Will there ever be a Miranda Kenneally book that I don't like? Probably not.
This book was a perfect addition to the Hundred Oaks series!

There are several reasons why I enjoy these books as much as I do, such as, how sex positive they are and Kenneally perfectly paces the story between sports, family, friendships, and love.
I enjoy reading the passion behind each character's specific sport and Maggie's love for swimming was admirable. She truly breathed swimming day and night and she LOVED that this was her life. I really liked that about her. She was determined to reach her goals while still being a teenager, which made her feel relatable.

Everything was great in the story (her family and friends, everything in between), but of course, the romance played a huge role so let's talk about that.. It was sweet and swoony like every other Hundred Oaks book (well - no one will ever be as amazing as Henry). I liked Levi. Best friends to something more has easily become one of my favorite tropes.
.. But here's the thing, I became so protective of Maggie because she was so vulnerable and I hated to see her get hurt. And that made me a little irritated and distant towards Levi and his way of showing how he truly felt for her. So, that made me not completely love their story - I didn't hate it, though!

AND THE EPILOGUE YOU GUYS! IT WAS EVERYTHING!
*sigh*
*swoons*
*cansomeonefindmeasamhenrypleaseandthankyou*

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It had everything I love about contemporaries - great self discovery, good family/friends dynamic, fun plot, and swoony romance. If you're a fan of these books or if you're looking for the perfect summer read then pick this one up!

Y'all know I have a phobia of reading the last books in series, so when I heard this was the last Hundred Oaks book, I almost put it on the back of my TBR. But this one was about swimmers and I needed to see what the gang was up to one last time.

Maggie's life has been the same for as long as she can remember: Swim, Eat, Sleep, Repeat. And she wouldn't have it any other way. She's shared this life with her best friend Levi and they make the perfect team. It isn't until Maggie visits a college camus that she realizes how much she's really missing out on her life.

As per usual after reading a Miranda Kenneally book I have ANOTHER new book boyfriend. Levi has a super hot swimmer's body AND he reads and just OMG can I have three please? lol He's also really sweet and I love how he treated Maggie. He did mess up, but really, who doesn't? As for Maggie, I loved her too, but I thought she overanalized things too much like her coach. I was glad that someone in the book recognized it. But otherwise I thought she was a perfectly normal teen with anxiety, so I could definitely relate.

Then there was the sbuject of swimming. In the acknowledgements, Kenneally mentions that she knew nothing about swimming which surprised me. I assumed she used to be a swimmer by how much she knew. I have a family member who used to swim, but was a lot like Jason. They only did it in high school because they "needed something to do over the summer" and as it turned out, they were really good. They were just like the characters and ate all the time and got some of the same advice from their coaches, and spent all their time in the pool. It was such an accurate description I had to call the family member and tell them to pick it up!

Lastly, as usual, I loved her writing style. It swet me to the high school and the pool. And it was SO FUNNY. I spit my water TWICE while reading this. (At Superman undies and at the Quick Pick!) Normally when reading I only crack a small smile. But with this one I flat out laughed out loud. It is absolutely hilarious and exactly what I was in the mood for.

Although I hated to see this beloved series of mine end, I was so happy to have been on this journey with Kenneally and her books.

If you know me, you know that two things are true: 1) I don’t usually get along well with fluffy; and 2) I will read anything that promises me swimming. So I was on the fence about whether I should read this, especially since it was part of a series that I’d never read. But alas, it was such a fabulously pleasant surprise! First, if you haven’t read the other books, it is absolutely not a problem. I had been told this, but I had a pretty healthy level of skepticism about it. Also, if you are (or were) a swimmer, you’ll be incredibly happy to know that the swimming references are on point! I’ll delve more into that in a second. Let’s talk about what I adored, shall we?

Maggie was awesome. She seemed so realistic to me, especially as a person who did devote my whole high school career to athletics. Look, I was not Maggie-level Olympian hopeful or anything, but I was really serious about it. So I understood her so much, understood how important swimming was to her, and understood how sometimes it is really, really hard to balance having a swimming life and any kind of personal life, especially when you include the responsibilities of high school, and preparing for college. I loved how realistically the author portrayed Maggie’s situation- and I think so many teens would be able to relate to it. Even if you aren’t/weren’t an athlete, no doubt you’ve lived through the stress of juggling something.
As I said before, the swimming references are so, so well done. The author clearly did her homework, not only with the basics of the sport in general, but in actual habits and mores of the athletes. It brought me back to that intense swimming life, and I loved it. The book discusses things like “swimcest” (which is when a swimmer engages in teammate romance), coach-swimmer interactions, issues with jealousy, pre-meet rituals, and so much more.
The romance was so ship-worthy. I love the friends-to-lovers trope, which made it a huge win. Levi is her teammate, of course, and so he understands Maggie’s priorities and her time constraints. Plus, they just work so well together, they play off each other perfectly!
It was just an overall fun book to read. The book showed such a realistic glimpse into so many of the struggles that a young scholar-athlete goes through. There was romance, friendship, and I loved that the characters were so driven. They weren’t perfect by any means, but I liked that they tried so hard and were invested in their futures.
Bottom Line: Definitely one of the best fluffier books, and one of the best swimming books I have ever read. I loved the story, the romance, and the characters, and now want to read the rest of the series!

