Blog Tour ~ Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally ~ Review, Excerpt & Giveaway!

Welcome to my stop on the Racing Savannah blog tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours!
You can follow the full tour HERE!

Racing Savannah (Hundred Oaks #4) 
by Miranda Kenneally

Release Date: December 3, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 304
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Haunt Author: Website | Facebook | Twitter

They’re from two different worlds. He lives in the estate house, and she spends most of her time in the stables helping her father train horses. In fact, Savannah has always been much more comfortable around horses than boys. Especially boys like Jack Goodwin—cocky, popular and completely out of her league. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries. With her dream of becoming a horse jockey, Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules either. She’s not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack…

ADD TO GOODREADS

I loved the previous three books in this series and devoured this one in one night. Savannah has moved to a new town for her dad's new job. She lost her mom but her dad's new girlfriend is now expecting a baby. Money is tight so she wants to help out and when the opportunity to become a horse jockey pops up she is excited. The owner's son Jack, has been taking over duties and Savannah has caught his attention but both their parents prefer for them to stay on their own sides. Sneaking around isn't for Savannah. She wants it all but the pressure is on because her dad can't lose this job with a baby on the way.

The thing I love most about this series is how well I can relate to the characters. Even though I may not have ever been in their exact position with their exact passions, I love the way real life problems are brought up and dealt with. A girl wanting to do something she is passionate about but that others think only men should do. First love and new friendships, growing up and how that changes relationships with your family. Going after what you want despite all the difficulties in your way. Making all kinds of mistakes along the way but learning and changing.

Savannah wants to be a horse jockey even though her dad is afraid of her getting hurt and others think only men should do it. She wants to go to college even though she doesn't think she could ever have the money. Balancing family responsibilities along with her own needs. Some of these things used to stop her but I love how she changed and took charge. Miranda Kenneally's characters have a way of making me tear up with their struggles and then tear up some more when they overcome them. Even standing up to Jack and demanding to be more than a secret or a friend with benefits.

Jack is adorable. Every love interest in this series steals your heart. He is rich and Savannah thinks he will be stuck up but he is really kind and down to earth. He wants to do well and take over the farm and make his own way. I think his father at times had too much influence on him but being a teenager is about making mistakes and learning. Eventually he stands up for himself. There is plenty of great romance along the way. They try to stay away from each other but that doesn't last long. Lots of sweet stolen moments. And of course we still get to see the characters from the previous books and even a wedding! You don't have to read them all in order to follow but it makes it that much more fun. A great series to get started on!




"You are really pretty..." He drags a hand through his blond hair. "But you're kind of like a great book...you know, you pick up a book at the bookstore because it has a beautiful cover...but it's what's inside that pulls you in."
That might be the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me.

"Would you stop trying to distract me?"
"Talking about my underwear distracts you? If only I'd known that sooner."

"And now you're using it to sneak a girl into the house and into your room?"
"How do you know that's where I'm taking you?"
"Because if you aren't, I'll be really pissed."

Rating: 5/5 

Excerpt

Savannah Barrow: are you going to this dance?

Vanessa Green: NOOOO. seniors don’t go to the back to school dance. we only go to homecoming, winter wonderland, and prom. homecoming is in October. it’s a big deal. Guys ask girls in fancy ways—like last year this super hot senior asked kelsey by hiring an airplane to fly a banner over the school that said, Kelsey, will you go to Homecoming with me?

Savannah Barrow: did she say yes?


Vanessa Green: obvs. who wouldn’t?


Savannah Barrow: I wish I could go to the Back to School dance.

Vanessa Green: LOL. No you don’t.


Savannah Barrow: But I do. Come with me!

Vanessa Green: NO. Are you crazy?

Savannah Barrow: I can get Rory to come...

Vanessa Green: ...............I’m in.

Even though Rory’s working on a new screenplay, it only takes me about five seconds to convince him to come with us. Two weeks ago, I never could’ve imagined I’d hang out with a girl like Vanessa Green. I never even considered a girl like her might like my friend.

My life is changing so fast, I wouldn’t be surprised to wake up tomorrow to find the sun rising in the west.

•••

“I’m too old for this shit,” Colton says, as we all take off our boots and shoes. It’s against the rules to wear them on the gym floor.

When Vanessa told Colton she was coming to the dance with me and Rory, he insisted on coming because his father the Franklin mayor is having a reelection event at their house and Colton hates glad-handing.

Rory mutters to me, “This better be worth it. I was making good progress on my new screenplay, Tattoos of the Clinically Depressed.”

“I hate dances,” Colton says, lifting his nose in the air like he just smelled a pile of manure.

Vanessa rolls her eyes at Colton. “Go take a nap over there, then,” she replies, pointing at the bleachers.

His eyes light up. “Great idea.” He hustles over to the bleachers, sits down, leans his head back, crosses his feet and arms, and places his ball cap over his eyes.

“When we first met,” Vanessa says, “I asked Colton what his hobbies were, and he replied, ‘Sleeping and TV.’”

We laugh together as I take in the scene. “We are definitely the oldest people here.”

“We’re gonna be wearing Depends undergarments before you know it.”

I laugh with her. Rory looks over at us, and when he sees her smiling, he smiles too.

“We could do what my brother and his friends used to do,” Vanessa says.

   

Growing up in Tennessee, Miranda Kenneally dreamed of becoming an Atlanta Brave, a country singer (cliché!), or a UN interpreter. Instead she writes, and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. Miranda loves Twitter, Star Trek and her husband.  

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