Long Shot (Hoops, 1)

Long Shot: A HOOPS novel by Kennedy Ryan5 stars!!!!“The heart speaks in whispers. I heard too late.”Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn. Kennedy Ryan does this EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. She kills me with her words, her characters and her stories. How I still have a beating heart after this is a mystery. This author is insanely talented, she has this innate ability to draw you into her character’s worlds, lives and relationships and makes you live and breathe every single step. They hurt, you hurt, they laugh, you laugh, but you FEEL EVERYTHING. And damn, did this book make me feel.“I fear that I, like them, will not live to regret it.”Even though Kennedy Ryan writes a long book, it never reads that way, in fact her words are effortless, they whisk you away and before you know it, an afternoon has passed, and the book has been devoured and that was how I found myself after reading this book. At the end though, I had nothing. It was one of those books where you look at those around you and think you don’t know what you are missing. They say a reader lives a thousand lives, well I’ve just added another two, two that I will never ever forget.“She remembered who she was and the game changed.”Kennedy Ryan delivers a powerful story, an unforgettable one, one so viscerally delivered that you cannot help but be affected by EVERYTHING. Kennedy Ryan pulls punches with it’s delivery, uppercuts, body shots, the whole enchilada and she doesn’t hold back, and the hits just keep on coming. My head…buzzing. My heart…battered and bruised but as with any Kennedy Ryan book she expertly puts you back together again, but what an emotional rollercoaster to get there.“A few moments with the truth don’t chase away the lies forever,”I am deliberately keeping this review vague, you need to go into this one blind and read the book the way the author intended. This book is harrowing at times, extremely thought provoking and incredibly honest and raw. It does not make easy reading and at times I felt physically sick, but this is what I love about Kennedy Ryan, when she embraces a particular subject, she goes all in, she pushes the envelope.“If you were mine, Iris there would be no doubt what position you’d hold in my life. You’d be center. I’d play you at the five.”Iris was a fantastic heroine, who, had life dealt her a different card would not be in the situation she finds herself in during this book, through no fault of her own. However, her inner strength, her determination and her sheer will to survive is what gives her life story its happy ending. Kennedy Ryan takes a sensitive subject and delivers it with honesty, compassion while keeping her integrity. Kennedy Ryan shows the effects it not only has on the individual but the people around them and they are often forgotten in these types of stories.“For a long time, I was Caleb’s marionette, but he doesn’t pull the strings anymore.”Set in the baseball arena, Kennedy Ryan delivers a hero that will top many a book boyfriend list and show another on the total opposite end of the spectrum, but for all intents and purposes, this is definitely Iris’s story. Make sure you can read this book in one sitting, because once you start, you will not be able to put it down. Make sure you have plenty of tissues, preferably a glass of something strong and your trash food of choice, chocolate, ice-cream etc, you will need it. You have been warned. But most of all, be prepared for an EPIC read, one you will never forget and one you will not stop thinking about for a very long time. Seriously AMAZING!

This was really good. The characters felt real. The story flowed well.My only complaint is how long the epilogues are. I feel like epilogues should be a short wrap up with critical information. Not extra chapters. I got to the point I was actually irritable that the book wouldn't just end already.

This is not your typical love story.So I fell head over heels for this author after binge reading another of her series, Flow-Grip-Still. And while Kennedy Ryan is unquestionably an amazing storyteller- what sets her apart for me is how she weaves relevant social issues into her storylines. When you read one of Kennedy’s books be prepared to be changed. You won’t even know it is happening- you will be sucked in by her story and then when you’re done, you will be left sitting there thinking ‘what just happened.” And those books are the absolute best ones to read in my opinion. A good book sucks you in- a great one changes you.So, here’s my confession. When I finished the Grip books and I heard Kennedy had a new one coming out soon I was really excited, but also nervous. I had such love for her Grip series- it is without a doubt one of my most favorite series ever- I was worried her other books would not live up to it. Or I would compare them. I should not have been worried. Even though part of what I loved about Grip (okay a lot of what I loved about Grip) was specific to that book and those characters- a lot of it is specific to Kennedy as a writer. She manages to write characters that are so well developed and relatable. Which is odd to say when you probably have nothing in common with them- you just feel like you do. And that is because of how well they are written.The Long Shot tackles some extremely relevant and serious issues that we are absolutely facing today. I am not going to go into them too much because they are spoilers (in my opinion). But from the summary posted, you know going in Iris meets our August (don’t call him Gus lol) when she still belongs to another- who absolutely does not deserve her.Iris is one of the strongest female leads you will ever meet. And her journey is brutal. Just so hard to read. And really to experience. Because as you tend to do when you read Kennedy’s books, you feel everything these characters do. You feel their frustration and anger, their grief, their fear and pain and their joy. You feel everything they do. It is as if you are going through all the same experiences- and while that is not always bad (hello August- SWOON), it can also be extremely difficult. And August is amazing. He never doubts his feelings or his path. He is not afraid of making sacrifices for his dreams- or to more importantly, change his dreams. And he is exactly the prince we all deserve.What we learn, and won’t spoil this story even a little, is that appearances can be deceiving. Appearances in private. Appearances in public. Think about how you judge people based on social media. Think about who we give the benefit of the doubt to when we hear rumors. Think about how we value athletes in today’s society. Think about the #MeToo movement. Sometimes secrets are so hidden- not even the characters recognize them in each other. Think what it would be like to judge your soulmate based on public appearances. And you can see how things can get out of hand. How things can be missed. And I’m being vague on purpose. Because you should go in reading this book without any preconceived ideas- and have the opportunity to make your own assumptions based on the appearances. It’s part of how this story will absolutely change you. And that is the beauty of a story like this.I think one thing important to note is the research Kennedy did on this story is clear in her writing. And the women whose stories she’s telling (even in the more general sense) are some of the bravest strongest woman I’ve read about. I ache for them. And at the very minimum, the next time I read a headline about something like this- maybe I won’t be so quick to judge.This book is brilliant. It really is. And while it is definitely difficult at parts- it is still a beautiful love story.“And what position will I play on your team?”His smile melts a little around the edges, and his eyes lose some of their humor. “At the five-spot,” he says softly.The five-spot? His position is the point guard, or the one-spot. Shooting guard is the two. The three is small forward, and the four is power forward. The five is…“Center,” he says, linking our fingers and toying with the hair hanging on my shoulder. “If you were mine, Iris, there would be no doubt what position you’d hold in my life. You’d be center. I’d play you at the five.”

