Whatever Life Throws At You by Julie Cross

Whatever Life Throws At You

by Julie Cross

Seventeen-year-old track star Annie Lucas is too young to remember her dad's glory days as a Yankees pitcher. So when a family friend offers him a coaching position with the Kansas City Royals, Annie is intrigued by the idea of seeing the baseball side of her dad. Knowing that he'll be mentoring nineteen-year-old rookie phenom Jason Brody is just a bonus. After an awkward first meeting with Brody involving a towel, very little clothing, and a much-too-personal locker room interview, Annie's convinced she knows his type-arrogant, bossy, and most likely not into high school girls. But as he and her father grow closer, Annie starts to see through his facade to the lonely boy in over his head beneath. Falling for an up-and-coming superstar sucks. Except she's getting hints from Brody that maybe this crush isn't one-sided after all. When opening day comes around and her dad-and Brody's-job is on the line, she's reminded why he's off-limits. But Brody needs her, and staying away isn't an option.

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

5 of 5 stars

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Rating: 4.5 Stars

I found, and fell in love with, Julie Cross via her Juniper Falls books, and have been working my way through her backlist. As with her other books, this book was an utter delight for me.

It was love at first page for me and Annie. I found her a bit sassy and snarky, and her musings made me smile. I also learned quickly, that beneath her gruff exterior, was a kind and big hearted person. Her love for her grandmother and her dad was showcased, time and time again, and I am all about the big-happy-family vibe. Just the fact, that she was willing to compromise her aspirations for her dad won a lot of points from me. But, the move to Kansas City was a challenge for Annie, and I thought she rose to the challenge, grabbed it with both hands, and adapted in order to succeed. As much as she was labeled a "kid" during this story, she did a lot of growing up, and earned her spot at the grown-up table.

Jason was such a wonderful and swoony hero. It took a while to scratch the surface, but once I saw past the bad boy persona, I just couldn't get enough of him. Jason was tying to improve himself and his life. He was attempting to make better decisions, and I was rooting for him to succeed, because he wasn't that trouble making kid any more.

And, I don't care that he was 19 (Annie was almost 18), I adored him and Annie together. They encouraged and supported one another. They had a flirtation, which grew into a genuine friendship, and eventually, full-on love. They were able to confide in one another, and oh! I loved that Jason was all about communication. That's right, friends. He was about having an open discourse with the people you care about, no matter how awkward it could be. It was so...healthy, and really refreshing to see.

Cross made the story just that much better by throwing in a whole bunch of feel-good baseball stuff too. I am not a sports fan, but there is something about seeing an underdog succeed, which never fails to make my heart soar.

I just finished this book, and all I have to say is...


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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 30 June, 2019: Finished reading
  • 30 June, 2019: Reviewed