I love Miranda Kenneally’s books, and Coming up for air isn’t an exception, this book is funny, lovely and inspirational.
I loved the characters, all of them are well portrayed, and the friendship and loyalty between them is the best part of this story. I think friendship like this is what people need, not just to go through school but through life.
I enjoyed the dialogues there are effective and help to move the story at a good speed. Although in some points, the story turns a little repetitive and slow, especially in some telling parts, there are so may step by step that it seemed I was reading a diary. Also, I think Maggie’s thoughts seemed to be all over the place, she was back and forth with the same ideas, but then I realized that is the way a teenager’s mind works, with spontaneity.
The romance feels real, it was beautifully built from a strong friendship.
Besides the romance and the friendship, the author added interesting aspects, like; the importance of the equality between girls and boys, the necessity of finding a balance in order to enjoy the best of life, also that hard work, discipline and passion can help you to make your dreams comes true, and how important is to know yourself and what kind of person you want to be.
In addition, I have to mention how fantastic the epilogue is. It’s the best ending for and amazing series.
Finally, there is something else I always enjoy from Miranda’s books. Her acknowledgments. In all her books, the writer gives us a message, an encouragement to try to be the best of ourselves. She talks to the readers with beautiful emotive words.
I recommend this book 100%. This is a story you aren’t going to be able to put down.

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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1830854968

Sweetly engaging, heartwarming, emotionally charged friends to more romance that kept me reading late into the early morning. This journey took me back to my own high school years trying to figure out balancing friendship and budding love.

Maggie is so sweet and real super easy to relate to. Levi is her best friend and emotional rock, so sweet and funny just adored him. Both super intense focused athletes and extremely talented swimmers with bright futures. Their struggle to balance home, swimming, friends, family and an attempt at a social life is beautifully written. Looking forward to more from this author.

I wasn’t aware going into Coming Up For Air that this was the last book in the Hundred Oaks series. This series has been such a comforting and pleasant presence in my reading life, so I’m sad that it’s over. For me, these books have consistently grown better and Miranda Kenneally’s strength as a YA writer has only improved. Coming Up For Air was a satisfying conclusion, though I’m going to admit, it wasn’t my favorite book from the author for a couple of reasons.

I don’t quite get why friends-to-lovers romances aren’t as prevalent in YA. They always make for a sweet trope, and we get that here in Coming Up For Air. Maggie and Levi have a great friendship between them, that evolves into chemistry when Maggie propositions Levi to help her gain some experience when it comes to flirting, boys and sex. The foundation of their relationship was solid enough to have me rooting for them. That being said, the romance could be so stressful. Both of them are struggling with these new heightened feelings for each other, and there was some push and pull, that I’m not used to seeing in Miranda’s books that I wasn’t very much of a fan of, to be honest. I guess I just wanted them to be a couple and do coupley things without giving me a headache. Coming Up For Air is also quite sex-positive, which is a trend with Miranda Kenneally’s books, one that I’m always grateful for, because she handles it with finesse. I liked how both Levi and Maggie were portrayed as these teens who had urges and were frequently horny. The sexy times scenes were touching, and done beautifully, in my opinion, not explicitly, but written in a way that was sensitive and not all gratuitous.

For the most part, I liked the characters in Coming Up For Air. Both Maggie and Levi were likable characters, and you want to root for them. Both their passion and struggles with swimming were one of the highlights of the book for me. Speaking of swimming, I loved how focused the book was on swimming – it’s one of the only sports I happen to enjoy. Anyways back to the characters. Though I did like them, I didn’t feel they were particularly memorable, mostly because they lacked a bit of depth and development. They weren’t terrible, but just not up to the standards I have come to expect from Miranda Kenneally. I did love all the friendships here, and how supportive these kids of each other. It always makes me happy to see characters with good friends, being rocks to one another.

