Miranda Kenneally has been on my tbr for so long, it's ridiculous. I've heard a lot about her books around the blogsphere, but somehow I just kept pushing reading one of her novels for another time. Until a bundle of the first three Hundred Oaks books was on sale on kindle. I'm warning you now, kindle sales and forgotten tbr books are a theme that's going to repeat often on this blog.
Anyways, I was in the mood for something cutesy and fun, so off I went down the Catching Jordan lane. Did I get everything I had hoped for?
Catching Jordan is highly readable. The writing is engaging and you kind of get swept in, even if the poetry is really not my cup of tea. And the friendship between Henry and Jordan (before the angst) was definitely the best part of the novel.
But at the same time this novel got me so very very very very very pissed. As in...
Why you ask? Well, mainly because of Ty, and Jordan's relationship with Ty.
SPOILERS // SPOILERS // SPOILERS // SPOILERS
First of all, Jordan sees Ty and his "male perfection" scrambles her brain something major. This was so instant, it really rattled. This girl, who's whole life is football, is playing badly because of a guy she doesn't know. But I could look pass it if Ty was a good love interest. If he was truly nice and sweet like everyone in this novel say he is.
But he isn't.
Ty is one of the worst love interests I've read of in a while. He's not a major douche or anything like that, so how come I say this? Because the way he treats girls, from Jordan to his sister. It was disconcerting.
They know each other for about three days when he tries to invite himself to a game with Jordan and her family. No issue there. The issue was that when Jordan told him no, he got upset and blamed her "jealousy" of him for acting like this.
Then, a week later, he goes in for the kiss, and she rejects him. Because she's not quite ready yet, even though she's really attracted to him. What does he do? He glares at her. Like it's fucking wrong of her to deny him a kiss.
What is it with this guy? And he is so controlling. Yes, he's got a sad background. He "needs to know Jordan is okay". Blah blah. He demands she change her relationship with Henry. He's forceful about going with her toHenry. He doesn't let his sister go out with people out of the house.
And does any of Jordan's friends and family think this is wrong? Do any of them go to her and tell her "sweetie, you're not a bitch for any of these things, you're within your right to do all this and he's a jerk for insinuating you're doing something wrong?" Does anyone try to slap her for calling herself a bitch for refusing Ty's kiss?????
Instead, they sympathize with him. Even her best friend. WTF. The book pretty much tells young girls that you should give in to boys and that refusing them is being bitchy.
BITCH, GET OUT.
And then, Kenneally had to go and make Henry and Jordan's relationship all complicated. Was I shipping them?yes. Their relationship at the beginning of the book was so incredible. It was like they were already together but without kissing or anything. But why did it have to go this way???
(And, wow, Jordan changes her mind quickly. One second she's so into Ty, the next......)
Will I read more of Kenneally's books? Yes. Mostly because of the bundle I own, but also because I'd like to see if this line of behavior continues in the next books, or if it's just a matter of these specific characters.