

by Miranda Kenneally

There are no mistakes in love.

Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor's always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that's what is expected of a senator's daughter. But one impulsive decision-one lie to cover for her boyfriend-and Taylor's kicked out of private school. Everything she's worked so hard for is gone, and now she's starting over at Hundred Oaks High.

Soccer has always been Taylor's escape from the pressures of school and family, but it's hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she's going through is her older brother's best friend, Ezra. Taylor's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it's hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Sports, Realistic Fiction, High School, Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2016

About the author

Growing up in Tennessee, Miranda Kenneally dreamed of becoming an Atlanta Brave, a country singer (cliché!), or a UN interpreter. Instead she writes, and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. Miranda loves Twitter, Star Trek and her husband.

Note: I don't answer direct messages, but do answer questions on Goodreads and Twitter. Please feel free to check in with me there!

Reviews

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review. Quotes have been pulled from an ARC and may be subject to change.

Taylor is an ambitious senior, captain of the soccer team, straight A student with her eye on Yale, she does everything that is expected of a senator's daughter. Then she makes one big mistake which costs her family's reputation. With one little lie, her perfect life unravels and she must start over at public school at Hundred Oaks High.

I pretty much devoured this in one sitting. Being in a reading slump is hard and having a cute contemporary like this is just perfect. I didn't pay attention to the synopsis and I judged solely on the cover. Thought it would be another cute sports read but imagine my suspense when it was more about living a normal life versus living a political life. The cover should change to include their political lifestyle because soccer is definitely not the focus, but that's just me.

I liked this one a lot. It shows how much one is willing to protect someone they love and sacrificing yourself in the process is a mistake, but that's how you learn. Taylor is the most level headed teenager but of course she's not perfect and ends up messing up badly. I also how town up she is between her passions for life versus her family's obligations. Must be hard trying to be perfect in the media's eye when your own father is a state senator. I love how even the side characters get a little bit of back-story and their own distinct personalities that make it memorable. There was one scene with Taylor and her father that was just wonderful. I love that her father instilled an ambitious yet disclosures work ethic. I kept nodding along at everything he said, except when he did a pretty shady thing with his relelection commercial. Then there's the love interest Ezra. What didn't really make any sense was why they didn't get together in the first place because his reasoning and her assumptions were weak. I just didn't buy the fact that she held this mistake over Ezra for so long, but okay not every character is perfect. I liked Ezra (and his amazing gift giving skills) but I didn't like how Ezra nicknames her "Tease."

With more appearances from fellow Hundred Oaks characters, and a cute contemporary romance to boot, Defending Taylor will give you everything you need for a summer read! 

RATING 4/5

QUOTES

I will work hard at everything I do. I will model integrity and compassion. I will lead by example.

I'll provide enough for you to get started in life—but not enough for you do nothing.

I don't need guys. I can take care of my needs myself.

Why do I have to work so hard to make him proud? Can't he love me for me?

All my hard work. Years and years of pushing myself. All down the drain, because people never notice good news. They flock to the bad.

If you want someone to do something, trick them into thinking it was their own idea.

The low museum lights emphasize his handsome face. He's a great work of art.

Sometimes, problems grow like a crack in the ceiling that starts out small but expands if you're not paying attention.

I love that you always go for what you want. I wish I could do that.

It's your life. If you want to live, you need to do what you love.

[TJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Received from: Sourcebooks Fire
Received Via: NetGalley.com

THE REVIEW

Why this book?

It seemed interesting

What I thought


Taylor is so stupid messing up not only her life, but her families too; because she didn't want to snitch on her boyfriend! He was the idiot who had all the pills to begin with! Don't even get me started on the fact that she didn't talk to Ezra for years, because he didn't go to her birthday party boo freakin hoo! This book had so many problems i'm not even gonna waste my time writing about them. Definitely not a book for me.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and NetGalley.)

“I’d almost rather be known as a druggie than a snitch. People will forget about pills, but a person’s character isn’t so easily forgotten.”

This was a YA contemporary romance about a girl who got expelled from her boarding school.

Taylor was an interesting character, and it was noble of her the way she took the blame for her boyfriend’s mistake, it certainly got her in a lot of trouble though!

The storyline in this was about Taylor starting at Hundred Oaks High, and struggling without her friends and her football/soccer team. The pace in this was quite slow though, and it seemed to take a long time for the romance storyline to show up.

The ending to this was okay, and we did get a bit of a happily ever after.



6 out of 10

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I read the short story of Jordan and Henry. I just couldn't help it. Ever Since I got to know that there was a short story of them (like 1/2 hour ago) I had to read it. My first reaction



then



after



after that



Then of course by the end



Now I finally know why Vanessa said that Jordan and Henry were apart for about a year It's just I can't believe it happened. But it does make the story more realistic. But still the ending got me like



We need a second book with them although Kenneally had said she won't cuz for a second one you need some kind of drama and she doesn't want to do that to Sam and Jordan (God forbid they've gone through enough). I would love to see them get married, have kids and raise a family together

[Fafa's Book Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted on Fafa's Book Corner !

Beware spoilers ahead!

I received this E-ARC via Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I first saw this on Netgalley I didn't think much of it. Of course I had heard about this author and all her previous books. I read the synopsis and it sounded decent. Nothing exceptional or special. I decided to request it regardless. I wanted to give it a shot. I am so surprised that I really enjoyed it!

The book begins with Taylor transferring to Hundred Oaks. Two weeks prior to the book she claimed that the 30 pills of Adderall in the backpack were hers. Some doctors tested her and found Adderall in her system. Despite her family's big name Taylor was expelled from St. Andrews.

Taylor's not happy about how everything turned out. She was hoping that her family's name would save her. Her father is the Senator. But once her father found out what happened he refused. Saying that Taylor should figure out how to get out of this mess. Now that Taylor is in Hundred Oaks she's not sure whether or not she'll get into Yale.