Coming Up For Air ended with a splendid epilogue that was an absolute precious gift to fans of the series – it was seriously PERFECT. While this installment wasn’t my favorite, I’m never not going to recommend this series. They are truly amazing coming of age stories with great characters. I’m excited to see where Miranda Kenneally takes readers next.

Maggie's story is one that delves into the topic of giving up everything else in your life in order to achieve your ultimate life goal. Maggie always knew that she wanted to be a competitive swimmer and hopefully make it to the Olympics, and she is perfectly fine with her life until she goes on a college visit and realizes what she had been missing.
When she asks her best friend Levi to teach her how to make out, her life changes forever as well as his. Can they remain friends? Will they become more? When one of them hurts the other because of being afraid, can the other one forgive? A true coming off age story.

This book was okay. It wasn't anything spectacular for me but it also wasn't horrible. I got through it fairly quickly. It wouldn't be my top choice to recommend to someone else but I would definitely recommend for people to read it to form their own opinions.

Every time I pick up a hundred Oaks, I think only of summer, love and sports. I’m sad that this is the last book in the Hundred Oaks series. I get teary eyes thinking of Jordan, Sam Henry, Carter, JJ, Tyler, Kate, Will, Corndog, Jessie and many more (Some do make appearance). Totally heartbroken. The books are a lot of fun, light-hearts, and swoon-worthy, not a lot of drama. I like how there are moments in the book that shake you to the core to reflect of relationships with your friends, family, teachers, siblings, and yourself. That it is normal to have conflicts and feel the weight of the world on your shoulder. If there something I learned from the Hundred Oaks series, is that you need to let go of all that build of self-doubt and negativity. Let it go and lean it on the people who care about you. I love the humour, subtle flirting and sports lingo whether its football, baseball or even swimming. 

For readers between 15-16, who are stepping into young adult romance, Hundred Oaks series are great books to start. There are fun, sexy and the cast of characters are delightful. Yes, the books are predictable and problematic ... I promise you, you will pick up this book and finished it in one sitting. 

Coming Up For Air has reach beyond my expectations. It's Fantastic! I love her storytelling, her wonderful characters and well-research knowledge of sports in the books. Miranda has created a new cast that are just as amusing, quirky and charismatic. I adore Maggie and Levi. Hands down, my third favourite couple of the companion series. They just are comfortable with each other and have a relationship that is natural, never pressure or rushed. They know each other in and out. Even when Maggie pushes the idea of hooking up with Levi for experience before heading off to college, their friendship may have become blurry and the intensity of wanting each other more increases, they always had each other backs.  

Maggie has an intense routine. Her whole life has been entirely swimming and hanging out with her best friends. 

Swim. Eat. Shower. School. Snack. Swim. Swim. Swim. Dinner. Homework. Bed. Repeat.

Maggie ideal planned is to go to university and trained for the Olympics. Maggie goes to the university for a tour for the weekend and after a disastrous hook-up- more embarrassment- It came to Maggie realization of how much high school experience she is missing and lacking. When she returns home, Maggie is determine to sought out the right person to give her the experience she needs and who better to ask than her thick as thieves best friend, Levi. 

"We can start going to your house when you start cleaning your room. 
Ugh, okay, Mom. 
He chuckles. 
You're my best friend.That means you should love me, messes and all. 
I do, love you, just not your messy room. I can't walk in there without stepping on something. I could twist my ankle. He points at me. Coach would say going into your room is an unsanctioned activty.
Levi. I warned, making him laugh again. You really don't want to come over because of my room. 
No, it's not that. Oma said she was making a Bundt cake today. " 

Levi. Levi. My Dutch blonde precious cinnamon bun. Levi is the type of friend who is thoughtful, shy and provides moral support. I think he superman underneath his swimmer body, Levi is the true friend who doesn't place conditions, or limitations on a relationship. He respects you, he will make you laugh and remind you that you can do anything. To Maggie, he loves unconditionally. He also just a regular guy who happens to loathe waking up the at the crack of dawn, works out, have sex in between races to take the edge off, is goofy, shy, and is such a big baby when ill. 

" He shifts under my hand on his chest. Don't turn me on. He laughs, but it turns into another cough. "I ill."
I figured a wouldn't let a little cold get in the way of sexytimes. 
You 're right. I must be dying. 
You're not dying. 
Lesson number three: guys always want it. Except for when they are dying." 

Did I mention that he loves to read during his free time ? 

