Catching Jordan
Series: Hundred Oaks #1
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Published December 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

Goodreads Synopsis
ONE OF THE BOYS

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?
Goodreads

Review
Since Jesse's Girl is due for publication, I thought this would be the prefect time to re-read the entire Hundred Oaks series, and my Book Depository voucher sold me on purchasing physical copies. The second read of this book was even better than the first. During this time, I was able to understand stuff a whole lot better, and connect with the characters even more.

Catching Jordan is about Jordan Woods, the captain and Quarter Back of her school's football team. As a girl, she suffers with some quite sexist comments and ideals, and strives to work as hard as she can, to be the best that she can be. Her dream is to go to Alabama and play college football, and for her dad, the 'great' Donovan Woods, to go to her games, and finally be happy for her.

I loved Jordan. She was one of the best female protagonists I've seen in YA contemporaries for quite some time. Yeah, she's popular, sporty, etc., but that's not all she is. She still has insecurities and things that she feels like she must time from other people, such as her love for writing and poetry. She feels that, because she is on the football team, she can't enjoy 'girly' things as they'll make her seem weak. For the majority of the book, she can't stand being around other girls, especially the cheerleaders, and doesn'treally have much in common with them. I loved how she came into her own and started to realise that just because she was captain doesn't that she can't be a girl, and just because someone else is a cheerleader doesn't mean they're vapid and shallow. I'm really glad that she discovered this, and that she finally had some girl friends.

That's not to say that I didn't like her guy friends, though. I adored them all, especially Sam Henry. JJ and Carter were wonderful friends/older brother figures, and even though they don't do feelings, I'm glad they helped Jordan when she was struggling emotionally. Sam and Jordan were beautiful from page 1, and even without knowing what happens, you could see the romantic and emotional connection between them from the very beginning.

As with basically all YA contemporaries, romance plays a large role in this book. While I liked parts of Ty and Jordan's relationship, I really couldn't 'ship' it. I thought Ty was controlling and jealous, especially when it came to Sam. I kind of thought their relationship went very fast too, perhaps a bit too fast. I also hated who Jordan was when she was with Ty, as she became a whole new person, one who didn't stand up for herself, and who began to doubt herself. Ty wanted her to stop doing the thing that she loved, and didn't support her when she was being criticised, even by her own father. 

Sam, on the other hand, was the perfect gentlemen to Jordan throughout the whole book. Though he had his own issue, being a 'man-whore' and all, whenever it came down to it, he was there for Jordan, until he wasn't. He always supported her and was the best best friend she could want. It was only when his feelings became known to Jordan (everyone else had already known) that he became distant. His jealousy of her relationship with Ty was fun to see, even he was the one who pushed her towards Ty. However, when Jordan really needed him, when she was injured, he never left her side, and did everything he could to help her, right to the very end. I think I shipped Jordan and Sam pretty much from page 1, and could not stop smiling at the end. I know we see more of them in further books, and I honestly can't wait to read the others, especially Jesse's Girl, for this reason.

Hundred Oaks is one of my favourite contemporary series, and everyone should read at least one of them during their life, as they aren't just about cute, fluffy stories, but actual real issues prevalent in today's society.

Dates Read:
June 27-28th, 2015

Rating
5 Stars