On her second day of school Taylor decides to drop by to get some coffee. In the store she runs into Ezra. Her brothers best friend and her ex-crush. Taylor is quite surprised to see Ezra as he's supposed to be University. They talk for a bit then Ezra leaves. And Taylor goes to school.

Taylor decides that in order to get into Yale she'll need to get some extracurricular activities.She was the co-captain of St. Andrews soccer team. Taylor decides to join Hundred Oaks soccer team. She's accepted right away as they need some more girls for team.

Once she arrives for practice it doesn't go too well. The Captain Nicole tries her best to make Taylor miserable and the coach only sees soccer as an extra paycheck. On top of that Taylor tries to stop herself from getting involved with Ezra. All while trying to avoid screwing up.

I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! The writing style was spot on as were the characters. I really felt for Taylor. It sucked that she was expelled and now her family doesn't trust her. She puts herself through so much pressure to try and please her parents and to get into Yale.

I loved reading about Taylor and her family! Their interactions were spot on! I especially loved Taylor's relationship with her father. It was nice when they sorted everything out. I also liked reading about Ezra and her. He was so sweet! They were perfect for each other.

I liked how the author incorporated the pressure a high schooler faces with school. And how they sometimes resort to drugs. It was a nice touch and completely realistic. There was also much more to Taylor getting expelled. I felt that added layers to Taylor's character. I liked how the author shows you that while everyone makes mistakes you can get back up and find a way to work everything out. The epilogue was sweet.

I only had two problems with this book. Despite how the synopsis mentions that Taylor tries her utmost to avoid Ezra, it is not true. I felt that there wasn't enough tension between the two of them. I expected Taylor to try harder. But once they actually started talking she stopped trying and fell head first. Also I felt that some things were rushed. There wasn't a resolution to the coach and Nicole. Which was weird. I expected Taylor and Nicole to somehow work something out. And maybe they get a new coach. But I guess in reality that doesn't happen. So in a way it was realistic.

Overall this was a great book! I recommend it to everyone. Anyone can find something in here to relate to. Also you don't have to read the authors previous works to read this book.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

When I first discovered Kenneally's books last year, I fell in love with her writing and her characters. I'm not a sporty person, like at all, but reading about all the different sports available at American schools, and the American school system in general. When I was younger I used to play football (soccer to Americans), so when I found out that book 7 in the series would be about football, I was dying to get my hands on it. Unfortunately, this book didn't live up to my expectations, though I did still enjoy it.

Defending Taylor is about Taylor, the daughter of a state senator, who has been kicked out of her elite private school when she took the rap for her boyfriend's drug possession. She has caused a huge problem for her dad's re-election campaign, and now has to enrol in Hundred Oaks High for her senior year. She knows she needs to make it up to her dad, who's entire career is now in trouble with the bad publicity surrounding Taylor's expulsion, and as a consequence she has to visit the school's guidance counsellor on a regular basis. She'd been due to become captain of the St Andrew's football team, and needs to join the Hundred Oaks team or else she'd lose her mind. However, the team is one of the worst in the state, and her new team mates are nothing like her old friends. It's only when her brother's best friend, Ezra, whom she had a crush on when she was younger, comes back into her life, that she begins to feel like her old self.

I don't know why, but the book just fell flat for me. Maybe it's because it dealt with more darker stories that the earlier books in the series, and it wasn't as cutesy as I was expecting. I never cared about Taylor as much as I have for the other protagonists, and I wasn't as keen on the storyline. I did like Kenneally made it clear that being a teenager isn't all perfect, and having pressure on you from an early age, to live up to the examples set by older siblings, especially when your family is in the spotlight. Taylor has had to deal with being the 'disappointment' for most of her life, and when she tries to do something selfless, by taking the blame for her, now ex-, boyfriend so he doesn't lose his scholarship, she ends up disappointing even more people.

I did enjoy the romance between Ezra and Taylor. When everyone else was down on Tee for messing up her father's campaign, etc., Ezra knew what it was like to disappoint his parents. They both just really understood each other, and even though Ezra had disappointed Taylor in the past, he had an extremely valid reason for doing so, and was gutted that his friendship had been ruined. Really, it was their relationship that made the book for me - Kenneally does write extremely swoony romances.

All in all, though I didn't like Defending Taylor, I did enjoy it in the end, and will definitely read more in this series. I know I'm probably one of the only ones who didn't love this, so I don't want to put you off.

[Stacee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed the rest of Miranda's books, so I requested this without reading the synopsis and bumped it up on the list when some friends were talking it up.

I loved Taylor. She's a genuinely good person, who made an honorable choice...and that choice turned out to be the the wrong one. I enjoyed watching her figure things out when everything changed.

There's an interesting group of characters here. Of course there's a swoony boy, but I'm not going to spoil Ezra at all. Taylor's siblings were pretty cool and her parents were decent. However, I could have gleeful read a scene where they walked barefoot on Legos.

I liked that it felt like we only got snippets of Taylor's life. Maybe it's not supposed to appear that way, but for me it worked. It was an effective way to show how she was more focused on the future, rather than enjoying the people and happenings in the present.

Overall, it was a quick and cute read and a story that I'll definitely be adding to the collection.

**Huge thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Defending Taylor by Miranda Kenneally
Book Seven of the Hundred Oaks series
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: July 5, 2016
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor’s always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that’s what is expected of a senator’s daughter. But one impulsive decision—one lie to cover for her boyfriend—and Taylor’s kicked out of private school. Everything she’s worked so hard for is gone, and now she’s starting over at Hundred Oaks High.