" I ride the eleavtor to my room. When I get there I find Levi sitting on the floor outside the door,  one hand buried in his long hair while the other is holidng a loved,worn copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. 
He started the series over again. "

Yup.

He has excellent reading choices - The Raven Boys, Divergent, and the Harry Potter series.  

Together Levi and Maggie are both so focused and honestly good people. I adore their witty and clever inside jokes and banter like a old married couple. They just click together. I felt like I was on the side line, holding up a sign "SWIMCEST" to cheer them on and be together. I am also completely obsessed with Overboard and I'm ready to play Overboard with them.

“ Tom Brady, Prince Harry, and Elvis.”
Levi groans. He hates it when I don’t give him any girls to consider. Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, he considers his options. “ I’d spend one hot night with Tom Brady-maybe some of his good luck from winning all those Super Bowels would rub off me. I’d spent a year with Prince Harry because he’s adventurous. He could get us into any party, and girls would be all over us. I’d throw Elvis overboard because he’s already dead.”

Swimcest.Swimcest. Swimcest. I am dying over this. I am the coach anytime Levi and Maggie are together.

Their friendship is something that is unbreakable. There the type of friendship that many of jealous are at because it so powering of love. That both will take a bullet for each other. In addition, the way that Keneally wrote about sex attitude in the books is great. I think its key especially for teens between 15-17 to understand and talk about sex. That talking about sex is normal. I feel that to be able to ask questions and learn what a not healthy and healthy relationship. How talking to your partner about what you want and not comfortable with is success in the relationship. I think that’s why I like Lucas and Maggie relationship. Not from the chemistry but they can talk it out. When events were getting heated and awkward, they took a step back and respect the other person boundaries. 

I highly recommend reading Coming Up For Air or any of the Hundred Oaks Companions. If you are fans of Morgan Matson Since You’ve Been Gone, Jenny Han, To All The Boys I Loved Before and Katie McGarry Crossing The Line (Novella). This is the book for you. 


 And the epilogue, it's bring back to full circle. A long term fans of the Hundred Oaks will LOVE it and will fall in love with the series again.

I’ve pretty much read all of the books in the Hundred Oaks series, so I was extremely glad to get to review a copy of this one. These books are absolutely adorable summer reads, and this one was no exception. I could picture taking this to the beach and just enjoy it. I thought the story line was cute, but maybe had a bit too much emphasis on sexual experience for my taste.
The characters were enjoyable and quite predictable, which was OK by me. Maggie seemed to think like a typical high school girl who had FOMO (fear of missing out). Levi was a typical high school boy, but did so many things that just made me smile.
I really enjoy her writing style since it makes the books so quick and easy to read and just enjoy. I must say I’m sad to hear this is the last Hundred Oaks book.

If my memory serves me right, one of first YA books I picked up was written by Miranda Kenneally. And thank goodness I stumbled upon her because she is now my "go to" whenever I feel like I need some teenage angst in my life.


Maggie is a swimmer. She has no time for romantic relationships since she'd rather use all of her free time training her heart out and trying to get a college scholarship. That until her college orientation, where Maggie realizes she's been missing out on a whole lot of kissing experience.

And because Maggie is actually a genius and because she hasn't learn anything from every single "friends with benefits" story, she decides to ask Levi—the best friend—to teach her all about making out.

Levi's reluctant at first, because he doesn't want things to get awkward between them—can he you tell he hasn't learned crap about "friends with benefits" either?—but he ends up agreeing and things indeed get awkward pretty soon.


Coming Up for Air is a pretty cliché "friends with benefits" story. They are my favorite type of stories. I will read whatever you put in front of me if it contains some kind of friends-to-lovers relationship.

The story is not full of unnecessary drama, it is actually very dramaless, which is fantastic.

It is also a very short and light read. I finished it in about two hours and a half. It is the perfect summer book.


And the epilogue. The darn epilogue had my heart crying an entire ocean. I want to print that epilogue and paste it on my bedroom walls like wallpaper. That way I can read it all day, every day.

I'm not one for spoilers but I'll just say some characters from previous books can be found inside that gorgeous epilogue.

If you've read the entire Hundred Oaks series the same thing will happen to your heart, I'm warning you.


I will never get tired of recommending Miranda Kenneally books to the world. They are all super cute and fun and relatable and perfect for taking a quick break from your daily life. And as if the story wasn't already prefect, add the swimming to the mix. I love me a sports romance any day.

