Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

Title: Stealing Parker (Hundred Oaks #2)

Author: Miranda Kenneally

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: October 1st, 2012

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She's on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she's made the all-start softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother's scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.

Now Parker wants a new life.

So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball cache seems especially flirty?

But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?

I pretty much adored Miranda Kenneally's debut Catching Jordan so I was very excited at the prospect of finally being able to read Stealing Parker. And once again Miranda Kenneally completely captured my heart with the story she wrote in this book. 

Parker always thought she would go on to being the valedictorian of her class, and as star of the softball team she was sure she would be able to play in college. But when her mom's secret comes out and causes a scandal in their small town, Parker turns her back on softball for fear of being told she's just like her mom. And to prove she's not like her mom, Parker decides the best way to do so if by kissing boys. Lots of boys. But that doesn't mean she doesn't want a relationship. So when the new baseball coach comes into town, Parker things that maybe he will finally be the one she's been looking for and the one she'll fall far. But what if it means losing herself in the process?

I started reading Stealing Parker one relaxing Saturday afternoon. The next thing I knew it was a few hours later and I was hugging the book to myself. Because that's exactly the kind of story it is. Right from the start you'll find yourself getting immersed in the story, picturing the characters as real people you are just spending time with. But I'll get to the characters later. On the surface, the story Miranda Kenneally wrote in this book sounds like a nice, fun, light story but it ends up being so much more than that. This is a story about a girl trying to find a place in a small town where everyone is judging her for things she hasn't done. It's also a story about faith, and figuring out when not to give up faith even when it seems like there isn't much to hold on to. And of course it's a story about friendship and romance. And that's what makes Stealing Parker so amazing. It's this mix of all these different stories and how they have been woven together perfectly by Miranda Kenneally.

Oh Parker. I feel for you, I really do. But sometimes you made some truly questionable decisions. Like the baseball coach for instance. But it's not really something I can hold against you in the grand scheme of things. But seriously, Parker from now on holds a place in my heart. It was great being able to see her growth over the course of the book, especially when it came to her faith and her relationship with others, in particular with her mom. And with Corndog/Will. This book has made me realize that I need Will Whitfield in my life. I just do. He is possibly the sweetest person ever and just seeing him with his little brother made my heart melt. And though he wasn't a main character in Stealing Parker I may just love Sam Henry even more than I did after reading Catching Jordan. For no reason in particular other than just because he is who he is. So moral of the story, I want Will Whitfield and Sam Henry in my life. That's really all I need to say about these two characters. 

Miranda Kenneally's Stealing Parker simply stole my heart, there's no other way to really explain how I feel about this book. From start to finish it was amazing and it truly felt like I was living it all with the characters at my side. I simply cannot wait for Miranda Kenneally's next book, Things I Can't Forget.