Soccer has always been Taylor’s escape from the pressures of school and family, but it’s hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she’s going through is her older brother’s best friend, Ezra. Taylor’s had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it’s hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?

What I Liked:

Hmm. I'm not entirely sure why this book didn't all work for me, but it didn't. Maybe I was expecting so much more from Kenneally - this is my first book of hers that I've read, and I had crazy high expectations. I've seen so many blogging peers rave about her books, so I was hoping to be able to do the same. Overall I enjoyed this book, but I don't think I can give it more than 3.5 stars.

Taylor was kicked out of her fancy private school for having Adderall in her possession - but the pills weren't hers. They were her boyfriend's pills (he's now an ex), but she covered for him because he is a poor scholarship kid who needs a clean sheet, and she's a senator's daughter with a perfect record and model student grades/participation. But St. Andrew's kicks her out, and she is now attending Hundred Oaks. She tries to fit in, but even soccer is not the same. The team blindly follows the captain, Nicole, who goes out of her way to make Taylor miserable. The only person that Taylor connects with is Ezra, her older brother's best friend, a boy whom Taylor used to be in love with, when they were younger. But involvement with a boy isn't what Taylor needs right now - or is it?

Kenneally captures teens really well, in my opinion. Taylor is an overachiever, with perfect grades, a ton of participation in extracurricular activities, a star on the soccer team. She puts a lot of pressure on herself, to graduate from high school, study business in Yale, and join the family firm when she graduates. I could relate to Taylor on academic levels - I'm not stranger to that kind of pressure, though I'm not a rich senator's daughter. Not all of us can hide under daddy's name, and not all of us have parents who can call in favors at universities, and such. Taylor has it made, has a ton of privileges, and she wastes it.

In the next section of my review, you'll see me complain about Taylor's decisions, but I see why Kenneally chose this story. Taylor must learn how to do things without her father's name influencing things. Her father won't put in a good word with Yale (his alma mater) for her. She's no longer at St. Andrew's, so she has to work even harder at a public, easier school, to keep up the high standards she was upholding at St. Andrews. Taylor has to grow up a lot, and do things more on her own. I liked seeing this, because she needed the dose of reality.

I really liked Ezra. He comes from a similar background as Taylor - rich parents, privilege, great schooling. He is a freshman at Cornell, but he's currently back in town, taking a leave of absence from Cornell. He works at a construction company and has his own apartment, much to his parents' disgust. Ezra is taking charge of his life and figuring out what he wants - which isn't an academic life at Cornell, not at the moment. I like how mature Ezra seems, especially compared to Taylor (at first). Ezra is sweet and considerate.

There is history between Taylor and Ezra. He's her brother's best friend. She's loved him for forever, and we find out that he has loved HER for forever. He missed her Sweet Sixteen party, and Taylor never finds out why for years (until later in this story), so that's why they stopped talking. It was awkward at first, watching these two reconnect. But then they become friends again, and then more.

Cute romance! I do like the romance a lot. I can see why everyone swoons over Kenneally's books, in terms of the romance. Ezra is a sweetie and Taylor goes after what she wants. It doesn't take long for both of these two to realize that they both want each other. I like that Kenneally makes intimacy something very important in this book.

Overall, I do like this book. I had issues with it (which I'll discuss), but I did like it. I'm not sure I want to go back and read any of Kenneally's other books, but I may keep an eye out for books by her in the future.

What I Did Not Like:

The whole premise of this book is ridiculous. I'm sorry, but I couldn't get past it. Taylor covers for Ben (her then-boyfriend) by saying that the Adderall pills were hers, when she is found with them (she was sleeping outside on a blanket at the time, and Ben had gone to the bathroom). Then she covers for Ben, because 1) he's poor and needs the scholarship and can't get kicked out because he needs the opportunity at St. Andrew's and 2) she was hoping her father's name would be enough to bail her out and get her a slap on the wrist at most.

But she covers for Ben, and she gets kicked out, and it's all over the news. See, it's election season, and the good senator is up for reelection. And Taylor's stunt has his numbers in favor dropping. Honestly, this move is both selfless and selfish. Taylor chooses Ben over her family in this moment. She's doing it for somewhat noble reasons, but you can tell that she is being incredibly stupid, by covering for him.

I couldn't get past this. It bothered me throughout the entire book. She could have gone to jail! She's a minor found with possession of drugs. NO ONE is worth covering for, when it comes to drugs. I mean, maybe my perspective is different because my family is incredibly poor, and we've never been able to take anything for granted, so covering for someone so that they won't get in trouble but we might? Nope, that wouldn't happen. It's lying, it's dishonest, and it costs us.

Another complaint - we never get to see some sort of conclusion or resolution in terms of Taylor and the Hundred Oaks captain, Nicole. Nicole is a terrible person, constantly trying to make Taylor's life miserable (probably to get Taylor to quit the team). Nicole isn't even a good soccer player! But anyway, this part of the story kind of just fizzles out after a while. It's there, but Nicole's presence disappears towards the end. Same with the idiot coach. I wanted to see some sort of resolution there, but all we got was Taylor's father swooping in to save the day for Taylor. Hmm...

There was something else but I can't remember and didn't note it, so I will stop here.

Would I Recommend It:

I have a feeling that my complaints are limited to me and me alone, so I think I'd probably recommend this book, for YA contemporary fans. This book is not totally light and fluffy, and deals with some tough issues. I didn't like Taylor covering for the boyfriend to begin with, so it held back my liking of the book. BUT, I think Kenneally fans will be just fine with this one.

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded down to 3 stars. I don't mind that I read this book and didn't completely love it - I do like it and I'm glad I read it. I'm just not as in love with Kenneally's books like everyone else? Perhaps I should read a different one to test this hypothesis. Fluff, please!

