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I am Lover of romance, who indulges in the romantic adventures of literature

My name is Renee, and I am the host of this site. I am a 34 year old woman, on the prowl for her mate, searching out the best of books, exploring the wilds of the imagination and delving into the heart of a beautiful love story.

 

Double The Romance Review: All Broke Down & All Played Out by Cora Carmack

by | Nov 25, 2017 | Book Reviews | 6 comments

Double The Romance Review: All Broke Down & All Played Out by Cora Carmack

Double The Romance Review: All Broke Down & All Played Out by Cora CarmackAll Broke Down by Cora Carmack
Also in this series: All Lined Up
Series: Rusk University #2
Published by William Morrow Paperbacks on October 28th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Pages: 368
Format: eBook
Source: Self Purchased
ISBN: 0062326236
Goodreads
AmazonLibrary ThingLibrary ThingLibrary Thing
four-half-stars

In this second book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack s New Adult, Texas-set Rusk University series, which began with All Lined Up, a young woman discovers that you can't only fight for what you believe in... sometimes you have to fight for what you love.

Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.

Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians you name it, she's probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He's in for a different kind of fighting. And though he's arrogant and infuriating, she can't help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it's trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He's met girls like her before fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn't think he's broken, and he definitely doesn't need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about: his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.

Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all.

As searching through my goodreads reviews, I noticed that I hadn’t review All Broke Down or All Played Out so I decided to do some re reading for the Holiday and do some reviews for these treasures. There is something very unique about All Broke Down  and as a whole the Rusk University series.

The Key Players of All Broke Down 

  • Silas Moore: The running back “bad boy” of the team, always tending to get into trouble, but his talent is football.
  • Dylan—is motivated by protests and believing in what is right.  She doesn’t involve herself in the athletic circle.

All Broke Down begins when Silas, reluctantly joins up with his ex best friend at a bar after he gets released from jail. But soon realizes that he doesn’t care for his ex friend anymore and through a fit of anger he ends up in a bar fight and now is in jail and he meets up with Dylan and her friend who ended up there over a protestation they had participated in.

“You’re really hitting on me? After we just met in jail?”
“Is it working?”

So we then see the strong connection that they have from first meeting and even though they are so different from each other, they have a connection they want to explore. Silas is dealing with some drama. His mother is causing problems for him, the team has been completely changed since their head QB ended up in prison over drug dealing and Silas is dealing with some difficult anger management problems. Silas knows that he will need to change and soon or he could lose the one thing that he is good at. He struggles with his classes and has hardly any family to support him, but he is good at football and its what he loves. Dylan is completely different from Silas. Dylan is sexy and sweet and at first they become good friends and some sizzling chemistry erupts between the games and the books.

Except I’m starting to think that the idea of “belonging” anywhere is false. We go through our whole lives thinking that we belong in one place and not in another. We think certain ideas and actions have to be relegated to the tiny little boxes we place them in. What if we just react instead? What if we take whatever the world gives us and instead of focusing on what it isn’t, we enjoy what it is?

What I have always tended to enjoy about this book is the depth of growth in our characters. This is where Cora Carmack’s talent truly lies, is making these characters come alive off of the pages. And boy Silas and Dylan together is pure poetry. They just seem to click in all of the right ways and its interesting to see these unqiue dynamics come into play. We also see some great effort from Silas to change his life. In book one, I will admit he is not my favorite side character. He definitely likes to party and tends to get into fights. So we see how he deals with his issues from the past and change who he is to become who he really wants to be. There is so much vulnerability in Silas and we see a completely different side to him and I was totally cheering him on in the beginning. And boy I love seeing his team and his coaches push him but also the way they believe in him despite the mistakes he makes is simply breathtaking and riveting at times.

I will never get enough of this author or this series who breathes new life into New Adult Romance!! SUPERBLY WRITTEN!!

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Double The Romance Review: All Broke Down & All Played Out by Cora CarmackAll Played Out by Cora Carmack
Also in this series: All Lined Up
Series: Rusk University #3
Published by William Morrow Paperbacks on May 12th 2015
Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Pages: 321
Format: eBook
Source: Self Purchased
ISBN: 0062326244
Goodreads
AmazonLibrary ThingLibrary ThingLibrary Thing
five-stars

First person in her family to go to college? CHECK.Straight A’s? CHECK.On track to graduate early? CHECK.Social life? …..yeah, about that….

With just a few weeks until she graduates, Antonella DeLuca’s beginning to worry that maybe she hasn’t had the full college experience. (Okay... Scratch that. She knows she hasn't had the full college experience).

So Nell does what a smart, dedicated girl like herself does best. She makes a "to do" list of normal college activities.

Item #1? Hook up with a jock.

