Blog Tour Stop : Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally

Summary (from Goodreads) 

Title : Jesse's Girl (Hundred Oaks #6)
Author : Miranda Kenneally
Publication Date : July 7th 2015
Publisher : Sourcebooks
Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Practice Makes Perfect.

Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?

Personal Thoughts

Will there ever be a book Miranda Kenneally writes that I won't love? I doubt it! I say this about every new release of hers, but I think Jesse's Girl is my favorite book by this author. It was charming and sweet and just the perfect Nick kind of book.

It didn't click with me at first, but Maya is Sam's (hero of Catching Jordan!) baby sister. She was so clearly a Henry girl! Maya was a protagonist readers will immediately mesh with. She was a sweetheart and together with that spunk of hers, she made for a very engaging character. Perhaps the most admirable parts about Maya were her strength and fierce determination. Maya wasn't a character who was afraid to chase after her dreams and she strove to work hard to reach her goals, which made her a fantastic role model. When necessary, she sought the guidance of the people around her. Her passion for music and her kindness made her a loveable character, who I think will charm her way into many readers' hearts. While at first it may have appeared like Maya and Jesse were polar opposites to each other, they shared many interests, most obviously, their love for music. A famous country star from young age, Jesse had mostly grown up a lonely life, isolated from his religious parents who weren't appreciative of his music. He was a lonely boy who didn't deserve his parents' indifference. It was hard not to feel bad for Jesse through it all. I initially thought Jesse was going to be a typical jerk teenage celebrity, but he proved me wrong. He was caring, sweet and supportive. His dynamic with Maya was one of the best parts about Jesse's Girl.

Their romance was absolutely perfect! It started off very slowly and while they developed feelings for each other over a day of Maya shadowing Jesse for a class project, it never felt rushed to me nor did it feel unrealistic. Their banter throughout the book was fantastic and these two definitely had me squealing like a seal. What was wonderful about the romance in Jesse's Girl was how it was free of drama and angst. Most of the major conflict that happened in the book happened early on and was resolved quickly. Maya and Jesse were a couple who actually talked about doubts or fears that they had about their relationship before it could morph into something ugly. I loved that they were so mature about it. Jesse' Girl was also very sex positive. Miranda Kenneally handled a particular scene so well! I knew it was in the book because of a discussion I had earlier this year with her and some bloggers, but I was still in awe of her having included it in the book. Besides being a story about finding one's strength and a romance, Jesse's Girl was also heavy on friendship and family. Maya has an amazing best friend in the form of Dave, who proved to be a riot. I also shipped him and his boyfriend, Xander so hard throughout the book. My favorite though was how supportive Maya's family were of her and her dreams.  They didn't always have the financial means to back her, but they were always proud of her achievements and pushed her to chase after her dreams. I mentioned Sam being Maya's big brother. He played the overprotective big brother who would do anything for his baby sister. I was so glad that his role went beyond just a cameo. His and Maya's relationship was endearing and full of love and loyalty. I love the man that Sam has become and if you didn't think he was perfect for Jordan in Catching Jordan, wait until you read their interactions in this one .

Miranda Kenneally continues to impress me with her talent. Is it selfish to say that I never want the Hundred Oaks series to end? Jesse's Girl is a romantic book that not only tells the story about a girl chasing her dreams but also shows the power of family, friendship and love.

Rating 

Cover : 4/5
Plot : 5/5
Characters : 5/5
Writing : 5/5

Author Biography

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.

Author Links:

mirandakenneally.com
https://www.facebook.com/miranda.kenneally?ref=name
https://twitter.com/MirandaKennealy
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4506073.Miranda_Kenneally

Giveaway

Prize:
- $50 iTunes Gift Card (INTL)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out the other tour stops here.

Thank you to Giselle at Xpresso Tours for letting me be part of this tour and NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the e-ARC of Jesse's Girl.