[Danielle (Love at First Page) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4.5 stars

I have a new favorite Miranda Kenneally book! She just gets teenagers, and I appreciated Taylor's journey so much. The book boy was of course sweet and swoony (second chance romance + older brother's friend!) and there are some great father-daughter moments. As with other books in this series, Defending Taylor is wonderfully sex positive... and the steam factor is actually turned up several notches. Loved it! Really curious to know which character will get his/her story next!

*Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy!

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

Loved this - interesting characters, great family relationships, fun return appearances from past characters, and a sweet romance!

Full review to come!

[tasia (christmas ver.) 𝜗𝜚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’m confused.

[Keertana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read a Kenneally novel since finishing Stealing Parker quite disappointed, but I'm glad I gave her latest a shot. Defending Taylor is a much more mature novel than a lot of her past reads have been. This straddles this line between YA and NA, not just in terms of honest, open dialogue about sex but also because of the focus on college, figuring out what you want from your future, and evolving relationships with siblings and parents. I thought the family dynamics in this novel were so well-written and richly developed. I loved Taylor and how she stood up for herself and what was right and her relationship with Ezra was swoony and devoid of any drama.

If there's anything that irritated me, it's the fact that Taylor was going to take AP Trigonometry. Um, that's not a class. I'm a math major and after two years of grueling proofs and pure mathematics, I can confirm that trigonometry is essentially useless and not only isn't it an AP class, it will never be an AP class because it's just not taught in college. Okay, now that I have that off my chest... Defending Taylor? Recommended.

[Tiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted on Mostly YA Lit:
Review: Defending Taylor by Miranda Kenneally
Taylor Lukens had a perfect life. With great support from her fantastic family, including a senator father, and two older siblings who love her, she's captain of the soccer and debate team at her private boarding school and on the road to Yale. But everything changes after one evening in the woods where she takes the fall for her boyfriend Ben, who has a backpack full of prescription pills.

Expelled from her private school, Taylor is forced to do senior year at Hundred Oaks High, where she's given the brush-off by most people who think she's rich, elitist and snobby. And the soccer team is brutal to her, too. The one bright spot in her life is Ezra, her brother's best friend and her lifelong crush, who's showing a lot of interest in her these days, and helping her see that maybe, just maybe, there might be more to life than getting into Yale.

In some ways, Taylor is a classic case of privilege gone wrong, but this is Miranda Kenneally, and she would never let it go with just that. There are no easy answers in this book. Defending Taylor does a fantastic job of balancing a very realistic teen attitude with a very complex situation. Taylor did something wrong, but she also really pays the consequences.

She's a girl who's driven to succeed, so much so that she's used to sacrifice, used to not sleeping a lot, and yes, used to occasionally taking an Adderall to help her focus. And it’s this drive, determination and self-sacrifice that leads her to possibly destroy her own life and her father’s career.

While I wish that the consequences of drug use in this book had been explored a bit further (taking prescription drugs is nothing to sneeze at), I honestly don't think that I've read a YA contemporary book where the consequences of making a bad decision are so harsh. It's a great exploration of how one mistake can define you -and whether it should. Do we allow the media to impact our ideas of people too much? Do we shame people who have made mistakes in an otherwise blameless life? I appreciate that Miranda Kenneally doesn't shy away from these questions, or from the bad parts of Taylor’s life.

But it’s not all sadness. Because Ezra is there, and he’s not only a fantastic and sexy boyfriend (swoon), he's also just as complex as Taylor. Watching them grow and help one another out...it’s such a great part of the book. Healthy relationships can sometimes be rare in YA, and I loved that this one is all about navigating one without a ton of drama.

This is a book about the ways that one mistake or decision can hurt or change you. But it’s also a book about how, if you let yourself have fun and listen to what your heart is telling you, you can move on...and sometimes to better things that you never knew were a possibility.
Bonuses:
Family Matters: Miranda Kenneally always creates really amazing families, and Taylor's is no exception. Her dad, in particular, has her best interests at heart, but obviously pushes her really hard - maybe too hard. Her brother and sister also play a huge role in how Taylor thinks about herself.

Bend It Like Beckham: As some of you know, I'm a huge YA sports reader, and I really enjoyed all of the scenes of Taylor on the field with her new team.

Sex Positivity: I’ve long been a fan of the fact that Miranda Kenneally always has characters who aren’t afraid to be sexy and have sex in safe, consensual ways. I think it’s pretty realistic for teens in a small town and Kenneally makes it enjoyable and empowering.

 
Book Theme Song:

Get It Right from GLEE (sung by Lea Michele)

What have I done?
I wish I could run,
Away from this ship going under
Just trying to help
Hurt everyone else
Now I feel the weight of the world is on my shoulders

What can you do when your good isn’t good enough
And all that you touch tumbles down?
Cause my best intentions
Keep making a mess of things,
I just wanna fix it somehow
But how many times will it take?
Oh, how many times will it take for me to get it right, to get it right?

Can I start again, with my faith shaken?
Cause I can’t go back and undo this
I just have to stay and face my mistakes,
But if I get stronger and wiser, I’ll get through this
 

The Final Word:
Honestly, if DEFENDING TAYLOR had been written by anyone else, I'm not sure this concept would have worked. Miranda Kenneally is just a master at writing very, very realistic situations and characters that you believe in and root for. Taylor’s story is one of not only owning up to mistakes and dealing with consequences, but giving herself permission to have fun and try new things. It’s a light message, but it’s couched in a book that’s subtly complex. While Breathe, Annie, Breathe remains my favorite of Kenneally’s books, this one ranks second for me, and it’s definitely a worthy addition to the Hundred Oaks series.

-----
DEFENDING TAYLOR is out in bookstores now. Have you read it or any other Hundred Oaks books? Are you a sports book reader? What would you have done in Taylor's situation? Let me know in the comments!

