Review: Dropping the Ball by Melanie Jacobson

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

About the Book

Pull off the swankiest New Year’s benefit gala the city has ever seen? Kaitlyn Armstrong has got this. Do it with the high school rival who once humiliated her? Kaitlyn Armstrong so does not have this…

Kaitlyn Armstrong has a mission this holiday pull off a glitzy fundraising gala to redeem her family’s reputation. After all, besides one tiny—okay, catastrophic—failure in high school, Kaitlyn is her family’s rock. Who better to trust?

But then Kaitlyn meets the architect she must work with to pull off the event. Micah Croft is the man who broke her nose, her heart, and her perfect academic record in high school.

Now he’s breaking her eight-year streak of avoiding him.

Kaitlyn fell under his spell once and it ruined graduation. Distraction means failure, and she can’t fail again—not when it will cost her family public humiliation in front of Austin’s social elite.

When the gala plans go wrong, and Micah is the only part that feels right, can Kaitlyn risk choosing him over finally making up for her mistakes in the past?

Dropping the Ball is a closed door romcom featuring old high school rivals with a strong dose of Gilbert and Anne competition and pining. It's a holiday romance with all the sizzle and swoon, but no spice.

My Review

I loved all the dynamics in this book! There's shared history, complete with a high school rivalry and embarrassing moment that was pretty funny - she broke her nose because of a pectoral sighting! The vulnerability and fallout from which led to Kaitlyn's blaming of her life's misdirection on Micah. I loved how she goes through the healing process of forgiveness, seeing things from a more mature perspective, and allowing Micah the grace of not knowing the events he set in motion by helping. They have both come a long way and their new way of relating to each other is just plain awesome. So much chemistry and depth woven together with a snarky humor vibe to balance it out. Also loved Kaitlyn's relationship with her sister Madi, who was the main character in Betting on the Brainiac. So glad that the author dove into Kaitlyn's story with Dropping the Ball. One of my favorites of the year!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Don't miss the companion book . . .