A fantastic, cute, fun YA read. This is the first story that I have read by Miranda Keneally and it will definitely not be the last. As a previous competitive swimmer in my teenage years, I adored and related to a lot in this story. Miranda did a great job at depicting the life of a competitive swimmer and all that they have to give up to be successful. Well written and well paced. This story dealt with teenagers real life issues, giving you all the feels, sexual exploration, emotions and some light drama. I was captivated and thoroughly enjoyed this story in one sitting.
Maggie's life revolves around swimming and it has for years, with her goal to qualify for the US Olympic team. Her best friend Levi is in the same boat, his life also revolves around swimming and they are both on the same swim team. The only down time they have is on Friday nights, and ever since they were in seventh grade they meet at the local burger place with their other two friends Hunter and Georgia. They share everything with each other. I loved the conversations that this small knit group of friends have with each other, not holding anything back, as well as their support they give one another.
Maggie goes off to college orientation for the weekend and quickly realizes just how much of a normal teenagers life she has missed out on, due to her swimming schedule. After a embarrassingly, disastrous hook up that weekend at a fraternity party, she asks her best friend Levi to help her know how to hook up. After cautiously being concerned to help her, Levi and Maggie start with their lessons. Will this be the end to a close and long friendship? Will her swimming be affected by her new mind set? You will have to read to find out.
Loved it! Highly Recommended!
Received a ARC through the publisher and NetGalley and voluntarily wrote an honest review.

Four stars: A cute romance set against an exciting swimming backdrop.

Maggie’s focus is entirely on swimming. Her life revolves around swimming, eating, school and more swimming. At least on Friday nights, she takes a break and has dinner with her three best friends: Levi, Hunter and Georgia. It is senior year, and Maggie is feeling the pressure. She wants desperately to make the Olympic trials, and she wants to establish herself before college. Yet, her rival, Roxy, is constantly getting in her head, and holding back Maggie’s swimming. Then to make matters worse, Maggie begins to feel like she is missing something when it comes to her high school experience. She has never had a boyfriend, never been kissed, and she is having trouble ignoring her hormones. In desperation, Maggie turns to her lifelong best friend, Levi, for advice. When she asks him to help her learn to hook up, he reluctantly agrees. Will Maggie ruin her friendship and her swimming chances?
What I Liked:
*There is something comforting about picking up a novel by Miranda Kenneally. This is the eighth book in the wildly popular Hundred Oaks series, and a good one. I loved the focus on swimming, the friends to lovers romance, the positivity when it comes to sex, and the importance of family and friendship. I love that Kenneally is never afraid to take on the tough stuff, and that her characters continue to capture the emotions of teenagers. If you haven’t read a book by Ms. Kenneally, you need to check one out.
*Maggie is a terrific character, one of my favorites. I love her strong work ethic and her constant love of swimming. This book is centered around swimming, and I enjoyed learning about all that the athletes must endure to become an Olympic swimmer. It takes determination, work and constant practice. I so enjoyed Maggie’s journey, watching her conquer her demons, and seeing her fight for her chance to compete. Love all the swim stuff!
*The romance is one of my favorite kind, the ever popular friends to lovers relationship. I loved the adorable, life long friendship between Levi and Maggie. Then when Maggie asks Levi to help her learn to hook up, it seems like things might take a wrong turn. Of course, there are bumps in the road and predictability, but it was still fun. I loved all the feels, and the emotions that Ms. Kenneally captured.
*I appreciated the importance of friends and family in the story. Even though Maggie’s life revolves around swimming, she still takes time every Friday to have dinner with her three best friends. I loved the friendship between Maggie, Levi, Hunter and Georgia. They all supported and helped each other, and they constantly had one another’s backs. I also liked the terrific relationship that Maggie and Levi had with their swim coach, Coach Josh. He was always there for to help them. Loved that. I also liked that Maggie and Levi had strong family support. Lots of positive relationships in this one, which is so refreshing in the YA genre. I think one of my favorite parts in the book was when Maggie ran into her dad while buying comments. It was hilarious!
*This book has a strong focus on sex. Maggie is feeling the pressure as she is eighteen and never had a boyfriend or been kissed. Her hormones are raging, and she wants to have some experience before going to college. Luckily, she gets smart and turns to her best friend. When the sex does finally happen, it is done in a mature and positive way.
*I loved the author’s note at the end where Ms. Kenneally discusses her own experiences as a teenager.
*For fans of the Hundred Oaks Series, you get to catch up with a few of your favorite characters from previous books. Jordan Sparks has quite a large role in this one as she is Maggie’s health teacher. I loved seeing Jordan down the road, and seeing her as a positive role model for Maggie. There was also a fun Epilogue at the end featuring Jordan and Sam. There are a few appearances from characters in the past novels as well.
*This is a companion novel, you can read it without having read any of the other books. If you are a fan of the series and have read all the other books, you will enjoy the cameos from past characters. Do not feel like you have to read the books in order, grab this one as it is perfect for summer.
And The Not So Much:
*The book ends very abruptly. I hated that it ended right at one of the pivotal moments in the story. I almost felt cheated. Yes, there is an epilogue four years down the road, but it was mostly about Jordan and Sam, and there is only a brief mention of Maggie and Levi. I so wanted to know how they worked everything out.
*A big part of the story centers around Maggie and her rival, Roxy. Roxy is fiercely competitive and she is a mean girl. I hated the way Roxy treated everyone. I was expecting a big break through moment with Roxy, but I was disappointed because that story line fizzled. I was expecting more.
Even though I liked that this book was sex positive and that the sex was handled in a mature way, I got a little tired of Maggie constantly lusting over Levi. It got to be a bit much.
*There were some interesting secondary story lines, such as Hunter and his romantic troubles and Georgia’s issues with her mom. I would have loved to see more of both of these story lines. Hoping they will be followed up on in future books.