[Grace (LovingDemBooks) Z. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buy this book HERE on Amazon or buy this book HERE on BookDepository with FREE WORLDWIDE SHIIPPING

3 out of 5 stars (Please read my rating system further below). I totally just realized that I read this serious SUPER out of order... Welp, you only live oncE! This was a super cute, fast, fun, and romance filled read. I'm super glad that I picked it up, it got me out of my reading slump!!! BLESS.

My rating system: (I do use half stars.)
5 - I do not use the 5 star. Not because a book might not be worthy, but because a book is never perfect.
4 - I loved it! There weren't too many flaws, and I had no trouble getting through it. (A 4 star rating is the highest rating I've ever given a book.)
3 - I enjoyed the book, but there we're flaws that made me enjoy it less.
2 - I finished the book, but there were too many flaws for me to enjoy it.
1 - I could not finish the book, and I probably did not finish it....

[Alexa (Alexa Loves Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I always love about Miranda Kenneally's novels is that she gives us main characters who really do get shaped by their lives, their relationships and the choices they make. Tee is in an unenviable position at the start of her senior year, and in this novel, readers are given the chance to see her journey unfold. I liked seeing her relationships with her family, her friends and her romance (ah, the boy in this is adorable!), but really liked seeing her realize that working hard AND having fun AND really making a decision that's best for you is important.

[Eeva · Rating 1 out of 5]

This won't be a review per se, just full of spoilers case of ranting.

I have so many problems with this book that in a minute I'll burst into a Jay-Z song.

First of all I hated Taylor, the main character. She's a boring, intitled poor rich kid with huge ego and needs validation from other peple as much as I need ice-cream and Tom Hiddleston by my side.
A girl can dream, right?



Yeah, shut up, Walt. you have no idea what you're talking about!

Anyways, Taylor got kicked out of her fancy school because some amout of Adderall was found on her. The pills weren't hers, tho, the were her boyfriend's (who's apparently a secret drug dealer, because he's so poor and he needs money for college. Ever heard of a thing called "job", dude?).
Taylor, a special snowflake that she is, doesn't want to come forward and turn her asshole bf in, so she takes the blame. The bf doesn't want to come forward as well, so he lets her to do it, but he still calls her and texts her because he LOVES her so much. Umm, ok?
Then Taylor meets Ezra, a boy who she fancied two years ago, but he didn't come for her 16th birthday party and broke her poor little heart.
Ezra... Ezra... this name creeps me out so much.



Ezra apparently "took a break" from college, but no one knows why... He doesn't speak with his filthy rich father, he moved out of the house, he works at a construction stie.. He's hiding some seriously messed up secret. What is it? Did he make some girl pregnant? Did he killed someone while drunk driving? Did he lost all of his trust fund money gambling? Did he have sex with his sister?
What makes his father hate him so much, to be ashamed of him so much?
You know what? Dyslexia.
Yeah, you heard me. Ezra is dyslectic.
That's the terrible mystery he's hiding.

Remember this birthday party when Ezra was a no-show?It was all because his dylexia! He wrote the date down wrongly! At the day of the party we went to buy a gift for Taylor. He didn't get achance to give it to her, so he kept it for TWO years in his bedroom, before he finally gave it to her.
If that doesn't spell "creepy" that I don;t know what does.



What's next? Watching you sleep?

The romance is laughable.
All of Taylor's monologues about her #bestboyfriendever made me want to poke my eyes out.
Oh, you know what he's the best boyfriend ever? Because he sent her a text telling her "good luck" before her Yale interview.
Seriously? Should we congratulete him on how thoughtful he is?

"When I was younger, I imagined that kissing him would be like an electric shock. But the spark I once dreamed of turned out to be lightning"

I'm making vomiting noises WHILE rolling my eyes.
It's really hard.
Just so you know.



Taylor is amazing at soccer apparently, she was a captain at her old school and she want to proceed with the sport in Hundred Oaks.
Too bad that her new team is shit, no one really cares, the coach is there to play candy crush on his phone, the coach assistant is a creeper that appears like two times in the story, and the captain hates our special snowflake. Boo hoo.
Taylor acts so high and mighty, like she's better than everone else, like she has more work ethic than the whole world combined.
Yet, she does nothing. She doesn't try to talk to anyone. She's just hurt on the inside that no one appreciates her amaaaaaaazing talet.
Jesus Christ, girl, pull yourself together!
Of course, after she gets the guy the sport stops being important for the story. Like it was just a distraction for us and to give us a false feeling of plot existence.

Taylor's friends are so one-dimentional that it really insults my intelligence.
Don't you think that I don't know that they're there only to fill the space? That they have no purpose whatsoever.

Taylor problems with her family are also laughable.
She acts like a spineless, little girl who's scared to tell her parents that she doesn't want to go to Yale.
Jesus.
She even goes to Jack from "Racing Savannah" for guidance how to talk to them.



Yeah, John. Precisely.

I feel like my IQ dropped for a few points just by reading this book.

[Jamie (Books and Ladders) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved JESSE'S GIRL so I pre-ordered this one as soon as I heard about it. I was not disappointed. I think this one was super adorable but also really eye opening. I loved Taylor, her story, and highly recommend reading this one.

One thing I love about the Hundred Oaks is that they are all connected and yet different. I love the cameos from past characters because you get to reminisce about past stories. However you don't have to have read the previous novels to know what is happening in any one novel.

I liked that Taylor was just generally a good person. She wanted the best for everyone and did everything she could to make sure this happened. I liked that she didn't want to rat out her (horrible) ex and that she stayed true to her word. Upon finding out Ezra's secret, she was concerned with him finding a way around his parents to pursue his goals. Taylor was all about finding solutions to any problem that arose and I really saw myself in her.