I loved this book. It was a heavy read, but felt like a very important story that needed to be read. It was emotional and scary at times, but then sweet and spicy other times. Very beautifully written.

You know that feeling you get at the beginning of a book when you realize you're about to read one of your favorite stories from your entire life?I had this with Long Shot. But nothing would prepare me for what was to come.I decided to read Long Shot in the dark. My friend Nicole said it was a really amazing story and I dove deep into that world. I decided not to read the synopsis, the tropes or anything else, I just knew that August was a man who would bring me to my knees (which, by the way, is true).During the first few pages I was in blissful bliss. I was getting that feeling! That this book would change me. And then the shock came.When I tell you that nothing was preparing me for this, I meant it, because I lost count of how many times I cried, gasped and realized that I was reading with my hand over my heart, pressing so hard, because I was afraid that I would leave my body at any minute with the amount of emotions I felt.The incredible and responsible way in which this story is handled is something I didn't know I needed until I was already reading it. I wore my emotions on my face throughout this entire experience (if I had a camera there you would see how impacted I was not only by the story, but by the way it was beautifully written).Kennedy wrote something bigger than just a story about a couple. She wrote about life, pain, love, healing, and discovering yourself when you feel like there's nothing left of you.And I, obviously, was amazed, dumbstruck, paralyzed and madly in love by page 15.August and Iris was one of my favorite things this year. To be honest with you, I think they are one of my favorite things in this life.August, with her kind eyes, beautiful smile and powerful love.Iris, with her strength, brilliant soul and honest hope.I tell you with certainty that I will never recover this book. I wish I could tattoo some phrases on my soul. I would like to be more like Iris, like August, like Lotus and MiMi. And as I work to get there, I hope I can carry these characters with me, close to my heart, through the happy times and the bad times, so that I never forget the moment I felt truly alive reading this book.Because this book? It's more than just a book.And I will be forever grateful to Kennedy for this masterpiece

Absolutely love it ! It was my first reading from Kennedy Ryan and the only things I can say is I love the way she writes, describes feelings, emotions. It seems you get deep down the story.The story of August and Iris is heavy, it holds you on the guts and you cannot put the book down until you finish it. I cried, screamed and my heart pounded like it was me who was living all this. And August, what a man, what a lover. I am definitely in love with his kindness, his beautiful words, his big heart. Every man should be like that.Iris, the soldier, the fighter, a strong woman who learned through the hard way. But unless you are died, there is still hope and you have to stick on it.Great story Ms Kennedy ! Looking forward to read the next.

"I saw her nakedness, but I'm the one exposed. I can't hide how much I want her."Long Shot is the first book I read by Kennedy Ryan, and let me tell you that it won't be my last! I was hooked on her writing and the story plot immediately. Her ability to bring the characters to life was phenomenal. The characters were AMAZING, and I was able to connect with them so well. I usually have a thing for anti-heroes/villains, but I fell so hard for the loving and super supportive August. This guy was almost perfect, and I fell in love with him pretty quickly. I loved the way he meets Iris, and their instant connection was done really well. These two were made for each other, however they meet at the wrong time, and they can't pursue this attraction between them."I want you to know there's someone who will follow you."Iris is a very strong and independent woman, and doesn't want to end up like her mother. She wants to take care of herself, and have her own career. However, because of certain events she has to put her dreams on the back burner. She goes through some horrific things in this book, and it just broke my heart. However, each time she meets August, she is shown that she is her own person. August is such a loyal and understanding guy, and he did everything right. He is one of my favorite book boyfriends, and I want to find my own August West."I started falling for him the day we met, and I haven't stopped falling since."This book was amazing, and I just couldn't get enough. The story had a great pacing and it kept me interested until the end. The love between Iris and August was beautiful. The only reason why I didn't rate it 5 stars was, because I thought the ending was a bit rushed. I was surprised when I suddenly got to the epilogue. In my opinion it could've wrapped up better with another chapter or two. Maybe, I just wasn't ready to say goodbye yet. I also enjoyed all the side characters, and I can't wait for them to get their own books. I especially look forward to reading Lo and Kenan's story.

Could not keep aside the book for more than 5 mts until I finished it. Heart wrenching story of a survivor. Must read!