Rusk University wide receiver Mateo Torres practically wrote the playbook for normal college living. When he’s not on the field, he excels at partying, girls, and more partying. As long as he keeps things light and easy, it's impossible to get hurt... again. But something about the quiet, shy, sexy-as-hell Nell gets under his skin, and when he learns about her list, he makes it his mission to help her complete it.

Torres is the definition of confident (And sexy. And wild), and he opens up a side of Nell that she's never known. But as they begin to check off each crazy, exciting, normal item, Nell finds that her frivolous list leads to something more serious than she bargained for. And while Torres is used to taking risks on the field, he has to decide if he's willing to take the chance when it's more than just a game.

Together they will have to decide if what they have is just part of the experiment or a chance at something real.

The third and simply incredible story that brings together the shy and sweet dancer with the all clothes off energetic football player deliver enticement and sweet sexiness you delight in.

All Played Out is a story of journey and growth and love and I simply adored the way that Cora Carmack wrote this book. I definitely think that this book is probably my favorite of this series so far because well the hero is hilarious and fun and I just wanted him to find his story and to find more depth to this character. In the first two books we just see him as the “goofball” of the team. And whenever he gets drinking, the clothes start to come off and its pretty fun. But in All Played Out we see how he strives to be more and to get people to see him more than his goofy personality, to actually take him seriously and then he meets the girl who changes him.

The key players of All Played Out :

  • Antonella DeLuca, our heroine, is the brains, she focuses on her schoolwork and does great at it, but in her last year she wants to experience some fun with her LIST. She is innocent and sweet.
  • Mateo Torres, the entertaining hero, is all about fun and parties and girls and loves his beer. He is rowdy and fun and has no shy bone in his body.

All Played Out begins when our heroine wants to do more than just study. She is starting to realize that she has really missed out on the full “college experience” and wants to actually experience it in the way that many around her do. When her roommate drags her to a ultimate frisbee game with her boyfriend and his football buds she is nervous since she doesn’t hang out with that crowd. But then she meets Mateo who has set his eyes on her and doesn’t want anyone else. When she shares her desire to cross off certain items off of her list, he is more than willing to be her partner. As she explores in her new adventures of college life, she discovers a love she didn’t plan on but wants to fight for.


Because Mateo Torres is loud, and I’m quiet. Because he’s reckless, and I’m cautious. Because he belongs everywhere, and I don’t.

Oh how much love did I have for this story and man Mateo is one sexy hero and I just fell so hard for this playboy He just has this charismatic and sexy side to him that is so appealing and works so well for a hero that plays ball. And he really lightens up our heroine Nell. She is a bit too serious (which I can totally relate to) so Mateo is the type of man she really needs to make her laugh and see the fun side of life. Our heroine is a lady many readers can relate with and will enjoy reading. So she sweet and shy and awkward and really smart. She is very innocent so she just doesn’t understand the college party culture and I liked seeing how she handled putting her feet in the water and seeing the way that she wants to be more and just LIVE life. We see how our super intelligent heroine learns that living in the moment can do more than getting the best grades. Nell is very driven of course but we also see another part of her become more energetic.

What I’m realizing is that living isn’t about what you achieve, but how you achieve it.

The romance that builds between them is so sexy and charming and I just wanted their story to be real. I adored the way that this book was written and seeing them explore new experiences together. A story that will revitalize and renew the reader with a new experience of reading and will make you feel young again!!

 

About Cora Carmack

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Losing It series.

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6 Comments

  1. The Book Disciple

    Oh my gosh I am so glad you loved All Played out!! Its my favorite!! The audio is great too and I have done few rereads with it!

    Reply
  2. Michele H

    Great choice for a re-read & double review! I still need to finish reading this series but I totally agree with you–Cora writes wonderful character-driven stories filled with personal growth. I think it works especially well for the New Adult genre as the characters are naturally learning more about who they are at that age anyway.

    Reply
  3. Corina

    I can’t wait for her to come out with the next book. The wait is killing me. I really enjoyed all of the Rusk books and would love to read a new book.

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      oh I know….I hate delay of publishing dates but I know she is having medical problems so I understand but I want Stella’s book NOW hehe

      Reply
  4. Rowena

    I love both of these books and have been looking forward to the next book to come out but with each passing month that goes by without any kind of word that it’s on its way…I’m giving up hope on ever getting Stella’s book. *shrugs* Oh, well. Still, these books are fantastic! Great double review, Renee!

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      This series is so wonderful right? I know that on her website she recently posted she is having some medical problems and she could publish the book but wants it written right and she wants the book to be great before releasing it and that is why there was a delay on it. I blame the publisher more though, because if the book isn’t 100% ready don’t post any information on its release right? So I just hope she gets better soon so she can get back to writing again. I know Maya Bank’s historical’s I have been waiting on for years now for the same issue which is more frustrating because she is always releasing her contemporaries all the time. So it is very aggravating as a reader right?

      Reply

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