The relationship and the romance was on fire. I loved the chemistry between Taylor and Ezra and their history too. And their sex life was hot af. I loved it.

I don't really have any bad things to say about this one. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend picking up a copy of this one!

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[Lisa (lifeinlit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed the books in the Hundred Oaks series quite a bit. I've only read a few so far, but I will surely be reading the rest. I love how wonderfully Miranda Kenneally can write about teenagers and their lives.

Taylor is an easy character to like and respect. She's extremely hardworking, intelligent, and very well put together. Her family, specifically her parents, had huge dreams for her future. Dreams that she really didn't have a choice but to follow. That is until she makes a mistake that causes her to get booted from her private high school, put into the local public school, with the chance of going to Yale now pretty slim.

My favorite part of this story was the romance. Ezra was the perfect book crush. He wasn't only Taylor's brother's best friend, they also basically grew up together. And though they had feelings for each other when they were younger, because of different misunderstandings those feelings were never acted upon. (Yup, second-chance romance right here!!) This story as a whole was very sex-positive, and the sexual scenes were more on the mature side of YA books. Very swoony and sweet, and sometimes super hawt!

A very important part of this story was the fact that one mistake can change your entire life. No one is perfect. People make mistakes. Covering for someone and keeping the truth from the people around you can end up causing a lot more pain and problems than if you just tell the truth to begin with.

“I’d almost rather be known as a druggie than a snitch. People will forget about pills, but a person’s character isn’t so easily forgotten.”

Family was a large part of this story as well. Though I wasn't a huge fan of Taylor's parents, there were some cute father-daughter moments later on in the story. I did really like Taylor's brother, Oliver, who was a great support to Taylor, yet also had honest feelings as well and was hurt by things that occurred. I loved their connection and really appreciated the sibling bonds that were portrayed.

Overall, another fantastic read in the Hundred Oaks series! I think I can honestly say this is my favorite so far. If you're looking for a super cute, quick read that's heavy on the swoon moments, this is one you'll want to check out.

 


(Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

[Jeraca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this free eARC novel from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.

I have loved this series since the beginning and was very excited to get this copy free to continuing with the series.

I do have to say, though, that I was not impressed with this particular book of the series. I didn't like Taylor that much and the way she just assumed things would work out for her really annoyed me. She knew her dad had a lot of power as the Senator and thought that she could use that power for her own good, when it really backfired in her face.

Another thing that I don't really like is when kids decide to do something to try to make everyone else in their life happy except for their own selves. Taylor was going to apply for college at a college she didn't really want to go to and major in a subject she absolutely hates just because she thought her family wanted her to do that. To have that pressure on one person is terrible and makes for a stressful life.

And the worst part is that Taylor next talked to her family about this struggle she was having, but just kept making assumptions of what was expected of her. I am the type of person that if something is bothering me, I will go to the source to get answers and talk through things. Life is too short to be wasting it on "what-if's" and "maybes". Do what you want to do and be happy, no matter if it upsets someone else.

There wasn't a whole lot about soccer in this novel, and the thing I love about Miranda Kenneally's novels is the sport aspect of the story. All of the other novels stuck with the sport related issues, but this novel was not focused on soccer like I thought it should be. I know there were more pressing issues at hand, but I still think it should have had a bit more overall.

So I thought this book was okay. It is definitely my least favorite out of the series, but I'm glad that I got a chance to read it and conclude the series (so far? I'm not sure if there are any more?)

I'll definitely be on the lookout for more novels by Miranda Kenneally!

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

DEFENDING TAYLOR is one of the only YA books that I have found that successfully captures the difficulties of high school with academic stress, college admissions, family expectations, and all of the pressure that a lot of teens put on themselves to succeed. I found it to be incredibly relatable. Taylor has the “perfect family” and that really drives her to succeed. Taylor’s choices actually make sense and you understand her motivations even if you don’t agree.

I have enjoyed all of the books in this series, and they all aren’t just a romance. They focus on so many other issues as well, which is so important. I found that in DEFENDING TAYLOR, the romance was not at the forefront of the story. Taylor’s relationship with her family and friends was just as important if not more important. Ezra was definitely a great love interest! I really appreciated how they both pushed each other to do what they really love to do. Also, Miranda Kenneally always makes sure she inserts a few characters that we love from the past books in the series to give advice to the new characters.

I definitely recommend DEFENDING TAYLOR and the Hundred Oaks Series. These books are actually perfect to marathon read! I read the first six in six days over a school break. These books are such accurate depictions of teenagers that you will find that you really relate to these characters.

*This review will also appear on Teenreads.com. I was provided with a review copy which in no way influences my opinion.*

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to rank the Hundred Oaks books because I do truly love them all, but this one is definitely up at the top. Not only does Defending Taylor contain plenty of humor and swoony swoons, it's realistic portrayal of bad decisions and consequences, both expected and unexpected, is so refreshingly honest. There's not a single part of this book that I don't appreciate. Well done, Miranda! You've got another winner!

[Sinead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Less Reality More Books

I adore coming back to Miranda Kenneally’s world of students attending Hundred Oaks High School in Tennessee. Even after seven books, her characters are always wonderfully unique, with stories that are quite relatable and real. There are no supernatural occurrences, no princesses or kings or evil witches attempting to destroy mankind in this world. It makes it so great to read that I got this book finished on a lazy Sunday afternoon with the house to myself and a cup of tea and my dogs by my side.

This book tells the story of Taylor, a girl who was the hard-working, soccer-loving daughter of a Senator. Appearances are everything when you’re related to a Senator, so Taylor always tries to be the good girl and doesn’t do anything wrong or risky. That is, until she nobly takes a fall for her boyfriend that resulted in her being kicked out of her prestige private school and attending Hundred Oaks. Now she has to deal with the aftermath of doing the noble thing by facing disappointed parents and trying to cover up a lie which, if discovered, would make the whole situation worse.