Coming Up For Air is another winner from the uber talented Miranda Kenneally. This book takes swimming to a new level. It has an adorable friends to lovers romance, and it takes on some important issues facing teens. This is one of Ms. Kenneally’s best books in the series, definitely worth checking out this summer.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

Miranda Kenneally excels at showing a straightforward view of the complicated lives of teens. Her lead characters tend to be strong, dedicated young women, almost always hard-driving athletes, who are not afraid to go for what they want, no matter the resistance they meet along the way. And while the athletic achievements of her characters might be super-special, their inner lives keep them grounded and relatable.

In Coming Up For Air, Maggie is a girl who has spent her whole life in a pool. She adores swimming, and devotes herself to it, almost to the exclusion of everything else, because she loves it so much. She pushes herself to be her best, takes her coach’s rules about training and non-swimming behavior seriously, and drives herself forward toward her dream of getting an Olympic trial.

At the same time, Maggie depends on her three best friends for their Friday burger nights to keep her grounded — but she starts to realize how much she’s missed out on by giving so much of her life over to training. She’s never hooked up, has only had one real kiss, and is starting to feel like she’s the last high schooler left who’s so inexperienced. She asks her best friend Levi to teach her how to hook up, but isn’t prepared for how intensely they connect physically, and neither knows how to deal with the fall-out when their no-strings fling starts to feel like it could be a relationship.

As in all of this author’s books, the characters deal with sex in a very down-to-earth way. It’s not needlessly graphic, but it does get into details of what they do together and how it makes them feel. It’s not prettied-up sex, and doesn’t pretend that every encounter is full of fireworks. I appreciate the healthy attitude toward sexual exploration, protecting oneself, and owning one’s own sexual desires and needs.

It’s always refreshing to read Miranda Kenneally’s stories about determined, talented young women, and I think teen readers will appreciate seeing how universal feelings of self-doubt and insecurity can be, even for people who seem to have it all. It’s also refreshing to see the portrayal of the different home lives and coping mechanisms the various main and secondary characters have, and to get pretty good solid advice about life in general by paying attention to the words of the characters’ coaches.

As with the author’s earlier books, the storyline is set in Hundred Oaks, Tennessee, and familiar characters from other books pop up in cameo roles. While all of the Hundred Oaks books work perfectly well as stand-alones, it is pretty fun to read several (or all) and see the connections and shout-outs.

I heartily recommend Miranda Kenneally’s books for teen readers and for adults who like realistic, optimistic, honest depictions of young adult life.

I received an E-ARC of this book from the publisher, Sourcebooks Fire, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I’ve seen Miranda Kenneally’s books around for a while now, but haven’t had the interest to pick one up since I’m not too keen on sports themes and romance together. But it’s summer and I’ve been on a YA contemporary romance phase lately and the premise sounds really exciting and I love friends to lovers stories sooo I clicked that request button. I’ll have you know that I’m definitely happy I got approved because Coming up for Air is such swoony summer read.

I dove into this book not knowing if I would enjoy it, and I loved EVERYTHING. From the writing, the friendships, the characters, the humor, the plot, the ending, the romance and all that FEELS…. I LOVED IT ALL. This book is just so huggable – it’s light, funny, and so stinking cute.

Levi and Maggie are so adorable together and such great characters. I loved the progression of their relationship from best friends to lovers which totally had me SWOONING and made me want my very own Levi. There’s plenty of steamy kisses, sexy moments and that undeniable push and pull that left me wanting more. I was definitely rooting for both of them on and off the swimming pool.

