Game. Set. Match. by Jennifer Iacopelli

Game. Set. Match. by Jennifer Iacopelli
Release Date: May 1, 2013
Publisher: Coliloquy
Pages: my epub is 218 pages
Series: Outer Banks Tennis Academy #1
Review Source: Bought eBook

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
Nestled along the North Carolina coast, the Outer Banks Tennis Academy is the world's most elite training facility. In this pressure-cooker environment, futures are forged in blood and sweat, and dreams are shattered in an instant.

Penny Harrison, a rising female star, is determined to win the French Open and beat her archrival, Zina Lutrova. But when her coach imports British bad boy Alex Russell as her new training partner, will Penny be able to keep her laser-like focus?

Tennis is all Jasmine Randazzo has ever known. The daughter of two Grand Slam champions, she's hell-bent on extending her family’s legacy and writing her own happily-ever-after...until her chosen Prince Charming gives her the just-friends speech right before the biggest junior tournament of the year, the Outer Banks Classic.

With a powerful serve and killer forehand, newcomer Indiana Gaffney is turning heads. She’s thrilled by all of the attention, especially from Jack Harrison, Penny’s agent and hot older brother, except he keeps backing off every time things start heating up.

With so much at stake, dreams—and hearts—are bound to break. Welcome to OBX: Where LOVE is a four-letter word, on and off the court.

My Thoughts:
'Game. Set. Match.' was a fabulous contemporary read that straddles the line between Young Adult and New Adult. Most of the characters are 18+, with some being in their early and mid-twenties, but you also have a 17 year old and characters who are finishing up high school. 'Game. Set. Match.' definitely fits as New Adult because of the older characters, because of the unique independent setting, and because of the adult decisions younger characters are making (go pro in tennis? go to college? etc). However, 'Game. Set. Match' could also fit comfortably under a YA imprint, so it may be a good book for YA fans just testing out the New Adult waters.

I think what I loved the most about 'Game. Set. Match.' is that it features three main characters, and I was interested in all three stories. So often books with multiple narrators can feel too busy, or you end up liking one character and dreading the other POVs. Thankfully that was not at all the case here. I loved Penny's drive and determination, and seeing her train and compete as someone the whole tennis world is looking toward to win. Indy was another favourite of mine; she's the "regular girl" coming into this competitive world and taking it by storm. Even Jasmine, who has her unlikable moments, is someone I could empathize with. She wants to win so badly, always trying to live up to her Olympian parents' reputations.

Another thing I appreciated from this book is that it was so different from all other New Adult books out there, or even the majority of YA. The sports aspect was a huge element, of course, with the characters training and working toward major tennis events and their future careers. Personally I'm not much of a sports person. I suck at playing sports, and the only one I watch and enjoy is hockey. I've never been interested in tennis, unless the Wii is involved, but that didn't stop me from loving this book. There's something about the themes of sports stories that really appeal to me: the hard work, the striving for greatness, and the jubilation and despair that come from winning or losing.

'Game. Set. Match.' has almost everything you could hope for in a contemporary book, but it didn't feel busy at all. There are family issues danced around, especially with Indy's complicated relationship with her Dad, and Jasmine trying to live up to her parents' greatness. There's also a romance element for two of the girls, with the third having an unrequited crush. There's kissing and sexiness and serious swoonage without having full-on adult content, so it's perfect if you want to read NA while still having a relatively clean read. There's also some great representations of friendship. I just loved how the girls related to one another. Penny and Indy have an automatic bond, while Indy and Jasmine have what is, to say the least, a very complicated relationship (one which I really loved, particularly toward the end).

Basically? I loved this book! If you're into well rounded contemps and are looking for a New Adult story that breaks the mold, then 'Game. Set. Match.' may be the perfect read for you. I went into this book with high expectations, and Jennifer Iacopelli rose to met them all. I'll definitely be waiting with bated breath for the next book to release.

The Cover:
I prefer non-kissy covers, but I do still like it, especially the colours!

Rating:
[5/5]

Add Game. Set. Match. by Jennifer Iacopelli on Goodreads, and buy from B&N or Amazon.