I’d read lots of other books where the main character is trying to cover up a lie and we all know that if it was uncovered, everything would go horrifically wrong. And usually, the lie is uncovered in the worst way possible. But despite seeing this type of trope before, it didn’t make it any less enjoyable to read, and still relevant in today’s world.

Taylor struggles fitting in with the other girls in her school, but she still attempts to talk with them, and she still tries out for the soccer team, something she’s always loved and has kept her grounded. She’s always known what’s expected of her – top notch grades, impressive extracurricular activities, and attending Yale before working at her family’s investment firm. It doesn’t even occur to Taylor if this is what she wants – it’s what’s expected.

Miranda Kenneally delves deep into what happens when someone’s expectations clash with their heart. Coming from a prestigious family, you’re expected to go to the best schools and uphold the family’s name. But what if that’s not for you? Taylor’s parents are completely focused on her father’s re-election campaign, and Taylor’s lapse in judgement makes them lose respect and trust in her. She’s forced to start at a new school with no friends and is still expected to attend an Ivy League college – even though her father refuses to help her get in there, although he helped her older siblings get into their schools. Despite all these hardships, Taylor finds she does have one ally – her older brother's best friend, Ezra. She’d been in love with him for years, and the chemistry between them is palpable. When they start spending lots of time together, fireworks go off. And Ezra’s the only person who is there for Taylor and helps her see that she doesn’t have to do what’s expected of her.

What I also loved was the glimpse we got of past characters and seeing their happily ever after.

It’s not necessary to read the previous books before reading this, as even all the books in this series is set in the same school, they all have very separate stories and characters that are all individually resolved at the end of each book. If you like this one, give the others a try. Every one of them features strong, athletic girls that stand up to their beliefs, even if they’re different, and all are incredibly likable. They also deal with family dynamics of all shapes and sizes. Besides that, and perhaps most importantly, they are all hugely enjoyable, especially if you like contemporary books.

[Amelie]

Ich muss da nochmal in mich gehen, bevor ich das bewerte... Mehr als drei Sterne werden es aber wohl nicht mehr werden.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

How I adore Miranda Kenneally's Hundred Oaks series! I honestly think she can do no wrong when it comes to these books and with every installment, the series only seems to get stronger and stronger. After 7 books, her writing has become so familiar to me that slipping into Defending Taylor was easy and filled me with warm and fuzzy feelings.

"All my hard work. Years and years of pushing myself. All down the drain, because people never notice good news. They flock to the bad."

I adore how Miranda's characters are always so different from one another. One thing they do have in common though is how flawed they are. I love that, especially considering these are teenage characters that she is tackling. Taylor was a heroine that I almost immediately bonded with. She makes a huge life-altering mistake that gets her kicked out of boarding school, almost crushing her dreams of attending Yale. While some might see what Taylor did - being caught with her boyfriend's drugs and covering for him because he could lose his scholarship - as very reckless and maybe a little dumb, I thought it really spoke to the kind of girl she was, kind and selfless. Growing up in a family of overachievers and a senator's daughter, she had a lot of pressure on her shoulders, and she worked hard in order to live up to her parents' expectations of her. She was smart and driven, but despite it all though, she wasn't sure about what she truly wanted out of her life even though she thought she had it all figured out. Defending Taylor was really a story about Taylor's journey to figuring out her goals, separate from those of her parents. It wasn't easy, and she made mistakes along the way, but I cheered for her and rooted for her while she progressively grew up.

"The future's wide open, filled with opportunity. But I've got a life to live in the meantime."

You can always expect Miranda Kenneally to not only write realistic and well fleshed-out characters, but also write relationships that speak to readers. Many of Taylor's complex relationship were explored here beautifully. The family relationships, especially Taylor's relationship with her dad, were my favorite. With Taylor's dad being a senator running for re-election, their relationship was a little strained after she gets booted off of her boarding school. They had their ups and downs throughout Defending Taylor, but I loved that by the end of the book, they were more open with each other and that Taylor wasn't afraid to speak out about how she really felt when it seemed like her dad viewed her as a disappointment.

"Sometimes, problems grow like a crack in the ceiling that starts out small but expands if you're not paying attention."

I also found Taylor's sister who was attending college, to be a riot, mostly because she loves reading historical romance because of the "hot sex scenes" and how flagrant she was about sex - I would love to read a NA book about this girl. Please make it happen, Miranda Kenneally. Taylor also had a very comfortable relationship with her brother. I thought it was cute how they kept in touch even though they didn't live in the same house. Friendship was also a great part of this book. When Taylor enrolls at Hundred Oaks, she signs up to be part of the school's soccer team, and while it was tough on her at first because she had a hard time making friends thanks to the team captain, she was able to meet and get to know some awesome girls, who wound up being a huge support to Taylor. I loved watching these girls interact.

"When I was younger, I imagined that kissing him would be like an electric shock. But the spark I once dreamed of turns out to be lightning."

Of course, you can also expect an adorable and swoony romance when you pick up any book in the Hundred Oaks series. This one has one of my favorite tropes, big brother's best friend romance. Ezra was going through his own share of troubles in Defending Taylor, and when we find out about what was going on with him, my heart broke a little for him, but I was also happy that he had Taylor by his side to help him see that even with his conditions he had a lot of opportunities awaiting him. Ezra was a charming and truly sweet guy, and he was the perfect complement to Taylor. Their romance was great! A misunderstanding that Ezra did not clear up left their budding relationship in tatters a couple of years ago, which led to them not speaking to each other for a while, but their circumstances leads them to rekindling their relationship, and I adored its progression. They were a couple that understood each other on many levels and what made them mesh so beautifully was their friendship. The romance made me swoon and sigh in happiness. Like with Miranda Kenneally's previous books, Defending Taylor was sex-positive. Taylor has a great perspective on sex and I really appreciated the way that the author wrote the sex scenes. She writes them so naturally, without being graphic, and showing how it can be a normal part of any relationship.