I loved Maggie and her group of friends. Their amazing friendship was absolutely endearing and so fun to read. They’re such a great support system for one another both socially and professionally, especially since all of them are facing a lot pressure in their respective sports. I admired them for their dedication, determination and passion to be better athletes and succeed in their goals.

This book couldn’t have been more perfect. It’s sweet, charming, and entertaining. The plot moved fairly quickly and was a bit predictable at times, but that didn’t take away from the heart of the story. I may not have been a fan of sports and romance together, but Kenneally’s amazing story telling definitely won me over. I can’t wait to read the other books in the series.

If you’re looking for a quick and adorable YA contemporary romance to help you unwind and beat the summer heat, look no more cause Coming Up for Air will surely drown you with so much cuteness and swoon worthy moments.

Again just wanted to say HUGE thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for giving this ARC free of charge.

I am so happy that I got to review Miranda Kenneally's newest Hundred Oaks installment, Coming Up for Air. I love the whole series, one of my favorite books of all time being Breathe, Annie, Breathe (haven't read it? WHAT ARE YOU DOING, GO GET IT!), but Coming Up for Air rose to a solid second.

Coming Up for Air has all the things one would expect from Miranda: hilarious characters and situations and swoon worthy love interests combined with truly touching conflicts that come with growing up and trying to define yourself and what you want.

Maggie is such a great character but I really enjoyed how close she is to her group of friends. They all work to bring out characteristics in one another that make all of them more developed, complex, and believable. I thought the dialogue and action between them was so organic and entertaining it was like watching a movie (a really good one). After visiting Cal (Wat up alma mater! GO BEARS!) as an incoming freshmen athlete, she realizes that she isn't as experienced with boys as she thinks she should be. When she comes back, she asks her best friend, Levi, to help her get more comfortable hooking up with guys. Then all the fun stuff starts. What could go wrong, right?

As always, Maggie's story is the perfect combination between rom-com hilarity and very real, very believable coming-of-age struggles. I thought that the friendship between Maggie and Levi was wonderful and organic and that the romance between all the characters and their various interests so accurately describes any and all forms of romance and infatuation found in high school and college. Maggie's relationship with Levi (and Hunter and Georgia) is so open and nonjudgemental (they remind me a lot of Lola and Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door!). The whole idea of "hookups" has been prevalent in so many young adult and new adult novels, but I truly thing that Coming Up for Air is a really great example of exploring the idea in such a way that is respectful and completely believable. I liked that these are semi-professional kids that still flounder around teenage issues. I liked that they are all making mistakes and kind of have no idea what they are doing but are still able to learn from them and laugh about it. I like the range of familial and platonic relationships, from the ideal parents, to the not so ideal, to split families. I LOVED that she talks about casual (safe) sex, the worry around being inexperienced, and high school students being sexually active in various ways. Her characters make as many mistakes as they do good choices and the balance is fantastic.

Maggie's battle with her own self worth as an athlete and her doubts about what she has and hasn't experienced because of this ambition is a great center to a story of a young woman trying to figure out what's important to her, as both an aspiring Olympian and as a young woman. She must learn to not compare her own accomplishments to others, to be comfortable with change, and to stand up for herself and what she wants. The sports aspect, as usual, is a wonderful frame to a fantastic and dynamic cast of characters, hilarious writing, and swoon-worthy romance. It can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend all of Miranda's books.

this is the perfect young adult contemporary to read by the pool, especially given that levi and maggie basically spend all their time at the pool. they've been swimming together for ages and have been best friends forever. and they also happen to be two elite competitive swimmers vying for spots on the us national olympic team. levi has his tryout all sewn up, but maggie is still competing for hers, so the last thing she needs are any distractions.

but when a college visit highlights how much she's been missing on a social level, she realizes that she needs to use her senior year to prepare. here's the thing: when it comes to kissing, levi is kind of an expert. and she already spends so much time with him anyway, so what could go wrong?

the problem is, so many things go right when she and levi start kissing. every time they touch it's like sparks fly and they were meant to be in each other's arms. but with all the kissing, comes feelings. and suddenly levi and maggie aren't communicating the way they used to. and this newfound awkwardness between them is distracting maggie like crazy when it comes to the pool. especially when it seems like she isn't going to qualify in her signature stroke.

the stakes are actually pretty high for both maggie and levi. getting their relationship on track and their heads in the water is super important. but this is what makes them so relatable. it doesn't matter how gifted or talented you are, you always have the capacity to indulge in romantic drama. setting it right is a little more challenging, but it's really fun to read coming up for air, while maggie and levi figure it all out. or at least figure most of it out. they're teenagers after all.

Another wonderful installment to the Hundred Oaks series.

Kenneally took a trope that usually makes my eyes roll - having your best friend show you how to have sex to get over your inexperience - and filled it with charm, vulnerability and all the swoons.

In addition to Levi and Maggie's romance, the friendships were well developed.

One thing I adore about how Kenneally writes teens, girls in particular, is that there is no one size fits all portrayal. The girls that inhabit her world are fully realized - with hobbies, families, faith, education and healthy interest in sex. What works for one girl doesn't work for them all and no one is shamed because of their choices.

I believe this is the last book in the series, with it's wonderful epilogue bringing us full circle back to Jordan and Sam, It's a must read for all teens - boy and girls - for its empowering messages and fun filled romances.

I think the thing I love the most about Miranda Kenneally's YA writing is her fearlessness. She's never afraid to tackle subjects that many YA authors shy away from: abortion, coming out as gay, class differences, and sex. (Yes, there are plenty of YA books with sex, but many of those feature romance novel sex, the kind of sex where everything is effortlessly perfect and wonderful.) This book tackles two other tricky subjects: female friendship and female ambition. And, again, I loved the way this book took on those topics in a fearless and non-airbrushed way.

Maggie is a competitive swimmer who has little time for anything besides schoolwork and swimming. She's headed to Berkeley in the fall and she's curious about sex. After a disastrous (and completely hilarious) encounter with a random guy, she convinces her close friend Levi to agree to hook up with her for practice. I've seen this trope before in Regency Romance, where the spinster gets the rake to give her lessons in love and of course they fall for each other. I liked the trope here; it reminded me a little of Jordan and Sam and the way they transitioned from friendship to romance.

I also loved the way the book looked at a trope that isn't always represented in YA:female friends-to-frenemies. Maggie has a former friend and now rival, Roxy. At first Maggie supported Roxy, but now they're fierce competitors and Roxy isn't all that nice. In fact, she's pretty mean. I'd like to say that women aren't like that but ... I can't. I've had these weird friendships gone bad myself, and I still can't figure out what happened and if I could have done anything differently.

Finally, I loved the way this book looked at ambition. Maggie wants to be the best swimmer she can and doesn't want anything to stand in the way of that. But she also wants a full, balanced life. Isn't that the eternal female dilemma - how to have time for the relationships (romantic, friendship, family) that give our lives meaning without giving up on our dreams.

This book was a wonderful ending to the Hundred Oaks series - loved the cameos by Jordan and Sam and the mentions of Jesse and the mentions of the Racing Savannah characters. And the epilogue of this book was the icing on the cake!

If you haven't read these companion books, I highly recommend trying them!

Maggie's entire life is swimming. Since she was a kid, her focus has been on the sport and hopefully qualifying for the Olympics one day. Her best friend, Levi, also swims, and the two spend most of their time together. As they enter their senior year, however, Maggie starts to realize how much of typical teen life she's missed out on because of swimming. In particular: relationships and being with a guy. So Maggie turns to Levi for help. After all, her best friend is well-versed in randomly hooking up with girls at swim meets, so she asks him to teach her to hook up. Maggie doesn't think anything will go wrong with this plan--and that the two can maintain their close friendship. But is that really the case? And can Maggie still focus on the most important year of her swimming career?

I've read a few other books in Kenneally's Hundred Oaks series and really enjoyed them: they are just fun, escapist YA novels. For me, this one wasn't quite up to the others I've read, though I enjoyed the second half more than the first. It took me a long time to get into the story and the characters. The "learn to hook up" premise for the plot was a shaky one, and I missed the main focus on sport and relationships than seem to be the hallmark of Kenneally's other novels. While this genre of book is often a bit predictable, the first half of this one was ridiculously so, and it was a little painful to read at times.

Luckily, I found the second half more in the usual Hundred Oaks style, and I did find myself getting into Maggie and Levi's story more. Maggie irritated me a bit from time to time, but she takes more control over her own life decisions in the second half of the story. The second half also focuses more on her competitive swimming career, which I enjoyed (the focus on sports in this series is always a fun, added touch). You can help but enjoy the romance aspect and get sucked in--it's just a strength of Kenneally's and she does it so well. Overall, while not my favorite of the Hundred Oaks novels, this was a cute book and a fun read, though not the usual quick escape that I was expecting.