All in all, Defending Taylor was another hit from Miranda Kenneally. If you're looking for a beautifully written coming-of-age YA story with a ton of heart, this is one I highly recommend.

[aimee (aimeecanread) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never thought there would come a day when I’d get tired of Miranda Kenneally. This book was a boring, hot mess.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is like the epitome of meh.

[Kerra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish there was an option on here that said “don’t show my friends I read this trash book” but alas.

[Muse-ic ♬ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75
Ugh.
Insta-love galore.
This book followed the same formula as the previous six, but this one wasn't as good.

Taylor, daughter of Tennessee's Senator Lukens, gets expelled from her fancy schmancy private boarding school due to a drug scandal that wasn't her fault. She was covering for her boyfriend, who was not financially blessed like her and couldn't afford to be kicked out from this boarding school because he'd lose his scholarship. Taylor didn't think she would get expelled because of who her dad is, and so she covered for her boyfriend.
But she was expelled.
And she was transferred to Hundred Oaks high school for her senior year.

Taylor was a decent character and I liked that she was strong and stood up to Nicole (bitch of the soccer team. What else is new?) without being rude.
I like how she went through the whole book thinking she knew what she wanted to do, but then realized at the end that that was not the case at all. I like how she confronted her father and how he was understanding.
But Taylor's feelings for Ezra?
YA RIGHT!
Ezra is her older brother's best friend and her ex-crush. When she moved back to Hundred Oaks, she ran into him and kept trying to convince herself that she doesn't and shouldn't like him anymore.
I can believe she had a crush on him. Crushes are hard to explain sometimes. Sometimes we like someone just 'cause, and it's hard to come up with a reason as to why our heart is so weird.
However, when you love someone, chances are you can name a million reasons other than physical appearance as to why you love them!
After a short time of dating, Taylor and Ezra exchanged their I love you's. Meanwhile I'm sitting there like huh? Yo where did that even come from?
Hands down. It was insta-love.
Ezra is fairly sweet and hot. But other than that? Why? Meh.

The other thing that drives me nuts is when Ezra gets mad at Taylor for withholding her big secret from him. It's okay to keep certain secrets! Not huge ones: it's important to be honest with your significant other. But what if you just started dating that significant other? How do you know you can trust them with your deepest darkest secrets? How do you even know that relationship will last? Pretend it doesn't last. After it's over, would you feel bad that your ex knows everything about you because they shamed you into telling them your secrets to prove you cared about them? Now there is someone who knows everything about you.....but maybe you don't want them to anymore.

It's the same with Taylor and Ezra. Ezra gets mad at Taylor, but he shouldn't be shaming her into telling him her darkest secret. Even though it may not be the brightest decision, it's up to Taylor. There is no way for Taylor to know that her relationship with Ezra is going to last, and the relationship just started. The odds of them reaching such a deep level of trust in such a short period of time are very low.
This is where the insta-love acts as deus ex machina.
Because they are already in such profound love and are probably "the ones" for each other, they can be 100% open with each other.
However, since the insta-love is unrealistic, then by the transitive property, their levels of trust in each other are also unrealistic, since the latter depends on the former.
Yay.

I have rather mixed feelings about Taylor's parents. They kept switching between caring about their image and caring about their daughter. Which are the real parents? I know it might seem like they could be both, but if you actually read, the difference between the personalities is pretty big. They almost seem like two different characters each. It was weird.

I have nothing to say about Jenna and Oliver. I couldn't care less about them.

I didn't hate this at all. I kind of liked it. I did some smiling throughout. But it didn't strike anything. I'll forget about it soon enough. You all should give it a try. Maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did.

[Eva • All Books Considered · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted at All Books Considered: 3 STARS

I'm a bit worried -- this used to be one of my all time favorite series but the past two books in it have just been just okay for me. Books 1-5 were five stars for me and just so, so good but I have been a bit underwhelmed by both last year's release and this year's, Defending Taylor. I think what was different for me with this book versus the other books in the series that I loved is that I felt a lack of understanding in the romance -- it seemed like so much tell rather than show and I've never had that problem with this series before. This should have been a slam dunk for me since I love politics and I played soccer for 14 years but it just felt off; I didn't enjoy reading it. Don't get me wrong, I still think MK writes absolutely amazing female characters and I think every teen should read this series -- all of the books feel realistic in their characters, in their plot and in the situations; this series is also one of the best examples of honestly dealing with sex in YA. That being said, I don't think we were given enough info about why Taylor was so interested in either her ex boyfriend or Ezra and vice versa -- snippets of scenes between them were recounted by I was missing that spark. The rest of the book outside of the romance worked for me because it felt so genuine, another thing I love about this series, but the romance was a pretty big part of this book.

For me, I feel a bit like the author should take a break from this series but I know a lot of people loved the release last year, Jesse's Girl, and will probably love this one, too. I just wanted something more. Defending Taylor comes out next week on July 5, 2016..

My first class is calculus 1, the most advanced math course Hundred Oaks offers. Just a week ago, I was taking an advanced calculus quiz at the University of the South. St. Andrew's is one of the best prep schools in the country, and they offer seniors the opportunity to take courses at the university, which is up the road. Even thought I was still in high school, the professors treated me just like a college kid. I was only in the course for two weeks, but still. It was insanely difficult. The truth is, unlike everyone else in my family, I hate math. I have to work at it harder than anything else in my life.

[Nancy The book junkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon!